As I prayed about writing this week, I felt strongly that I was to write about the Holy Spirit. Understanding the Holy Spirit and His purpose is crucial to living a joyful and peaceful Christian life. We know God as our Father, who sent His son, Jesus, but the Holy Spirit is often less understood. The enemy thrives on our confusion because He understands the importance of the Holy Spirit. God does not want his children confused about anything, including the function of the Holy Spirit. Now, more than ever, we must be able to answer what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit.
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When Jesus was on Earth, John the Baptist baptized Him, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove (Luke 3:21-22). When Jesus prepared to be crucified, buried, and resurrected, he spoke with the disciples (John 16). Jesus told them that He would be going away but would send the Holy Spirit to them, and He told them to wait. Jesus told the disciples that it was to their advantage for Him to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come. While Jesus could be with us on Earth, the Holy Spirit could dwell in us (John 14:17). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit (the comforter) would be with us forever (John 14:16).
The Work Of The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God and Jesus, is available to all Christians, but He will not come into our lives without an invitation. He wants to live within us, comfort us, and teach us. He wants to help us on our everyday journey, but we must ask Him to direct us. He will not push his way into our lives.
Understanding the Holy Spirit’s work will help us know why we need Him to dwell in us and help us invite Him into our lives. The Holy Spirit has numerous functions, but they represent three primary functions for a more fundamental understanding.
- The Holy Spirit teaches.
- The Holy Spirit gives power.
- The Holy Spirit changes us.
The Holy Spirit Teaches
The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Bible and truth as He testifies Jesus (John 15:26). The scripture says that the Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself but glorifies Jesus, guides us in truth, speaks of what He hears, and reveals things to come (John 16:13-15). The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and revelation so that we can know Jesus (Ephesians 1:17) and the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10), which is why we need Him as we read and study the Bible.
The things of God are Spirit and do not make sense to the natural man. Still, when reborn in the Spirit, we are Spirit-led and better able to understand spiritual concepts (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit gives us the power to witness and teach others. He guides us and tells us what to say (Mark 13:11), but He also helps the person we are talking to receive the spiritual message. The Holy Spirit allows us to recognize our needs and helps others understand their need for a Savior. As the Holy Spirit gives us the words to say, He convicts us of sin (John 16:8), and God draws people to Jesus (John 6:44).
The Holy Spirit Gives Power
As we live this life, we need the Holy Spirit’s power to help us be victorious as we fight the enemy and produce eternal results and fruits that benefit the Kingdom of God. Ultimately, we want to be changed. We want to be more like Jesus by allowing the Spirit to live in and through us. Jesus explained that because He was going to the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit’s power to allow us to do greater works (John 14:12).
The Holy Spirit anoints and gives power. Remembering that we are to pattern our lives after Jesus is important. After his baptism, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove (Mark 1:10). The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus to preach the Gospel, preach deliverance, give sight to the blind (Luke 4:18), do good, and heal those oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
Today, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live a Christian life as a witness for Jesus (Acts 1:8). He fills us. He equips us with the ability to speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our inner man (Ephesians 3:16). It gives us the power to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Romans 8:13). When we are weak and do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit helps us by making intercessions (Romans 8:26).
The Holy Spirit Changes Us
The Holy Spirit brings the new birth (John 3:5, John 3:8) to help us change into Christ’s image. When we are born of the Spirit, He seals us (2 Corinthians 1:22) and bears witness that we are now part of the family of God (Romans 8:15-16). Being adopted into the family of God through faith in Jesus brings Abraham’s blessings and is available to all (Galatians 3:4).
No Christian has to live without the Holy Spirit, nor should they want to. The Holy Spirit washes, sanctifies, purifies, and justifies us (1 Corinthians 6:11). He confesses Christ’s Lordship (1 Corinthians 12:3), changes us, and helps us produce fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). He releases love (Romans 5:5), righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is called oil, fire, wind, a river, and wine. Most importantly, the Holy Spirit is a gift poured out and given liberally to those who ask (Acts 2:17). The Bible says that He comes upon us, moves on us, falls on us, anoints us, baptizes us, fills us, dwells in us, and flows out of us. There are different depths of the Holy Spirit; we can grow by faith as we seek Him.
How to Be Led By The Holy Spirit
To be Spirit-led, we must repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). Next, the Bible says God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). When we truly desire to live life as a converted Christian, we must ask God to help us. When we seek Him, we find that we thirst after His righteousness, which means we genuinely desire to live a life that pleases Him.
As we diligently seek God, we have the promise of our Savior, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6).” As we confess our sins, ask God to help us with our weaknesses, and submit our lives in obedience, He will fill us with His Spirit. As the Spirit reveals areas of sin, we must repent and ask God to help us. As we turn from sin and our old nature, we invite the Spirit to fill us, lead us, teach us, and strengthen us, and we believe that God will answer our prayers by faith.
A Prayer To Be Led By The Holy Spirit
We know that Jesus has returned to the Father, but He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with us in His absence. The Holy Spirit teaches, gives power, and successfully changes us to live this Christian life. The enemy does not want us to understand the Holy Spirit. He wants to see us continue to try to fight Him in our strength. Let’s pray and ask God to help.
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