Sweet Sweet Spirit

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Text: John 16:7-14

It again is a joy to be here together with you this day remembering our Lord Jesus and worshipping our God!
We want to speak this morning about a very neglected and yet important subject. I believe that one of the reasons why it is neglected is because it can be a very challenging subject. There are few subjects that have so many different views than the Holy Spirit. Yet, it is clear from the teachings of Christ and the apostles that the Spirit is to be acknowledged and can somewhat be understood.

I want us this morning to look at this great Helper who we so desperately rely on for who we are and who we want to be!
Let's read some texts this morning before going on:
Acts 2:36-41, Romans 8:9-17, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 & John 16:7-14.

As we go through this morning basically looking at today's subjects through a series of questions, we must try to remember what these passages tell us concerning the Spirit and His work.

It is best to begin this morning asking the question, "who is the Holy Spirit?"
First of all, the Spirit is not an "it".
He is not merely an influence or another inanimate thing but is a Personality. He was in the beginning with God & Christ. Jesus referred to Him in John 16 as "He". The Spirit is a living Being just like God the Father and God the Son!

Second of all, the Spirit is not the Bible!
What we read for our spiritual nutrition is not the Holy Spirit. The Bible is His work and the two are never in disagreement, but the Spirit is not the Bible!
Look again at Acts 2!
Peter said in vs 38- after baptism & repentance there would be forgiveness of sins & gift of Spirit! Then we read in 41- they received his word and were baptized!
Conclusion: they received the word - were baptized - then received Spirit! The word was received at a different time than the Spirit! Therefore, they are not the same!

The Spirit is a member of the Godhead!
Having looked at Acts 2:38, the question is asked, how does one receive the gift of the Spirit?
What is it?
Acts 2:38, 5:32- both times Peter gives us the answer!
One time he says God gives us the Spirit upon obedience! There is something done to receive it. In chapter 2:38- he clearly shows that when we are baptized for the remission of our sins, we receive the gift of the Spirit!
What is the gift?
The Spirit Himself!
Ira North used to use this illustration, "If I were to give you a gift of $100.00, what would the gift be?" "It's clearly $100.00!"
The same is true with the Spirit!
Peter said "The Spirit whom God has given to all who obey Him!"
Every baptized penitent believer receives the Holy Spirit!
1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 8:15!
What is the big deal about this?
Why is knowledge of the Spirit's part in the Christian's life important?
What is His work? Romans 11:33-36
  1. The Spirit is a witness!
    Acts 5:32- He is a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The most important event in the history of the world, the Spirit testifies to its viability! Why believe the Apostle's word? Well, believe the Spirit who testifies with them- Hebrews 2:3,4!
    Romans 8:16- He is a witness to our sonship! Why just believe us? Notice the Spirit does not bear witness "to" our spirit, but "with" our spirit! John 16:7-13- the Spirit teaches us through the Bible and when we follow His instructions we both testify to the truthfulness concerning our sonship!
  2. The Spirit is a guide into the truth!
    John 16:13. This is an important trait of following the Spirit's leading. The Holy Spirit cannot go against the Bible in any form!
    Why?
    John 17:17- they both are truth and truth cannot go against truth! In fact, from Ephesians 6:17- the word is the Spirit's weapon in the spiritual warfare! 1 John 4:6- it is the apostle's words that determine if we really are following the Spirit's leading! Because the Spirit is Divine in nature He also could not be the cause of such confusion that we sometimes see. 1 Corinthians 14:33!
    Some today contend that the Spirit guides them independently of the word of God! Some say that the Spirit is the cause of all sorts of deeds that the Bible would never approve of! This cannot be true.
  3. The Spirit is involved in the conversion of man!
    Not only has He given us the words by which we can discover the way of salvation, He is directly involved in our conversions. Titus 3:5, John 3:3-5, 1 Cor.12:13. We may not understand how He does this, in the same way in which the blood cleanses us, but it is enough to know He does renew us. The Spirit makes us new!
    A simple conversion equation might be this:
    We obey the Father's commands by being baptized into Christ and thus renewed by the Spirit.
  4. The Holy Spirit doesn't quit at conversion but now becomes involved in our sanctification.
    The word sanctification means the process of making us holy! 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14! The Spirit sanctifies us or makes us holy!
    How did it begin? By calling us through the gospel. Now as Christians we continue to walk according to the Bibles instructions and the Spirit sanctifies us or makes us holy! Basically He is working to bring us up to where we are because of Christ!
    It is interesting to note John 17:17- the word of God sanctifies us! One thing to note is though the Spirit has renewed us and the Spirit seeks to make us holy, we can still bring up the old man! Eph.4:30-32! We grieve the Holy Spirit when we don't act like we should!
  5. His fruit eventually evidences the sanctifying work of the Spirit!
    Galatians 5:22,23! When we are following His lead, the Spirit will work us out the way God wants us to work out!
  6. How can we live the Christian life?
    Ephesians 3:16,20! We sometimes wonder, I can't be that good of a Christian because I can't kick this sin! Or, I can't become a Christian because I am not good enough!
    That's right. That's why we need the Spirit. The power that works in us! We who have been saved by God's grace have this overwhelming power available to us! The reason we need to understand the Spirit, is we at least need to understand that He gives us the power to perform through us the things God says He wants and yet we think we can't!
    As an aside the Spirit does not have to mean ability to work miracles!
    John the Baptist- Luke 1:15, John 10:40-42, Stephen Acts 6:3,6,8- full of Spirit, laying on of the Apostle's hands, miracles!
  7. The Spirit helps us in our prayers!
    Abba Father- Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6. Romans 8:26,27- the Spirit helps us because we do not know what to pray for, He intercedes!
  8. Lastly, As powerful as the Spirit is in our present lives, those who belong to God will feel the greatest power ever- the same power that raised Jesus will raise us- by the Spirit! Romans 8:11
Let me ask you this morning, as a child of God, do you know that you have working on your behalf a great and powerful Being like the Spirit?
May we always seek to know God's will in all aspects and let the Spirit's work be done.
If you are not yet a child of God, if you do not yet have God's Spirit in you, let me ask you where your hope lies for a better life?
Where does your hope lie in the after-life?
Who will be on your side when all the dust is settled?
Why don't you come?
Confess the name of Christ, repent of all sins and be baptized and you will receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit and your name will be among the roll that calls heaven its home…

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