LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 5)

HOLY SPIRIT (Part 5)

THE ILLUMINATION OF THE SPIRIT
– (Jeremiah 15:16, Isaiah 40:8)
  Not only did the Holy Spirit inspire the writers, but He also
  enlightens the minds and opens the hearts of the readers.

– (Matthew 22:23-29)
  Jesus pointed out that the Sadducees
  did not know the Scriptures, nor did they know the power of God.
  Note:
      When we read the Word, its message saturates our hearts
      (whether we are conscious of it or not).
      The Word with its mysterious power
      touches our lives and gives its power to us.
      It is the vehicle for speaking to our hearts (1 Corinthians 2:9-13).
      Note:
          When we read the Word, we should do so with
          the same anticipation as the Psalmist (Psalm 119:18).

UNITY OF THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD
– There is a close unity between the Spirit and the Word:
       – (Acts 2:16)
             “This” (evidence of the Holy Spirit);
             “What” (the written Word)

– (Hebrews 4:12-13)
  The Word of God is more than mere words;
  it is alive, active and permeates our entire being.
  These verses should be
  our inspiration for active and consistent bible reading.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SALVATION

The need for Spiritual rebirth:

– (Romans 5:12) Explains the condition and condemnation of man.

– (Romans 5:17-18) Tells us of man’s redemption.

– (John 3:1-8)
  Shows man’s conviction of his condition.
  Nicodemus was searching;
  he knew something was missing from his life.
  He was:
      – An influential religious leader.
      – Wealthy.
      – A member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling council of the Jewish nation).
  He probably:
      – Fasted often.
      – Spent time in the Temple daily (in prayer).
      – Tithed.
      – Was a noted religious leader.
      – Would be a model Christian in some circles today.
  Note:
      Jesus knew Nicodemus,
      as He knows all people (John 2:24-25).

– (John 3:8) Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit convicts and calls us:

– (John 14:16-17)
  Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth.
  He also tells us that as a member of God’s family
  we will recognize the presence of the Spirit
  because He is living with us, and in us.

– (John 16:8-11)
  The Holy Spirit convicts.
  He also proves the world is wrong in its thinking
  about sin, righteousness, and judgment.

– (Genesis 6:3)
  Implied is – without the striving of the Holy Spirit,
  it would be impossible for a person to come to Christ.

The Holy Spirit regenerates us (renewal or rebirth):

– (Titus 3:5)
  Tells us of God’s mercy
  and how we are renewed through the Holy Spirit.

– (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  As a result of the Holy Spirit leading us to Christ,
  we become transformed into a new creation (person).

– (Romans 6:13)
  Paul equates our salvation to being brought from death to life.
  That means that God has given us a new path for living
  (an exciting path that shows us how to enjoy really living).
  We also see the importance of giving our all to the Lord
  (and that cannot happen if we offer any part of ourselves to sin).

– (Colossians 3:9-10)
  Paul tells us that once we have been blessed by God’s mercy,
  we need to intentionally make changes in our lives (the things
  we do, the things we say, and the attitudes we have).
  He also tells us that we are ‘being renewed’
  which of course means we are a ‘work in progress’.
  Our efforts to change should be continual (as God shows us
  new areas of our lives where we need to make adjustments).

The Holy Spirit assures us:

– (Romans 8:16)
  When our spirit is synchronized with the Holy Spirit,
  we can be assured that we are children of God

The Holy Spirit is promised to believers:

– (John 14:16-17)
  “another”
      – Could be interpreted as another of a different kind
        (a bicycle for a horse), or in this case, like
        another of the same kind (like Jesus).

  “advocate”
      – Comforter; helper; counselor; one who pleads a cause for another.
        Note:
            The Holy Spirit is “in us” to help us
            and especially when our spiritual battles are overwhelming.
            Question:
            What characteristics are mentioned
            about the Holy Spirit that are similar to Jesus?
                – He represents truth.
                – He is not accepted by the world.
                – He is not recognizable by the world
                  (Jesus was not recognized as the Messiah).
                – He is known by the disciples of Christ (we are His disciples too).
                – He dwells within us.

The Holy Spirit as a teacher:

– (John 14:26)
  The Holy Spirit would be sent in the name of Jesus,
  and therefore…
      – He represents Jesus.
      – He has the spirit of Jesus.
      – He acts with the authority of Jesus.

Question:
Can we learn things through the Holy Spirit
that we may not learn through Bible reading?
    – Probably.
      Part of learning is remembering what we learn;
      the Holy Spirit will help us in that area.

The Holy Spirit as a witness:

– (John 15:26-27)
  Question:
  What is one of the ways for the Holy Spirit to testify of Jesus?
      – The disciples of Jesus.
        With the power provided by the Holy Spirit, we can confidently
        and freely share Jesus with others (we are not alone in our efforts).
        Question:
        Does the Holy Spirit speak to lost people?
            – Yes He does; He convicts the lost of their status as a sinner.
               (John 16:8-11)
               Question:
               Why?
                   – To prepare the way for us to witness to them.
               Question:
               What does Jesus expect of us?
                   – To be witnesses for Him
                      (the scriptures tell us that we “must” testify).
                      Note:
                          Based on the world’s resistance to Jesus,
                          we will probably not be very successful witnesses
                          UNLESS we depend on help from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit as a convictor:

– (John 16:8-11)
  Verse 8
      – Better stated as,
        “He will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong
         about sin, about what is right, and about God’s judgment”.

      Question:
      What 3 areas are mentioned in this verse?
          1. Sin.
          2. Righteousness.
          3. Judgment.

      Question:
      What does the world misunderstand about sin?
          – People may be able to list specific sins, but the greatest sin is
             not believing in Jesus Christ (the punishment for this is eternal).

      Question:
      What are some sins identified by the world?

      Question:
      What is wrong with the world’s view of righteousness?
          – People may think that living a good, moral life is sufficient,
            but the fact that Jesus went to the Father paved the way
            for salvation through our belief in Him.

      Question:
      What is wrong with the world’s view of judgment?
          – People may base their view of the final judgment
            on worldly standards (which are influenced by Satan),
            but the Holy Spirit says that Satan and his standards will,
            in fact, face God’s judgment.

      Question:
      What are some worldly standards created by Satan?
          – Abortion.
          – Homosexuality is okay with God.
          – Pornography.
          – Gambling.
          – Punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
          – Adultery is the norm.
          – Cheating and lying is okay in order to get ahead.
          – We have the right to do whatever we want to do.

The Holy Spirit as a guide to truth:

– (John 16:12-13)
  As we continue to read and study God’s Word,
  we can see that the Holy Spirit will give us
  additional truths (as we mature enough to receive them).

Question:
Based on this, do we have the ability to suppress the increase
of our knowledge of God and His direction for our lives?
    Question:
    How?
        – By not praying and studying His Word.
          Question:
          What ‘COULD’ be the result?
               – We could be treated
                  like the non-productive branches of the vine.

Question:
Since Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One, what does
the Spirit offer that Jesus did not, when He walked the Earth?
    – Accessibility (we can contact the Spirit at anytime, but in human
      form, Jesus could only be accessed by those in His presence).
    – Availability (He has a broader scope and can reach more people
      than Jesus could when He was in human form).