Calvary Baptist Church

• He is mentioned eighty-eight times in the Old Testament and two hundred sixty-two times in the New Testament.
• He transformed the early church from a frightened group of disciples hiding in an upper room to a powerful, life changing force in the world.
• He is often neglected and misunderstood.

 

The Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus as the power source for the mission of the Church 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.” ^[1]

 

They waited.   He came.  They went!  The world was changed. He is still changing world through the church.

 

Our history with the Holy Spirit is varied.  On the one hand many Christians have run from the abuses of the Holy Spirit.  We have ignored His work and downplayed His power. He is downplayed as a weaker part of the Trinity.  We use the title “Holy Ghost” as if we are speaking of a mythical creature floating around in a bed sheet.

 

Why do people ignore the Spirit?  Because we have seen the abuses of the Spirit.  Consider two examples:

• The Spirit is blamed for false teachings: For example, charismatic evangelist Todd Bentley justifies his brutal healing techniques with claims like this:  I said “God, I prayed for like a hundred crippled people. Not one [got healed]?” He said, “That’s because I want you to grab that lady’s crippled legs and bang them up and down on the platform like a baseball bat.” I walked up and I grabbed her legs, and I started going BAM! BAM! I started banging them up and down on the platform. She got healed. And I’m thinking, “Why is not the power of God moving?” He said, “Because you haven’t kicked that woman in the face.” And there was this older lady worshipping right in front of the platform. And the Holy Spirit spoke to me; the gift of faith came on me. He said, “Kick her in the face—with your biker boot!” I inched closer and I went like this. (“Florida Outpouring (Lakeland Revival) – WRSP”) BAM! And just as my boot made contact with her nose she fell under the power of God.

 

REALLY?  This sounds like the Holy Spirit?  Not it does not!

 

• Jan Crouch tearfully gives a fanciful account of how her pet chicken was miraculously raised from the dead. Benny Hinn trumps that claim with a bizarre prophecy that if TBN viewers will put the caskets of their dead loved ones in front of a television set and touch the dead person’s hand to the screen, people will “be raised from the dead . . . by the thousands.”

 

YOU REMEMBER THAT…don’t you?  Of course not.  Because of abuses like this we have run from the Spirit and His work.  But we do so at grave risk.  Ignoring the Spirit causes us to reject His power and limit His work.  We are less because we fail to understand what He would do for us.

 

Scripture commands us to understand and be able to answer questions about what we believe.

1 Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

 

Charles Spurgeon called us to understand the Spirit and defend His work.

Dear brother, honor the Spirit of God as you would honor Jesus Christ if he were present. If Jesus Christ were dwelling in your house, you would not ignore him, you would not go about your business as if he were not there. Do not ignore the presence of the Holy Spirit in your soul. I beseech you, do not live as if you had not heard whether there were any Holy Spirit. To him pay your constant adorations. Reverence the august guest who has been pleased to make your body his sacred abode. Love him, obey him, worship him.^[2]

 

It will be our goal to do just that.  We will understand His work.  We will connect with Him.  He will empower us.

 

We can read of His work everywhere in the Scripture.

 

• • • Genesis-The Creating Spirit moving over the water.
    • Exodus-Inspired the work in the people.
    • Leviticus-Our High Priest.
    • Numbers-Brings the message to the people as an abiding presence.
    • Deuteronomy-Prophet like Moses.
    • Joshua-Spirit of power present in Joshua.
    • Judges-The power of God in the judges.
    • Historical Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles-Source of power for the kings and the prophets.
    • Ezra-Faithful scribe.
    • Nehemiah-Inspires prophecy.
    • Esther-Protector.
    • Job-Sustainer of life.
    • Psalms-the Spirit not taken away when we sin.
    • Proverbs-the Spirit poured out on us.
    • Ecclesiastes-Meaning of life.
    • Song of Solomon-Bridegroom.
    • Isaiah-The Spirit who is grieved but brings repentance. 
    • Jeremiah-The life of the promised new covenant
    • Lamentations-
    • Ezekiel-Giver of life, miraculous power.  New heart, new spirit, heart of flesh.
    • Daniel-Revealer to Nebuchadnezzar.
    • Hosea-Faithful husband.
    • Joel-Prophecies of the life to come.
    • Amos-Burden-bearer.
    • Obediah-Mighty to save.
    • Jonah-Missionary.
    • Micah-Message of Judgment.
    • Nahum-Strength to come.
    • Habakkuk-Reason to rejoice.
    • Zephaniah-Warrior to Save.
    • Haggai-Abiding Message of blessing.
    • Zachariah-Accomplishing God’s Will.
    • Malachi-Sun of righteousness.
    • Matthew-Hovering presence at Jesus’ Baptism.
    • Mark-Leads Jesus to and through temptation.
    • Luke-Announces Jesus person through Simeon.
    • John-The Promised Comforter.
    • Acts-The Power of the church and the teacher.
    • Romans-Spirit of sonship and adoption.
    • 1 Corinthians-The one who empowers us to confess.
    • 2 Corinthians-Spirit of the Living God.
    • Galatians-Source of fruit.
    • Ephesians-Deposit guaranteeing salvation.
    • Philippians-Source of Joy.
    • Colossians-Creator of thirst calls us to be better people.
    • 1 and 2 Timothy-The Breath of Scripture.
    • Titus-Faithful Leader.
    • Philemon-Redeemer.
    • Hebrews-Anointer, Accomplishing our salvation.
    • James-Power to Live the life.
    • 1 and 2 Peter-Source of Prophecy and God’s Word.
    • 1, 2 and 3 John-Convicter of sin, Advocate.
    • Jude-Foundational Spirit.
    • Revelation-The giver of visions as John resided in the Spirit._{(Copyright Protected by Dr. Mike Friesz)}

 

Today I offer you two passages to understand the core of His work.  He works to bring people to salvation.  (Hebrews 9:14)

¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, ^h so that we may serve the living God! ^[3]

 

Your salvation was accomplished through the blood of Jesus.  He is the Author and Finisher of our salvation without a doubt.  But how did you come to salvation?  Hebrews leaves no doubt.  Salvation was offered to us by the Holy Spirit. 

 

That is correct, the Spirit makes the offer.  He whispers to your heart, “salvation is here…it is yours.”   He extends God’s gracious offer to your spirit.

 

Whatever He does the Spirit will have a simple task.  He glorifies Jesus. (John 16:13-14)

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.^[4]

 

Whatever we hear about the Spirit, whatever we learn we can be certain of this one truth.  He will glorify Jesus.  If someone claims some truth from God run the simple truth that He will point to Jesus.  He will ALWAYS glorify Jesus and so must we.

 

As we study will be able to witness effectively and persuasively.  We will be able to address contradictory ideas and confront heresies.  We will become able to persuasively express our faith about and through the power of the Spirit.

 

Ten guidelines for our study:

• • We must agree to let the Bible be our final authoritative guide.  We do not rely on anyone’s statement of faith or history. What does the Word of God say.
  • Do not downplay the significance of doctrine.  What we engage in is hugely significant.
  • We must accept our limitations.  How do you understand and define the Trinity?  We will struggle to understand but must do so.
  • A mystery is a mystery.  Let it be a mystery.
  • We must not compromise our own conscience.   Do not be tempted to water down the truth to draw a crowd.  Plenty of people are doing just that.
  • Watch your attitude.  We must not become prideful.  Arrogance will hinder the work.
  • Pray for guidance and illumination from the Holy Spirit when we have disagreement.
  • Keep the cross as central.  As we previously mentioned, it is about Jesus.  Glorify Him.
  • Let theology guide you to worship.
  • Understanding the Spirit should lead us to submission.

In the weeks and months ahead, I will expound each of these ideas, but for today allow me to say that we desperately need the Spirit to:

• To fill us.  A weak and watered down Christian is a contradiction in terms.  To work for just one day or one hour without His filling is to be in direct violation of Scripture’s command (Ephesians 5:18 “…be filled with the Spirit.”)
• To empower us.  Just as the early church was commanded to wait on His power, so are we. 
• To encourage us.  Jesus said that the Spirit would come and be a comforter just like He was.  Only as we understand the Spirit will we grasp how it can be possible to be good that He goes away.