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“We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.”

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Biblical Foundations, and we are looking at seven foundational teachings of Scripture as found in our church statement of faith. So far, we have looked at the Bible, God, Jesus and salvation. Today we come to the Holy Spirit. (Read John 14:15-17 and pray.)

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Who is the Holy Spirit, and what role does he play in the believer’s life? The Holy Spirit is sometimes regarded as the silent partner of the Trinity. It seems we’re always talking about God the Father and Jesus the Son, but we don’t hear as much about the Holy Spirit.

And yet the Holy Spirit is incredibly active. In fact, we’ve talked about the Holy Spirit every week for the past four weeks. He has been active in each of the first four sections of our statement of faith. In our section on the Bible, we talked about how the Bible is the inspired word of God. How were the Scriptures inspired? Through the Holy Spirit! In our section on God, we talked about how God is one God eternally existent in three persons—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In our section on Jesus, we talked about the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin. How did the virgin birth come about? Through the power of the Holy Spirit! And last week in our section on salvation, we talked about how regeneration—being born again—is absolutely essential for salvation. How is a person born regenerated or born again? Once again, through the Holy Spirit!

So, we have been talking about the Holy Spirit for four whole weeks, without really talking about the Holy Spirit, which is pretty typical. The Holy Spirit does seem quieter than the other two members of the Trinity, but he is always active. He is quietly working in the background, always seeking to shine the light on Jesus and the Father, but not much happens without the Holy Spirit.

Our statement of faith on the Holy Spirit reads: “We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.” So, this morning we want to look at the Holy Spirit and see what the Bible says about his ministry to us today.

I. Who is the Holy Spirit? (He is both God and person)
      – John 14:16,26, 15:26, 16:7; Acts 5:4

First of all, we need to answer the question, “Who is the Holy Spirit?” And here we want to emphasize the godhood and person of the Holy Spirit. We talked about this several weeks ago when we talked about the three persons of the Trinity—how the Holy Spirit is equally God with God the Father and God the Son and that he is equally a person.

We saw that the Bible clearly presents the Holy Spirit as God. Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is involved in the act of creation. Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is given divine names: the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord. We saw how in the book of Acts Peter confronts Ananias about lying to the Holy Spirit. Peter then says this: “You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:4). And so, the Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is God.

We also saw that it is important to recognize that the Holy Spirit is a person. He is not an ‘it’ or a ‘force.’ He is every bit as much of a person as God the Father and God the Son are persons. He is always referred to as “he” in the Bible, never as “it.” He is called the Counselor or Comforter, both of which refer to personal actions (John 14:16,26, 15:26, 16:7). As we said in the previous message: the Holy Spirit feels, thinks, acts, desires, teaches, bears witness, prays, intercedes, speaks and is grieved by sin (see chart at end of message). These are all elements of personality.

We can also note the Holy Spirit’s personality in the various ways we mistreat him. The Bible says we can reject the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-30) lie to him (Acts 5:3), resist him (Acts 7:51), grieve him (Eph. 4:30), quench him (1 Thess. 5:19) and insult him (Heb. 10:29). Those are all personal qualities. You can’t mistreat a stick or a rock.

So, that’s our first question this morning. Who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third member of the Trinity. He is both God and a person.

II. What does the Holy Spirit do? (He glorifies Jesus)
      – John 15:26, 16:14

Secondly, what does the Holy Spirit do? When we studied the section on God in our statement of faith, we learned that all three members of the Trinity are equally God and equally personal, and yet they have different roles. The Holy Spirit doesn’t send the Son; the Father does. God the Father does not die on the cross; Jesus does. So, what specific roles does the Holy Spirit play in our lives? How important is the Holy Spirit?

We mentioned earlier that the Holy Spirit is always active behind the scenes. One way of highlighting the Holy Spirit’s activity is by asking a different question. How would our lives be different without the Holy Spirit? How would our lives be different if the Holy Spirit did not do what he does? The Bible tells us that without the Holy Spirit we could not know Christ (John 15:26), we would never be convicted of sin (John 16:8), we would not have the Old Testament (2 Tim. 3:16-17) or the New Testament (John 14:26), we would not know truth (John 16:12-13), we would not have peace (John 14:27), we would not have power (Acts 1:8; John 14:12-14), God could not dwell in us (Ephesians 2:22), we would not be sure of our salvation (2 Cor. 5:5; 1 John 4:13), we could not be saved (Titus 3:5-7), we could not grow and mature in Christ (Gal. 5:5,16,22), we could not be the body of Christ (Eph. 4:4), and we would not have spiritual gifts given to strengthen the body (1 Cor. 12). So, yes, the Holy Spirit is pretty important.

However, the Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit’s main function is simply to glorify Jesus. Jesus told the disciples in John 15:26: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26). Or again, Jesus says in John 16:14: “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:14).

Once again, this is why we may not always notice the Holy Spirit as much as God the Father or God the Son. The Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Jesus, and so he often stays quiet in the background. It’s like a spotlight. You can’t see the person on stage without the spotlight. But you don’t focus on the spotlight. You focus on the person on the stage. That’s how the Holy Spirit works. The Holy Spirit is the spotlight shining on Jesus. He shines the light on Jesus so that Jesus may be glorified to the glory of God the Father. When you notice Jesus more than the Holy Spirit, that’s the Holy Spirit just doing his job.

Of course, that means when Jesus is not being glorified in our lives, we are hampering the Spirit’s work. When your joy over singing or praying or Bible reading fades, when your love for Jesus grows cold, when you stop sharing with others about Jesus, you are grieving and resisting the Holy Spirit who wants to see Jesus glorified in your life.

What does the Holy Spirit do? Pretty much everything! But he does it quietly, and he shines the spotlight on Jesus.

III. How does the Holy Spirit work in your life today? (He makes everything new!)
      – 2 Corinthians 5:17

We have looked at who the Holy Spirit is, and we have looked at what the Holy Spirit does. Finally, we want to look at how the Holy Spirit works in your life today. And the short answer is: he makes everything new!

Last week we talked about salvation, and salvation is a wonderful thing. Your sins are forgiven, and your punishment is removed. But the Bible also says that when you put your faith in Christ, everything becomes new. Basically, the Holy Spirit takes everything Jesus did for you at the cross and applies it to your life now—right now, in the present. This is what we mean by the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus died on the cross for your sins, but the Holy Spirit comes into your life and makes everything new!

My favorite verse in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” So, what are some of the things that become new for you when you put your faith in Christ? How does the Holy Spirit make everything new? There are many things the Bible talks about, but let’s take a look at six of them this morning.

   A. A new birth (John 3:3)

First of all, you are “regenerated.” This is what we talked about last week. Regeneration means that you experience a new birth. Jesus said in John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” When you become a Christian it’s like starting all over again. Your slate is wiped clean, and you are given new birth through the Holy Spirit. You were dead in your sins, but God made you alive with Christ. We’re back to 2 Corinthians 5:17 again: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation!” When you put your faith in Christ, you become a new person in Christ. You are born again through the Holy Spirit. You experience a new birth.

   B. A new freedom (John 5:24)

Secondly, you have a new freedom. You are brought out from under condemnation and the penalty of sin. This means that you obtain a new freedom from sin and condemnation. Jesus said this in John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Formerly you were under God’s just judgment and condemnation for your sin. If you died without Christ, you would have to pay the penalty for your own sin. But Christ has paid the penalty for you, and when you put your faith in Christ, you cross over from death to life. The Holy Spirit does that. You have a new freedom from sin and condemnation.

   C. A new power for godly living (Romans 8:9)

Thirdly, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This means that you have a new power for godly living. Your sinful nature used to be the main guiding force in your life. Romans 6:17 says that we were “slaves to sin.” But when the Holy Spirit comes to live within you, the power of sin in your life is broken. Romans 8:9 says: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” And so, you are no longer controlled by the sinful nature but by the Holy Spirit. When you put your faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. You have a new power for godly living.

   D. A new standing before God (Romans 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Fourthly, you are declared righteous before God. This means that you gain a new standing before God. Romans 4:5 says: “To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” You are not only freed from the penalty of sin. God also declares you righteous in his sight. 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it this way: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

At the cross Jesus made the great transaction. He took your sins on himself, and he gave you his righteousness. When God looks at you, he no longer sees your sin, but he sees the righteousness of Christ instead. When you put your faith in Christ, you gain a new standing before God. And this happens as the Holy Spirit takes what Jesus did for you on the cross and makes it real in your life today.

   E. A new destiny (John 11:25-26, 17:3)

Fifthly, you are given eternal life. This means that you have a new destiny. You are now heaven-bound. You will live forever with God. You no longer need to fear death. Death has been conquered. Death for you is merely the passageway to heaven, and heaven is where God and Christ await you.

We read in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” The Bible defines eternal life as knowing God and Jesus Christ. To know Christ is to have eternal life. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) When you put your faith in Christ, you are given the free gift of eternal life. You have a new destiny.

   F. A new relationship with God through Christ (1 John 1:3)

And finally, number six, you are brought into fellowship with God. You have a new relationship with God through Christ. You are adopted into God’s family. The apostle John writes in 1 John 1:3: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

Nothing is more wonderful than to have fellowship with God your Creator. Nothing is more wonderful than to know God as your heavenly Father. Fellowship with God is what God created you for. Without God there is a hole in your life that you will never fill. You can never fill it, because you were created for God, and you will never find true satisfaction in life apart from him.

Salvation is more than just going to heaven some day when you die. That will be wonderful enough. But salvation changes your life right now. When you put your faith in Christ, you are brought into fellowship with God. You have a new relationship with God through Christ. And this all happens through the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION: Who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third member of the Trinity. He is both God and a person.

What does the Holy Spirit do? Everything God does, because he is God. But he especially seeks to glorify Jesus. He works quietly in the background shining the spotlight on Jesus so that Jesus may be glorified to the glory of God the Father.

How does the Holy Spirit work in your life today? He makes everything new! You have a new birth, a new freedom, a new power for godly living, a new standing before God, a new destiny, and a new relationship with God.

This is what you were made for. Only a relationship with God through Jesus Christ will bring fulfillment to your life. And this all happens through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who comes to live within you when you put your faith in Christ.

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Notes on the personality of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit:

• feels > Rom. 15:30 (love); Eph. 4:30 (sadness); rejection (Heb. 10:29)
• thinks > 1 Cor. 2:10-11 (searches the deep things of God)
• acts > Acts 8:29 (commands); Acts 16:6-7 (corrects); Rom. 8:14 (leads); 1 Cor. 12:11 (gives gifts)
• desires > John 16:8-11 (convicts); Acts 13:2 (calls to ministry)
• teaches > John 14:26
• bears witness > Rom. 8:16
• prays or intercedes > Rom. 8:26
• speaks > Acts 13:2
• is grieved by sin > Eph. 4:30

 

© Ray Fowler

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Click here for more messages from the Biblical Foundations series.
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