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The ministry of

the Holy Spirit

Conviction of sin

The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin to the sinner.

John 16:7-9 … Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me

The Holy Spirit also brings conviction of sin to the Christian. He is a HOLY Spirit and is grieved when we sin:

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

And so we are sanctified (made holy) by the Spirit:

Rom 15:16 … so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live

2 Thess 2:13 … God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

1 Pet 1:2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by godly character:

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Love

Joy

Peace

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

To know God better – a deeper relationship:

Eph 1:7 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Rom 8:14-15 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

For our encouragement and comfort:

Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. (ASV)

‘Comforter or ‘paraclete’ comes from the Greek word paráklētos, that can signify “one who consoles or comforts, one who encourages or uplifts; hence refreshes, and/ or one who intercedes on our behalf as an advocate in court”. 1

1 http:// en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Paraclete

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is given for spiritual guidance:

John 14:25-26 “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Acts 15:28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements…

Acts 10:19-20 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

So that we may have the mind of Christ:

1 Cor 2:12-16 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

So that we may be led by God:

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)

Luke 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.

Acts 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

He will sometimes stop us going where we want to go:

Acts 16:6-7 Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

And at other times lead us where we do not want to go:

Luke 4:1-2 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

The Spirit warned Paul of his imprisonment in Jerusalem:

Acts 21:10-11… a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it…

The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.”

We read of the disciples at Tyre that “through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” (Acts 21:4)

Yet note that although the Holy Spirit warned Paul of prison and hardship, he said he was “compelled by the Spirit” to still go to Jerusalem despite the danger. (Acts 20:22-23)

… compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.

Leads us into truth (prevents us going into spiritual error):

John 16:12-13 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit -just as it has taught you, remain in him.

A Counsellor is a someone who gives counsel or advice:

John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth.”

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

We are led either by natural instincts or by the Spirit:

Jude 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Some churches have lots of programs but no Jesus! Paul says that in the last days people will “have a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim 3:1-5) i.e. occupied with religious ritual which has lost the significance.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

A Chinese Christian recently visited churches on a US tour. When asked what he thought about American spirituality, he answered, “I am amazed at how much the church in America can accomplish without the Holy Spirit.” 1

But it’s God’s Spirit and not our own strength that we so desperately need:

Zech 4:6 … ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

1 “Why Isn’t the American Church Growing?” - by Kevin Turner

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

In order that we may have spiritual liberty:

2 Cor 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

So that we may worship in the way God desires:

John 4:23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Phil 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

To enable us to pray in accordance with God’s will:

Jude 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Rom 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

To give us assurance of salvation:

Eph 1:13-14 … Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession - to the praise of his glory.

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

Gal 4:6-7 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

1 John 3:24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (also 1 John 4:13)

Rom 8:14-16 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

The baptism in

the Holy Spirit

There are 3 main baptisms 1 for the Christian:

Baptism into the body of Christ

Baptism in water

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

In the Greek baptizo simply meant ‘immersion’. Although we often associate baptism with a religious rite and normally water baptism, this was not the case with the early readers of the Greek NT books. They would have understood these terms as “immersion in water”, “immersing in the Holy Spirit”, etc.

1 The Bible also talks of John’s baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3, Acts 19:4), a baptism in fire (Matt 3:11, Luke 3:16) and a baptism in suffering (Matt 10:38-39, Luke 12:50).

3 MAIN BAPTISMS

While John the Baptist’s main ministry was baptism in water, Jesus came to baptize with the Holy Spirit.

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Matt 3:11)

Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5)

Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

GIFTS OF

THE SPIRIT

BEST BEFORE

100 A.D.

Are the gifts of the

Holy Spirit for today?

In Christian theology, Cessationism is the view that the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy and healing, ceased being practiced early on in Church history. Cessationists usually believe the miraculous gifts were given only for the foundation of the Church, during the time between the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost … and the fulfilment of God’s purposes in history, usually identified as either the completion of the last book of the New Testament or the death of the last Apostle. 1

Cessationists argue that since the completion of the NT, the gifts of Prophecy and Knowledge have been rendered useless since no new knowledge from God needs to be given.

1 http:// en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Cessationism

CESSATIONISM

They appeal to Church history to substantiate that this cessation of the gifts indeed occurred. However we cannot base doctrine on one’s experience, or lack of it, but upon the Scripture. In any event when we look at the historical evidence, we see that supernatural gifts and tongues were always present to some degree or another.

CESSATIONISM

GIFTS OF

THE SPIRIT

BEST BEFORE

100 A.D.

On the Day of Pentecost Peter made it clear that the promised gift of the Holy Spirit did not have an expiry date set on it when he said, “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

CESSATIONISM

The PRIMARY purpose

of the baptism in

the Holy Spirit

Q: What is the primary purpose for the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Is it to speak in tongues or to perform miracles? Is it to get goosebumps and fall over?

A: NO – Jesus gave his disciples the reason. Shortly before his ascension he instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promised baptism in the Holy Spirit:

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

So the primary reason for the baptism in the Holy Spirit is that we may receive power to be witnesses worldwide i.e. evangelism and missions.

PURPOSE OF THE BAPTISM

The Holy Spirit is a witness (within us) to the resurrection:

Acts 5:32 “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

John 15:26-27 “When the Counsellor 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. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

POWER TO WITNESS

The Holy Spirit equips us to witness effectively:

He teaches us what to say:

Luke 12:11-12 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

POWER TO WITNESS

He emboldens us:

And so on the Day of Pentecost we see Peter who previously denied the Lord to a servant girl, boldly proclaiming the gospel even to those who crucified Jesus.

Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

2 Tim 1:6-8 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…

POWER TO WITNESS

PARA, EN & EPI

There are 3 different Greek prepositions that describe our relationship with the Holy Spirit – ‘para’, ‘en’ and ‘epi.’

John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with (para) you and will be in (en) you.

‘Para’ is ‘with’ you - a coming alongside.

‘En’ is ‘in’ you - living in you.

PARA - The Holy Spirit is with a person, even prior to conversion. He convicts them of sin, righteousness and judgement to come - and convinces them that Jesus is the Saviour.

PARA, EN & EPI

EN - When anyone calls on God to be saved, the Holy Spirit then comes into that person’s life.

1 Cor 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

So every believer has the Holy Spirit in them who begins a sanctifying work in us by transforming us into the image of Christ.

PARA, EN & EPI

EPI - But there is a third relationship that a believer can have which is separate and distinct from the first two. In Acts 1:8 Jesus promised, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon (epi) you” (NASB) The word ‘epi’ in the Greek means ‘upon’ or ‘over’.

Jon Courson – “The Spirit of God is available not only to work ‘with’ (para) you to become a Christian, or to come ‘into’ (en) your life once you open your heart to him - but He is now available to come ‘upon’ (epi) your life and empower you to see your own world turned upside-down and made rightside-up.”

This ‘epi’ experience (baptism with the Holy Spirit) is the empowering of the believer for service to God. It generates an outward flow of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39), visible by both service and victory.

PARA, EN & EPI

This ‘epi’ (upon) experience or ‘anointing’ is associated with works of power and miraculous signs.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon (EPI) me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed… (Luke 4:18 NASB)

The anointing imparts power to destroy the works of the devil (Acts 10:38) :

… how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

THE ANOINTING

It leads to spiritual satisfaction and is an inner source of blessing flowing out to others.

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.

John 7:37-39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

Pentecostals maintain that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a distinct experience from salvation. At salvation the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ, but with this experience Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit.

DISTINCT EXPERIENCE

You can have the ‘en’ (in you) experience without having had the ‘epi’ (upon you) experience.

Acts 8:14-16 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus’ disciples were involved in ministry (he sent out the 12 and the 70) before they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

DISTINCT EXPERIENCE

The Ephesian men Pauls encounters in Acts 19 were called disciples, but hadn’t yet received the Holy Spirit baptism.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

The gifts (1 Cor 12:8-10):

The word of wisdom

The word of knowledge

Faith

Gifts of healing

Miraculous powers

Prophecy

Distinguishing between spirits

Speaking in tongues

Interpretation of tongues

GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Q: For whose benefit are the gifts?

1 Cor 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Cor 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Q: Does God want me to have the gift of the Holy Spirit?

A: Yes! Jesus told us it’s a good gift and our heavenly Father wants us to have good gifts, in the same way an earthly father wishes to bless his children.

Matt 11:10-13 “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Q: How do I receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

A: Jesus told us - you ask for it.

IS IT FOR ME?

The practice of laying on of hands for the receiving of a spiritual gift from God is mentioned in the following verses:

1 Tim 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

The practice of laying on of hands for the receiving of the Holy Spirit is specifically mentioned in the following passages:

HOW DO I RECEIVE IT?

Acts 8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:18-19 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money…

Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said…

Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus … has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:6)

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the NIV:

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB:

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. ( Lockman.org)