February Topic

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The challenge will be to consider the function, affect and presence of the HS in your own and others lives. To do that we will need to search God’s Word for insight into the character of the Holy Spirit.

Outline

The Holy Spirit is God

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

The unseen works of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God

LBCF. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit,27 of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided:28 the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;29 the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;30 all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
27 1 John 5:7; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
28 Exod. 3:14; John 14:11; I Cor. 8:6
29 John 1:14,18
30 John 15:26; Gal. 4:6

HC: In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties-- namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy.

• eternal, having neither beginning nor end (Hebrews 9:14),
• omni-potent, having all power (Luke 1:35);
• omni-present, being everywhere at the same time (Psalm 139:7); and
• omni-scient, understanding all matters ( 1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament:

The fact that the Spirit's work in the Old Testament is closely identified with the Word of YHWH spoken by the prophets (this was affirmed by the early church in 2 Peter 1:21 );

Could the Holy Spirit be taken away? Ps 51,  1 Sam 11:6, 1 Sam 16:4

What are some references to God’s Spirit in the OT?

1. "In the beginning God Created The Heavens And The Earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Genesis 1:1-2)
2. "So Pharaoh [see also The Ancient Egyptians] asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is The Spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you." (Genesis 41:38-39)
3. "The Lord said to Moses, "Bring Me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to The Tent Of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of The Spirit that is on you and put The Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so you will not have to carry it alone." (Numbers 11:16-17)
4. "So The Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is The Spirit, and lay your hand on him." (Numbers 27:18) (see The Fall Of Jericho)
5. "The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and The Lord blessed him, and The Spirit of The Lord began to stir him..." (Judges 13:24-25)
6. "The Spirit of The Lord will come upon you [Saul] in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person." (1 Samuel 10:6)
7. "So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on The Spirit of The Lord came upon David in power." (1 Samuel 16:13)
8. "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of The Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4)
9. "When you send Your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." (Psalm 104:30)

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament:

"He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:8)

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:16-18)

The Holy Spirit :          

• Speaks (Acts 13:2)
• intercedes (Rom 8:26)
• testifies (John 15:26)
• guides (John 16:13),
• commands (Acts 16:6,7),
• appoints (Acts 20:28),
• leads (Romans 8:14),
• reproves and convicts of sin (John 16:8).
• seals God's promise in believers' hearts (Ephesians 1:13-14)
• shapes the individual's and community's life to Christ's (Romans 8:1-17)
• Conceives (Luke 1:35)

When a person becomes born again by believing and receiving Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13; John 3:3-21),

God resides in that person through the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 3:16).

The Holy Spirit has intellect (1Cor. 2:11), emotion (Rom. 15:30), and will (1Cor. 12:11).

The Holy Spirit is that He bears "witness" of Jesus Christ (John 15:26, 16:14).

He tells people's hearts about the truth of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also acts as a Christian's teacher (1Cor. 2:9-14).

"When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." (John 16:13)

Baptism with the Holy Spirit

• Matthew 3:11: "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit..."
• Mark 1:8: "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit..."
• Luke 3:16: "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit..."
• Luke 24:49: "...stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (see fulfillment in Acts 2).
• John 1:33: "...the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."
• Acts 1:4-5: "...the Promise of the Father..."; "...you will be baptized with the Holy Sprit..."
• Acts 2:1-4: "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages..."
• Acts 2:14-18: "...I will pour out my Spirit..." (quoting Joel 2:28 and 29).
• Acts 4:31: "...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..."
• Acts 8:14-17: ...prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit..."; "...as yet the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them..."; "...they received the Holy Spirit..."; "...the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands...".
• Acts 9:17: "...Jesus...has sent me...that you may...be filled with the Holy Spirit."
• Acts 10:44-48: "The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word..."; "...the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out..."; "...people who have received the Holy Spirit..."
• Acts 11:15-16: "...the Holy Spirit fell upon them..."; "...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit..."
• Acts 19:1-6: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit...?"; "...the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied..."

 Unseen Works of the Spirit:

What are some “unseen” works of the Spirit

Paul, what I want to do I don’t do and what I don’t want to do I do……

Sanctification

The Holy Spirit was given to live inside those who believe in Jesus, in order to produce God's character in the life of a believer. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus Christians are told to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25) and be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). And the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform ministerial duties that promote spiritual growth among Christians (Rom. 12; 1Cor. 12; Eph. 4).

The Holy Spirit also performs a function for non-Christians as well. He convicts people's hearts of God's truth concerning how sinful we are -- needing God's forgiveness; how righteous Jesus is -- He died in our place, for our sins; and God's eventual judgment of the world and those who do not know Him (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit tugs on our hearts and minds, asking us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.