In the Defense of our Faith # 7
“The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit”
Luke 22:44-49, Acts 1:1-8
Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor
When it comes to the subject of evangelism, the role of the Holy Spirit is unequivocally essential. The Holy Spirit:
- Empowers us with the courage and the wisdom to share the gospel with others.
- Establishes the divine appointments for us to be His witnesses.
- Convicts the unbeliever regarding their sins and their need for a Savior.
- Enables the unbeliever to receive and respond to the gospel.
So, our priority is to:
- “Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts,” – to pledge allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ as the indisputable Lord of our lives.
- “Always be ready to give a defense,” – beginning with the testimony of our conversion experience, and being able to back that up with the precise scriptures that confirm our faith in Christ.
- “Be filled with the Holy Spirit,” – yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
- “Have a clear conscience,” – we should strive to live at peace with everyone.
Though we often sing about the Triune Nature of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is the most difficult to comprehend.
- We can understand God the Father because we can see the Creation and know there must be a Creator. Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God.”
- We can accept the concept of God the Son because secular history confirms the birth, life, death, and resurrection of a man named Jesus. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
- However, the concept of the Holy Spirit is difficult to comprehend. 1 Cor. 2:14, “The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; he cannot understand them for there are spiritually appraised.”
- Therefore, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is the most neglected subject in the church today, which means the majority of Christians are without the power to live the Victorious Christian Life, which means the Holy Spirit cannot use them as His witnesses in the world.
- The Person and work of the Holy Spirit has been misused and abused by the Pentecostal movement as some of what they call “manifestations” of the Spirit aren’t biblical.
- Because of our lack of preaching and teaching on the Holy Spirit, even many pastors refer to the Holy Spirit as “IT” rather than the 3rd Person of the Triune Godhead.
However, throughout biblical history, God has revealed Himself in three distinct expressions:
- God the Father was the planner, designer, and initiator of the universe and all that exists, including His plan for the redemption of lost mankind. (John 6:44)
- God the Son manifested God’s physical presence on earth. He was the human instrument through which God the Father’s desires were carried out. (John 1:18, Heb.11)
- God, the Holy Spirit is the expressed power of God. (Gen. 1:2, Acts 2:17)
1. The Promise of the Holy Spirit – Luke 24:44-49 – “Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you.”
- Just as there was a promise of the coming of a Messiah, the Savior of the world, which was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, there was a promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit in great power. (Joel 2, 17-21, Acts 1:4, 2:1-47)
- The Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel saw the same vision from God, confirming it as divine truth. There would be a definite day and a definite way God would reveal His Spirit to the world, just as there was a definite day and way God revealed His Son to the world.
- That promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost as Jesus’ disciples were supernaturally empowered to speak in languages they had not learned so they could share the gospel with people from all over the world.
2. The Person of the Holy Spirit – John 14:16-17 – “He may abide with you forever…He dwelleth with you and shall be with you!”
- In the Old Testament, God lived with His people. In Exodus 29:45: “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.”
- In the New Testament, God dwells in His people. In 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
- The Hebrew word for “spirit” is RUAH, which was translated as “breath” or “wind” and then finally “spirit,”
- The Greek word for “spirit” is “pneuma” which was also translated as “breath’, “wind” or “spirit.”
- Both words are used in the Bible to describe an unseen substance of force that enabled ordinary men and women to do extra-ordinary or supernatural things.
- When they saw how that force was used for “good”, and they could find no other source for that force, they called it “holy” or “of God.”
- The book of Acts is the record of the works of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who believed in Jesus Christ.
3. The Presence of the Holy Spirit – John 14:16 – “That He may abide with you forever.”
- Jesus was limited by His physical body to a specific place and time, even though He was at all times, God. The Holy Spirit is unlimited and can be present with all people everywhere, even at the same time.
- In the Old Testament, the people of God heard and obeyed the voice of God the Father – even though that voice was often heard through the voice of others.
- In the gospels, the disciples listened to and instantly obeyed the voice of Jesus Christ – for they believed they were responding to the voice of God.
- From the day of Pentecost until Jesus returns, believers are under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.
- Just as the message of God the Father in the Old Testament always pointed to the first coming of the Savior, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, so, the work of the Holy Spirit today is to keep our attention on the second coming of Jesus Christ, and to be prepared for it at any moment.
- The presence of the Holy Spirit is UPON those who have not received Jesus Christ as their Savior.
- The presence of the Holy Spirit DWELLS WITHIN those who do receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.
4. The Power of the Holy Spirit – Galatians 5:19-22 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love…”
- Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but not every believer is empowered or controlled by the Holy Spirit.
- Believers are “indwelt” by the Holy Spirit the moment they are born again.
- Believers are “filled” and “empowered” by the Holy Spirit when there is a work God wants to do through them.
- When the Holy Spirit fills the life of the believer, God’s dynamic power will enable them to obey God, to serve Him, and to witness for Him.
- The Holy Spirit enters into the heart of that believer who fully surrenders unto Jesus Christ as Lord.
