The Work of the Holy Spirit In the Scripture

Q: What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead, equal with the Father and the Son, who plays a crucial role in the lives of believers. The Bible presents the Holy Spirit as a distinct person within the Godhead, fully God and equal with the Father and the Son. As depicted in Luke 3:21-22, the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus at His baptism in bodily form. Throughout Scripture, He is identified not merely as an influence or principle but as a person who actively engages in creation, revelation, and redemption. Jesus promised in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit would guide and teach His disciples, highlighting His essential role in the life of the believer and the church.

Q: How do we know the Holy Spirit is God?

The Holy Spirit is recognized as God through His divine roles and actions as depicted in Scripture. The recognition of the Holy Spirit as God is affirmed by His attributes and actions described in Scripture. For example, He possesses a mind (Romans 8:27), has the power to intercede (Romans 8:26), and is involved in the resurrection of Christ (1 Peter 3:18). These divine functions demonstrate His equality with the Father and the Son. Furthermore, believers are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), further solidifying His divine status. The Bible consistently assigns to the Holy Spirit the same attributes and honors due to God alone, affirming that He is indeed God.

Q: Why is the work of the Holy Spirit important for Christians?

The Holy Spirit is essential for regeneration, conviction of sin, and spiritual growth in believers. The work of the Holy Spirit is crucial for Christians as it involves regenerating the believer, which is necessary due to humanity's total depravity. John 6:63 states that the Spirit gives life, emphasizing that without Him, no person can come to God or experience spiritual transformation. The Holy Spirit also plays a key role in convicting believers of their sin and guiding them towards holiness (John 16:8). Without the Holy Spirit, believers lack assurance, authenticity, and the ability to bear spiritual fruit. He enables them to understand and live out their faith, thus making His role vital for a fruitful Christian life.

Q: What marks the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life?

The presence of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by conviction of sin, sincere faith in Christ, and a life of holiness. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life is marked by several key evidences. Firstly, there exists a sincere and deep conviction of sin, which aligns with the promise of Christ that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin (John 16:8). Secondly, believers exhibit a genuine faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, acknowledging His incarnation and redemptive mission (1 John 4:1-3). Additionally, a life characterized by holiness and love for the Word of God is indicative of the Holy Spirit's work (1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 119:9). When believers demonstrate these qualities, it assures us of the Holy Spirit’s active presence in their lives.

He is more than a principle.
He is a person. He is a person in the Godhead,
equal with the Father and equal with the Son. Now that is certain. Now let's take the Bible first
of all and go to Luke chapter 3. In the third chapter of Luke,
beginning with verse 21, we're told that the Holy Spirit descended
upon Jesus Christ in a bodily shape, he came down from heaven
upon Christ the Lord. When our Lord was baptized, the
Father spoke from heaven and said, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. And verse 22 of Luke chapter
3 says, And the Holy Ghost, not an influence, not a principle,
but a person, descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and
a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son,
in thee I am well pleased. The Holy Spirit descended upon
Christ Jesus our Lord in a bodily shape. Then without turning,
when our Lord went back to glory, he said to his disciples, Go
ye into all the world and preach the gospel, make disciples of
all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is to be administered
in the name of the Holy Spirit together with the Father and
with the Son. In the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. And then our Lord said, and you
needn't turn to this, I'll just quote these because you're familiar
with these scriptures. Our Lord said in Mark chapter
3 verse 29, Whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Spirit
It shall not be forgiven him in this world or in the world
to come. Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit is in danger
of everlasting damnation. He is a person. Now I do want
you to turn to Acts, the eighth chapter. And here is an illustration
of the Holy Spirit himself commanding disciples to act, to do certain
things. The Holy Spirit speaking to the
disciples. in Acts chapter 8 verse 29. Philip was down in Samaria in
a meeting, in a revival, preaching the gospel, and the Holy Spirit
said to Philip, verse 29, Acts chapter 8, Philip, the Holy Spirit
said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot.
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet
Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said, Go join yourself to that chariot.
And then we read in verse 39, and after he baptized the eunuch,
when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the
Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. Now
turn to Acts 13. What I'm showing in these verses
is the Holy Spirit is a person, equal with the Father and with
the Son. He's not just an influence. He's not just a principle. He's
a person. In Acts 13 verse 2, And as they
ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate
me, Barnabas, and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called
them." Here is the Holy Spirit instructing the disciples where
to go, to whom they are to preach, and who are they to send as missionaries
with the gospel evangelists. And then in John chapter 14,
Now turn over there, if you will. The Lord Jesus Christ, just before
going to the cross, is instructing his disciples. And he tells them
in John 14, verse 26, that when he goes away, the Holy Spirit
will come. The Holy Spirit will be their
comforter. And also he's telling them the Holy Spirit will be
their teacher. John 14, verse 26. But the comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
he," not it, he. I don't like to hear people refer
to the Holy Spirit as it, because he is a person. He shall teach
you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever
I have said unto you. Now turn just a page to John
16, verse 13. Christ speaking again to his
disciples And he says in John 16, 13, how be it when he, the
spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself,
but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will
show you things to come. He is our teacher. And then Paul
wrote in Romans 8, verse 26, he is our interceder, he plays
through us We know not the things for which we should pray, except
the Holy Spirit should teach us and instruct us. And then
he has said in the word of God to have a mind of his own, a
will of his own, and power. Those scriptures are all, well
let's turn to Romans chapter 8 verse 27, let me show you this. Romans 8 verse 27, the Holy Spirit
has a mind, a person A real person has a mind, a will, and has ability
or power. And he says here, verse 27, Romans
8, and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according
to the will of God. The Holy Spirit has a mind. Turn
to Romans 15. Romans 15, verse 13, the Holy
Spirit has power. Romans 15, 13 says, "...the God
of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you
may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." And
then 1 Corinthians 12 says, "...he divides gifts severally as he
will." Now those scriptures are sufficient to show us that the
Holy Spirit is not just an influence, he's not just a principle, he's
a person, co-equal with the Father and with the Son. He descended
upon Christ in a bodily form. We are to be baptized in the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To speak a word
against the Holy Spirit is to be in danger of eternal damnation.
He commanded the disciples where to go, with whom to speak, and
what to preach. He is our teacher. Christ said,
He will be your teacher. He will take the things that
I have said and show them to you. He will pray through through
us. The Holy Spirit will reveal to
us the things for which we should pray. Now then, the Bible assigns
a prominent place to the Holy Spirit, a very prominent place.
When our Lord was conceived in the womb of the Virgin, let's
turn to Luke chapter 1, the angel appeared and said this, in Luke
1 verse 35, the angel of the Lord said to Mary, now watch
this, in Luke 1 The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the fire where the highest shall
overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." It
was the Holy Spirit that gave life to the dead womb of Mary. It was the Holy Spirit who conceived
and quickened the child Jesus in the womb of Mary. The Holy
Spirit shall come upon thee. And in the ministry of our Lord,
the scripture tells us the Holy Spirit came upon Christ, turned
the loop forward. In the fourth chapter of Luke,
verse 1, and Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from
Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. God giveth
not the Spirit by measure to Christ. And then in Acts chapter
10, now this is important here. In the tenth chapter of Acts,
verse 38, This is an important scripture. What I'm saying is
this. The Holy Spirit had a prominent place in the ministry of our
Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 10.38, how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went
about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil, for God was with him. God was God the Holy Ghost. The
sacrifice of our Lord says he offered himself through the eternal
Spirit. The resurrection of our Lord.
Turn to 1 Peter 3. The Holy Spirit had a prominent
part in the resurrection of Christ. In 1 Peter 3, verse 18. Listen
to this verse. For Christ also hath once suffered
for sin, that just for the unjust that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,
capital S, that's the Holy Spirit. And then the ministry of the
apostle, thy Lord told his disciples, you remain in Jerusalem till
you be endued with power. After the Holy Ghost comes upon
you, then you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,
to the uttermost parts of the earth. And then this Bible, turn
to 2 Peter 1, the very Bible that we're reading right now,
was written by men who were taught and led and inspired by the Holy
Spirit. In 2 Peter 1 verse 21, for the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, that's not
how the Bible was written, men just sitting down writing what
they wanted to, but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost. So there you have the Bible giving
a prominent place to the Holy Spirit, in the incarnation of
Christ, in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the very
sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who offered himself as a sacrifice
through the eternal Spirit, the Spirit by whom Christ was raised,
the ministry of the apostles. They stayed in Jerusalem until
the Holy Spirit came upon them, then they went out and preached.
The written Word of God was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Now then,
whatever spiritual life and whatever spiritual gifts that you have
and that I have is because of the Holy Spirit. Whatever spiritual
life we have, whatever spiritual gifts, whatever spiritual knowledge
we have is brought to us by the Holy Spirit. Let me just quote
these verses. You are familiar with these,
especially. The scripture says, you hath he quickened who were
dead in trespasses and sin. Who does the quickening of the
dead sinner? Well, turn to John 6, verse 63,
and let our Lord tell us. Who is it that comes to the sinner
dead in trespasses and sin and gives him life? Who is it that
comes to the sinner in his spiritual grave? in his deadness and quickens
him to a response to the word of God. In John 6 verse 63, listen,
it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are
life. It's the Holy Spirit. I know that's a small s there
and it's referring to the spirit In the King James translation
here, but that's the Holy Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit that gives
life. Because by the Holy Spirit, we're
born again. Christ said, that which is born
of flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit
is spirit. Regeneration, Paul wrote in Titus,
of the Holy Spirit. Turn to John 16. We are convicted
of sin by the Holy Spirit. In John the 16th chapter, listen
to this. verse 9 and 10, John 16, verse
9, verse 8. And when he is come, and when
he is come, speaking of the Holy Spirit, he will reprove or convince
the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment. Of sin, because
they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go
to my father and you see me no more. Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged. The work of convincing men of
sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. It's the Spirit that convinces
us of sin. By the Holy Spirit we're sealed,
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus. In Ephesians chapter 4 verse
30, listen to this, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby
you are sealed or kept until the day of redemption. It's the
Holy Spirit that gives us assurance. Now this I want you to read,
turn to Romans I'm going to give you time to turn to it. Romans
8 verse 15. It's the Holy Spirit that quickens
us, makes us alive. It's the Holy Spirit that gives
us life. We're born of the Spirit. It's
the Holy Spirit who convinces us of sin. It's the Holy Spirit
by whom we're sealed and kept for the day of redemption. Now
this, the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us assurance. Romans
chapter 8, verse 15, listen. Verse 14, Romans 8, 14. For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. For you have not received the
spirit of bondage, Uganda, fear, but you have received the spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Hebrew word for father, father,
father. The spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God." Where do we
get this assurance? The Holy Spirit himself bears
witness with our spirits that we are the sons of God. By the
Holy Spirit we are sanctified, and by the Holy Spirit we bear
fruit. Turn to Romans 5. Romans 5 verse
5, by the Holy Spirit we bear fruit. Romans 5 verse 5, and
hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us. The love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts for the Holy Spirit. The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, meekness, long-suffering,
patience. These things are the fruits of
the Spirit. So it's by the Holy Spirit that
the believer is quickened, that he's born again, that he's convinced
of sin, that he's sealed and kept till the day of redemption,
that he has assurance That he is sanctified, and it's by the
Holy Spirit that we bear any fruit. Now Bishop J.C. Ryle said this, and I want you
to listen carefully to it. My friends, to give the Holy
Spirit divine worship, if he be not God, is idolatry. But to withhold from him divine
worship, if he is God, is a great sin. I entreat every believer
to make sure that he holds a sound doctrine concerning the work
of the Holy Spirit. Give the Holy Spirit the honor
that's due unto him. Give him the place that the Bible
assigns to him. Settle in your mind the work
of the blessed Trinity and don't leave out the Holy Spirit. The
election of the Father and the atoning blood of the Son are
the foundation stones of our faith. But the election of the
Father and the atoning blood of the Son must never be separated
from the work of the Holy Spirit. It is true the Father purposes,
it is true the Son purchases, but it's also true the Holy Spirit
applies the work. always together in the scripture,
never separated, so they must not be separated in our thinking.
Give him the honor due unto his name. Now here's the second point
that I want to bring out briefly. The necessity of the work of
the Holy Spirit. Now the necessity of the work
of the Holy Spirit in quickening us, in regenerating us, in convincing
us of sin, teaching us. This arises from the total corruption
of our human nature. That's the reason his work is
necessary. Because we're dead in sin. Because we're dead in our trespasses. The eyes of our understanding
are blind. Our wills, our affections, our
imaginations. God said every imagination of
man's heart is evil continually. But God says that we're enemies
in our natural minds. The natural mind is enmity against
God. We have neither faith, fear,
love, nor holiness, and if left to ourselves, we would never
be saved. Therefore the Holy Spirit must
do this work in us. He must do this work for us. Listen to these three things.
Without the Holy Spirit, no man will turn to God. All of the
preaching in the world, all of the argument, all of the logic,
all of the eloquence in the world will not open blind eyes. All
of the preaching in the world will not unstop deaf ears. The
Spirit must give life. The Spirit must regenerate. The
Spirit must convict. The Spirit must reveal Christ.
Take away the Holy Spirit from the gospel, and it becomes dead
letter. In the power of the Holy Spirit
rests if any man's ability to know God. Turn to 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. I want you to look at this scripture
here. It's familiar to you, I know, but let's look at it again. Without
the Holy Spirit, no man turns to God. In 2 Corinthians 4 verse
3, if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. in
whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach
not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Christ Jesus. That's how it came. And that's
the only way it can come to any man. Barnard used to quote one
old preacher. He said he read a book one time
by this preacher, and this statement stuck with him throughout his
entire ministry. And he used it nearly every time
he preached. If my voice is the only voice
you hear, Nothing of any eternal value or consequence will take
place. You've got to hear him speak
who speaks in power. You've got to hear him speak
who speaks through his word. You have to hear him speak who
by speaking gives life, and that's the Holy Ghost. No man will turn
to God without the Holy Spirit. Then secondly, without the Holy
Spirit, we have no part in Christ. Now let me read two verses. First
of all, Romans 8, verse 9. Romans 8, verse 9. Turn over
there, if you will. Romans 8, verse 9. But ye are
not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he's none of his. If a man does not have the
Holy Spirit, he does not have Christ. If a man does not have
the Holy Spirit, he does not have God. If a man does not have
the Holy Spirit, he does not have life. If any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Now listen to this verse.
In 1 John 3 verse 24, And he that keepeth his commandments
dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth
in us, by the Spirit which he hath given unto us. He who has
not the Spirit of God has not Christ. Everybody who has Christ
has the Holy Spirit. Everybody who has salvation has
the Holy Spirit. And if we don't have the Holy
Spirit, we have no part of Christ. Now what's the third thing? The
necessity of the Holy Spirit's work. Without the Holy Spirit,
no man will turn to God. Without the Holy Spirit, we have
no part in Christ. If any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is not his. Thirdly, without the Holy Spirit,
we have no taste for heaven. I read this one time not long
ago and marked it. Heaven is a holy place. And for
this holy place, we are by nature totally unfit. We have no capacity
for enjoying the happiness of heaven, not in the flesh. We have no eyes for the beauty
and glories of heaven. We have no taste for the holiness
and purity of heaven. We have no ears for the music
of heaven. We have no heart for the glory
which is Christ alone. This is what the author is saying
when he writes, without holiness, no man will see the Lord. It
is the work of the Holy Spirit to prepare us for heaven, to
give us a taste for its holiness, to give us eyes for its beauty,
to give us a capacity for enjoying its happinesses, to give us an
ear to rejoice in its music and a heart that can enter into its
praises. He alone can change our worldly
hearts and give us affection for glory. He alone can give
us a love for righteousness and a hatred for sin. He alone can
bring our minds into harmony with God's holiness and God's
justice so that we can say amen to God's judgments. The Holy
Spirit alone can give us a real unity with God's will, God's
glory, and God's purpose. preparation that takes place
in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, an unregenerate
man would be miserable in heaven. He would be miserable in heaven. And then the third thing, and
this will be interesting I think, it is to me, the marks and evidence
evidences of the Holy Spirit's presence in a man's heart. Now
I've shown you from the Scripture the prominent place given to
the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ, his disciples, every
believer. I've tried to show you from the
Scripture the necessity, the absolute necessity of the Holy
Spirit's work because of our inabilities and because of our
sinfulness. Let me show you now the marks
and evidences of the Holy Spirit's presence. Do I have the Holy
Spirit? Well, it's decided if I don't,
I'm not saved. If I don't have the Holy Spirit,
I don't belong to Christ. If I don't have the Holy Spirit,
I'd be totally unfit for God's presence and God's kingdom. But
there are in the Scripture some marks and evidences of the Holy
Spirit's presence in a man's life, in a man's heart. the presence
of the Holy Spirit in a man's heart can be known by his effects,
by the effects that he produces, by the fruit that he produces.
In other words, you come to a tree and you know there's life in
that tree because of the leaves on the tree or the fruit on the
tree. There's life because there are leaves and fruit. You know
there's a, you see a car going down the street, you know there's
a driver in that car by the direction that it goes. If it were going
all over the road and down the hills and through the ditches,
you'd say, well, there's no driver in that car, he has no control
over the car. But it takes a path and it turns
at a certain corner and turns and there's a driver in that
car, and that car's doing what that driver wills. Just so, you
know that the Holy Spirit is present in a man's life by the
influence that he has on that man's thoughts, attitude, beliefs,
or opinions. his affections and his deeds
and his life in general. Now then, let's turn to 1 John
1, verse 10. 1 John 1, 10. The first evidence of the Holy
Spirit's presence in a man's life is this. Where the Holy
Spirit is, there will be a sincere and deep conviction of sin. where
the Holy Spirit is, there will be a sincere and deep conviction
of sin. Now, before I read 1 John, listen
to this. Our Lord said, when the Holy
Spirit has come, he'll do what? He'll convince you of sin. And
1 John 1.10 says, If we say we have not sinned, we make him
a liar, and his word is not in us. His word's not in us, his
spirit's not in us. His word's not in us, his son's
not in us. His word's not in us, his grace
is not in us. So where you find a person denying
the existence of sin, and denying his own sin, you'll find a man
who has not the Holy Spirit. 1 John 1.8 says, if we say we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Well,
if the truth's not in us, the Holy Ghost is not in us, because
he's the Spirit of truth. And I don't care where you find
a person, a person may say that I've been saved and sanctified
and set apart and filled with the Holy Ghost and spoken in
tongues, and I never sinned. Put it down right then, he has
not the Holy Spirit. Because the very first thing
the Holy Spirit does is convince us of sin. And keeps on convincing
us of sin. And if we say we have no sin,
the truth's not in us. And the Word of God's not in
us. if we say we have no sin. All right? Secondly, where the
Holy Ghost is, there will be a sincere faith in Christ, in
his person, in his work. Now, you're right there at 1
John. Just turn on over, 1 John 4, verse 1 through 3. Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the whether they are of God, because many false prophets
are gone out into the world, hereby know ye the Spirit of
God. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is not of God, and this is the spirit of Antichrist. Well, have
you heard that it should come, and even now already is it in
the world? I know I quote Brother Ralph
Barnard a lot, but he meant a lot to me. I learned a lot from him.
We were very close. Evidence for the fact that when
he died, his wife asked me to preach his funeral, and I'm sure
that was his request. But one time some ministers started
playing with the gifts and baptism of the Holy Ghost. And I was
present when they came to talk to Brother Barnard about it,
about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are they for our day and so forth
and so on. We have the message of Paul,
we don't have the power of Paul. I heard him say this. He said,
Boy, I have no objections to God bringing again into operation
the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whether it be tongues or healing
or prophecy or interpretation or whatever it might be. But
he said, I've been all over this country and I've sat and listened
to these divine healers, second work of grace people, people
who speak in tongues and claim these gifts. But he said, this
is what I'm looking for. When I find one of those people
who knows and is preaching the gospel of substitution, when
I find one of these people who claims these gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and he in his message is exalting the Lord Jesus Christ,
then I'll listen to him on the Holy Spirit." But he said, I'm
not going to listen to anybody talk about the Holy Spirit who
doesn't know anything about the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not going
to listen to anybody talk about the Holy Spirit who doesn't know
who Christ And why Christ came to this earth, and why Christ
died on the cross, and what he did when he died and where he
is now. Because every spirit that confesseth
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And
he said again, turn with me to John chapter 16, and this is
something I want you to look at. And Ralph made this very
plain in this conversation in John 16 verse 13. Now this is
very important, you listen to it carefully. Because this is
a religion that's sweeping the world today, this charismatic
second work of grace and baptism of the Holy Ghost and tongues
and all of these gifts are sweeping the country, sweeping the world.
It may be that this will be the religion of the last days, I
don't know. But people are talking everywhere about the Holy Ghost,
the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost. But now you look at John 16.
Christ said in John 16, 13, How be it when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth, for he shall
not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak, he will show you things to come. He shall
glorify me, he shall receive of mine and show it to you. He
shall not speak of himself." He shall not glorify himself. The mission and work of the Holy
Spirit is to make Christ known and to glorify Christ. And when
you hear a preacher or a teacher or an evangelist or a religious
person making much of the Holy Spirit and little of the Lord
Jesus Christ. You put it down, that's not the
Spirit of Christ. That's the Spirit of antichrist.
That's the Spirit of evil. That's not the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit does not speak of himself. He glorifies Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit
of truth who wrote this Word. And when men deny God's sovereignty,
they're not filled with the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit wrote,
God is sovereign. When men deny God's elective
grace and God's eternal purposes, they're not filled with the Holy
Spirit, because the Holy Spirit wrote this word which says, Thank
God, beloved, for you, knowing your election of God through
the sanctification of the spirit belief of the When a man denies
Christ's effectual redemption, he's not filled with the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit wrote that Jesus ransomed us by his
blood, perfected forever them that are sanctified. When a man
denies the Word of God, he's not speaking by the power of
the Holy Spirit. So Roth said, when I find a man
who's standing in the pulpit, exalting the Lord Jesus Christ
and calling sinners to Christ, And that man wants to talk to
me about the gifts of the Spirit, I'll talk to him. Where the Holy
Spirit is, there'll be a sincere conviction of sin, and there'll
be a sincere faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I'm telling you this too, and B.B. Carwell said this, he's
a wise old man. He said, any experience, whatever
you call it, that eclipses salvation is not of God. The greatest thing
in the world that can happen to a man is not to speak in tongues,
is not to receive a second work of grace. The greatest thing
that can happen to a man is to come to know Christ, and anything
better than that is not of God. And anything that eclipses that
is not of God. I hear people say, well, you're
saved, but where do you get this? Wait a minute now, you mean there's
something better in Jesus Christ? You mean there's something better
than coming to know God? You mean there's something better
than being brought from death to life? You mean there's something
better than being translated from the kingdom of darkness
to the kingdom of God's dear Son? The Scripture says Christ
is all. The Scripture says you're complete
in Him. If I'm complete in Him, I don't
need something out here that you give me by the laying on
of your hands. If I'm complete in Christ, I'm
complete. And nothing needs to be added
to me. I grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I progress in sanctification. I grow in the knowledge of God's
Word. I grow in the fruits of the Spirit. But Christ is still
all in all. And then thirdly, where the Holy
Spirit is, there will be holiness of life and conversation. He
is called in the Bible the Spirit of holiness. He is called in
the Bible the Spirit of truth. People who have the Holy Spirit
don't lie, they speak truth. He's called the sanctifying Spirit. He takes away that hard, worldly,
selfish, carnal heart and gives us a tender heart that delights
in the law of God. He is called in the Scripture
the spirit of prayer, the spirit of grace and supplication, Zechariah
12.10. Then, in the fourth place where
the Holy Spirit is, there will be a love and a reverence for
this book, for the Word of God. Turn to 1 Peter 2. Wherever you
have the Holy Spirit you'll have a love for the Word
of God, because we're born of the Word of God. That's how the
Holy Spirit brings us into the Kingdom of God, is through the
Word. That's the seed of the Spirit. And then in 1 Peter 2.1,
Wherefore laying aside all malice and all gown, hypocrisy and envy
and evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk
of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if so be you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious." And then turn to Psalm 1. Let me
read you a couple of verses over here. Psalm 1, verse 1 and 2. Psalm 1, verse 1 and 2. Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, the word
of the Lord, and in his law does he meditate day and night. Now one other verse and I'll
close. Psalms 119. I want you to turn to this. Psalms
119 verse 9. Where the Holy Spirit is, there
will be a conviction of sin. Where the Holy Spirit is, there
will be a sincere faith in Christ, his person and Where the Holy
Spirit is, there will be honesty and holiness of character and
conversation. Where the Holy Spirit is, there
will be a love for this book. In Psalm 119, verse 9, listen. Psalm 119, verse 9. Wherewithal
shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according
to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought
thee, O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have
I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee. Blessed
art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I
declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in
the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches. I will
meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways. I
will delight myself in thy statutes. I will not forget thy word. I
will not forget thy word. Last of all, where the Spirit
of God is, there are spiritual desires. There are spiritual
desires. Let me read you a verse over
here, Romans 8, verse 5. Where the Spirit of God is, there
are spiritual desires. For they that are after the flesh
do mind are interested in the things of the flesh, but they
that are after the spirit, they're interested in the things of the
spirit. The general tone and tenor and direction of the mind
and heart of the person who has the Holy Spirit is in favor of
spiritual things. Where the Spirit of God is, men
do not serve God by fits and starts, but habitually. They
love Christ first. There is a conflict between the
old and the new nature, but where the Spirit of God is, there is
a direction of holiness and righteousness. Our Father, bless the word that
we have studied this evening. Make it profitable in our experience. We know that these words are
a dead letter without the Holy Spirit quickening them, giving
them life. illuminating our minds and our
hearts, giving us, first of all, a desire for spiritual things,
a thirst and a hunger for righteousness and for knowledge, and then the
Holy Spirit teaching and leading us. We pray for thy spirit. We pray, O Lord, that thy spirit
would enable us to exalt and magnify the person of him who
loved us and gave himself for us. We ask it in the name of
Christ our Lord and our Redeemer. Amen.

The Work of the Holy Spirit In the Scripture

What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?

How do we know the Holy Spirit is God?

Why is the work of the Holy Spirit important for Christians?

What marks the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life?

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The Work of the Holy Spirit In the Scripture

What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?

How do we know the Holy Spirit is God?

Why is the work of the Holy Spirit important for Christians?

What marks the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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