The Work of The Holy Spirit
The Work of The Holy Spirit
The Purpose of This Study
Why study the work of the Holy Spirit? Isn’t the work of the Spirit moreso “felt than tellt?” Isn’t the work of the Spirit simply to make us feel good, to give us that “right feeling” that we need so as to make good decisions, and to give us wonderful gifts such as the ability to perform miracles, speak in unknown tongues, and prophesy? These are some of the current thoughts about the work of the Holy Spirit. We must ask ourselves, however, whether these are Biblical thoughts. Even if we assume that we know and are assured of the working of the Spirit of God we are obligated to put our beliefs to the test to determine if they are Scriptural or not. Thus the reason for this study.
The Intercessory Work of The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit serves as a sort of intermediary between God and man. We know beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (See 1Tim 2:5), but do also recognize that the Holy Spirit stands between God and man doing the work of God in men.
The Holy Spirit serves as an intermediary when He convicts men of sin and draws them to God. Thus it is that Jesus said, “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:7,8) KJV We also find God speaking to Noah saying, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Gen 6:3) KJV Thus we see that it is the work of the Spirit to contend with sinners on God’s behalf.
We also find that the Spirit is an intermediary for the saints when they pray. “ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom 8:26,27) KJV There are times when the saint does not know how to pray, or for what to pray. He only knows the emptiness of himself and the brokenness of his heart. It is at those times that we groan and do not articulate our requests. Those groanings, however, are often the work of the Spirit of God who has brought us to the point of brokenness that we might be humbled and that we might draw nearer to God. Thus it is that our inarticulate prayers are heard and we are granted blessing because of the intercession of the Holy Spirit on our behalf.
The Spirit also works in other ways in the hearts and lives of God’s people. This is what we shall now study.
The Enlightening Work of The Spirit
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.” (Ex 31:1-5) KJV
We often boast of our abilities and our talents without taking the time to recognize the source from which they come. While hard work and application to learning will do much to help us, ultimately our talents and skills are the gifts of God. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7) KJV While we can do much to improve upon the God-given abilities that we have (I.e. we can practice, study, and work hard to gain more knowledge and experience.), we must always understand that our abilities and talents are gifts that are given to us by the Spirit of God. With that in mind, we must also remember that the Spirit gives us these gifts for s specific purpose. Bezaleel was given his gifts for the building of the tabernacle. While we may not have a purpose so specific as that, it is imperative that we honor God by using our gifts to accomplish the purpose for which they were given to us.
The Work of The Spirit in Renewing The Earth
“The palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.” (Isa 32:14-19) KJV
The Word of God tells us that, when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom, there will be amazing changes in the earth. The earth will be one in which righteousness dwells and it will not be dominated by sin and the curse. Let us notice from our text above that this, too, is the work of the Spirit of God as He is poured out upon the people of God. At this time God’s people will even be renewed. “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.” (Isa 44:3-5) KJV Even today the Spirit of God is active in the salvation and transformation of sinners. That is why Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) KJV When one is born again it is because the Spirit of God gives him new life (See also John 6:63).
Of course, transformation is not complete unless one is sanctified and glorified. This, too, is the work of the Spirit of God. “Ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:11) KJV That is why we are exhorted by Paul who said, “ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25) KJV Finally, when we are resurrected and given our glorified bodies, glorification is the work of the Holy Spirit. “If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom 8:11) KJV
The Promised Indwelling of The Spirit of God
“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18) KJV
Through the ages the Word of God promised that the Spirit would be poured out upon the people of God. This was fulfilled in Acts chapter two when the church was baptized with the Holy Ghost. It is fulfilled each time someone trusts Jesus as their savior, too. (For an in depth study of this, see author’s article on The Baptism With The Holy Ghost.) Jesus promised that, when the Holy Spirit would come, He would dwell within the believer and minister to them in the same manner as He (Jesus) had ministered to them. Jesus also told them that the Holy Spirit would minister to them as the Father ministers. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18) KJV That, too, has come to pass in each one who believes.
The first way in which the indwelling of the Holy Spirit works is that the Spirit seals us. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:13,14) KJV The Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer is the authentication of their sonship in Christ. The Holy Spirit is given to everyone who has saving faith in Jesus for the purpose of preserving their souls until the return of Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit dwelling within us who gives to us the assurance of our justified standing before God. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Rom 8:16) KJV
We also find the Scriptures teaching us that the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and is at work to sanctify him and help the child of God in the daily battle against sin. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Gal 5:16-26) KJV This particular passage shows us that, although we have sinful tendencies, we can conquer sin through the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. It shows us that the Spirit of God will bring about righteousness as well as effecting godly attributes in our lives. Thus, we are called to walk in the Spirit, that is, to surrender to His leadership and trust in His power to help us honor God.
Finally, the indwelling Spirit of God ministers to each believer by giving them gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Cor 12:7-11) KJV “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph 4:11,12) KJV Gifts, and gifted people, are placed within the body of Christ by the Spirit of God so that the body might be built up and strengthened to do the glorious work of magnifying God. That work of magnifying God is exactly what Jesus told us the Spirit would do. “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:14) KJV
Conclusion
Having this promise given to us, let us yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit as He works in our lives. May we continually learn more of His leadership and submit more to His power that God may be glorified in us through Jesus Christ.