The Holy Spirit in your life.

  BY Argie Simonis 

The day of Pentecost (=fiftieth) is 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus.

It was the day the people of Israel celebrated receiving the 10 commandments at Mount Sinai. And this was 50 days after the Passover, when they had painted their doors with the blood of a lamb, were protected from the angel of death, and freed from the bonds of slavery (Leviticus 23:15).

Then they celebrated that God gave them the Law, now we celebrate that God gave us the Holy Spirit. Let's look at an analogy:

Then God gave the Law on stone tablets and 3000 people died. This was when Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the commandments. Because the people saw that he was taking a long time to return, he forced Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship. When Moses returned and saw this descent, he ordered an exemplary punishment for the sin they had committed:

"And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men." (Ex. 32:28)

But when the Lord wrote His law not on stone tablets but on hearts, 3000 people were saved:

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41)

The Law brings death, the Spirit brings life.

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---- WHAT HAPPENED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST?

On this day the Lord's promise is fulfilled. See what Jesus spoke to His disciples shortly before His ascension:

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Let's see how that day is described:

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1)

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting." (Acts 2:2)

"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." (Acts 2:3)

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4)

Peter stood up and explained to them what happened:

"For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day." (Acts 2:15)

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;" (Acts 2:16)

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:17)

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---- WHO IS THE HELPER? THE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Helper, was different from Himself. The Father would send the Parakletos, the Spirit of truth, after Christ's departure. The Spirit would speak through them about Jesus (John 14: 25–26, 15: 26–27, 16: 7–15).

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)

"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:14)

The Holy Spirit is a person, he was present in Creation, just like the Son (the Word) (Gen. 1:1-3), He has feelings and a will and we must honor Him in the same way as the Father and the Son:

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Eph. 4:30)

"But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?" (Acts 5:3)

"... thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." (Acts 5:4)

"Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." (Acts 8:29)

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8:2)

"But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (1Cor. 12:11)

"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1Cor. 2:10)

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (1Cor. 2:11)

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:14)

The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8: 2), has feelings (Eph. 4:30) has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2: 10-11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14 ) and is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A force or a power could not possess all these characteristics, but the Holy Spirit possesses them.

~~ And the personality of the Holy Spirit is confirmed by His role as the third person of the Godhead. Only a being who is equal to God (Matthew 28:19) and has the attributes of omniscience, omnipresence and eternity could be defined as God.~~

---- THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit, as we have said before, is not simply the active power of God. It is the person of Godhead, the Paraclete, who gave us the word of God:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2Tim. 3:16)

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2Pet. 1:21)

He is the Helper that was sent to our aid:

"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:14)

"All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:15)

"A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." (John 16:16)

"Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?" (John 16:17)

Jesus had already warned His disciples that He would leave and go to the Father, and where He was going they would not be able to follow Him. Thats when they understood that He was speaking about His death, and because they were under the impression that when the Messiah came He would establish a physical kingdom on earth, they were confused:

"But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart." (John 16:6)

The disciples really loved Jesus because no one had ever spoken like Him, nor done all that He had done. But then He tells them something awesome:

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7)

~~ Think about what the Lord says to them here:

"It is better not to have Me in my physical body with you, but to have the Comforter with you." ~~

I believe this was one of the most difficult statements not only for His disciples, but for many believers today. This is exactly why Jesus began this statement:

"But I tell you the truth..."

~~ In other words, it is much better for us to have the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit to minister to us, than to have Jesus Himself physically with us! ~~

And I will explain it.

Jesus in the physical, could only be in one place and that limited Him. He also had to eat, sleep and rest. The Holy Spirit is constantly with us 24/7. In fact, He is not just by our side, but lives within us:

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1Cor. 3:16)

-- THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRES US AND ENCOURAGES US:

"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" (John 16:8)

"Of sin, because they believe not on me;" (John 16:9)

What we have just read dispels the traditional belief that the Holy Spirit comes to tell you off and make you feel guilt for every sin you commit. The ministry of the Spirit is not a ministry of condemnation. This is actualy the devil's work,

"...for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Rev. 12:10)

Only one sin will send someone to hell, and it is for this sin alone that the Holy Spirit comes to reprove:

That is, if you believed in Jesus, the One who took upon Himself every sin you have committed and will commit. If we look at it deeply, the real root of every sin we commit has to do with where we are in our relationship with the Lord. This is exactly the reproof mentioned here and it does not have a negative meaning at all. When we sin, the Holy Spirit comes and says to us:

"Why are you trying to fill the void in your life with things of the world (lust, sexual immorality, gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc.) and not with God? I love you so much and want to heal you. Why don't you trust Me and let Me fill that void in your life?"

The Holy Spirit is our COMFORTER and not our ACCUSER. He brings the testimony into our hearts.

That is, He has a HEALING ministry. Yes, He comes to reveal us a sin, but not with rejection and condemnation, but with love:

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)

If you feel guilt and condemnation for a sin you have committed, know that it is not God who is condemning you. This comes either from the devil, or from your own conscience.

Watch the next verse:

"Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;" (John 16:10)

So after the Holy Spirit has checked you for sin in the way I have explained, He will remind you that

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9)

The Spirit also reminds us that the Lord has done the overturning, for all the condemnation that the devil tries to bring upon us, the Lord has already brought upon him:

"Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John  16:11)

We are the ones who really have victory, because the Lord on the cross triumphed over sin.

Do you see how important the ministry of the Holy Spirit is? A little further down in John we read:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)

He is our GUIDE, and in terms of the future think of this not only as a revelation of future world events, but as a discernment over time of the consequences that the wrong actions and decisions we make may have. Knowing something like this, how much could your life change?

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Closing this message, I would like to remind you the following: The Christian life is not just difficult. It's impossible! It is humanly impossible to love our enemies and forgive those who harm us, except by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is humanly impossible to turn the other cheek when we are struck, except by the power of God. If Jesus Himself needed the power of the Holy Spirit to begin His ministry, how much more do we!

Amen!