The Messengers Radio Show 03-14-15  (10)

The Holy Spirit

Who is the Holy Spirit?  He plays many roles in the life of a believer.  The Holy Spirit is our Counselor, Comforter, and Teacher.  He empowers us.  He reveals the deep things of God.  He leads and guides us through this life.  It’s important to know that when we were saved we were marked by the Holy Spirit.  In “The Bible Way to Receive the Holy Spirit”, Kenneth E. Hagin explains that the Holy Spirit is a gentleman.  He leads.  He guides.  It is up to you to respond.  The Bible says in Romans 8:14, “For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God.”  “As many are led.”  Not “as many were made to do.”  So, it’s important to remember that He does not force Himself on you.  He gives you words, but you have to Speak them.  You have to talk.  You are His mouthpiece.

“The Holy Spirit”, by Matt Slick explains a little more.

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity.  He is fully God. He is eternal, omniscient, and omnipresent.  He has a will, and can speak.  He is alive.  He is a person.

We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, a will, and emotions. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). He makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16,26,15:26).

When you received Christ, you were sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.  But having the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit are two different things.  It is like having a glass of water poured on a sponge when you receive Christ as your savior, and then putting that sponge in a bowl of water when you receive the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit.

Song:   Holy Spirit by Kari Jobe, featuring Cody Carnes

Let’s examine the Holy Spirit closer.  In John we see him as a Counselor.

John 16:7 

• ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselorwill not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 14:15-17

• ¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands.¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ 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 you and will be^[a] in you.

John 14:26

• ²⁶ But the Counselor, 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.

We see His power in

Genesis 1:2

• ² Now the earth was formlessand empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

God spoke the world into existence, but it was the Spirit that actually carried out the work.

His power is also mentioned in

Acts 1:8

• 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.”

Rom 15:13 

• ¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peaceas you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:12-15  Speaks of  truth

• ¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.¹³ But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”

In Eph 1:17 we see his Wisdom and Revelation

• ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,may give you the Spirit^[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.

The fruits of the Spirit are my favorite.  Let’s read in Galatians.

Gal 5:16-18  Read from Bible

Gal 5:22-26  Read from Bible