THE SPIRIT BRINGS US FROM DEATH TO LIFE
Ok, ok. There are two types of people in the world. Those who have come to know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and those who have not. I choose to refer to the second group of people with the name NYS. (Not Yet Saved) I prefer this title to the common term “lost” because the Spirit is working in people to help them come to know Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is intimately involved in every part of the process from helping us come to know Christ to the end of the process when we go home to be with the Lord. He helps us come to Christ, works in our transformation, and enables our growth. This week I introduce the first part of the Spirit’s work.
PART 1 “THE SPIRIT’S WORK IN BRINGING THE LOST TO SALVATION”
Introducing the subject begins with a simple truth. We cannot understand any spiritual truth in our own power. Every part…EVERY part of our spiritual development depends on the Spirit. Paul said:
The Spirit of God pulls back the curtain and allows us to understand spiritual truth. With the Spirit’s work we can live. Without His work we have no chance for living.
To facilitate people moving from NYS to a child of God the Spirit does work in us, the believers and in those who need our message.
THE SPIRIT’S WORK IN THE BELIEVER
First, He commissions us. We can gain an insight into the commissioning through two passages in Acts. God reveals the calling He has placed in Saul (later to become Paul) in Acts 9
Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
Saul was a chosen vessel of God. He was selected to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. You, likewise, have been chosen by God. Your role may be different, but your calling is just as real.
God’s commissioning is also seen in his call for Paul and Barnabas to be sent on the first missionary journey.
Acts 13:2 “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."
In the setting of the church’s prayer and worship the Spirit spoke to them. After a season of fasting and praying the Spirit spoke. He calls for them to recognize His calling of Barnabas and Paul to mission work.
The church obeyed. Barnabas and Paul were sent on their way to conduct the work. People were saved. The kingdom grew.
The same Spirit is active in our lives today. He calls His people. Every believer is commissioned to take the gospel to the lost world.
The second work of the Spirit is evident in the fact that He precedes the witness. The amazing story of the encounter of the Spirit in the centurion Cornelius.
Acts 10:1-5 “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.”
Cornelius was a powerful man. He was a Roman centurion leading a group of six hundred men. He was also a God-fearing man. This technical term spoke of a Gentile who sought God. He was devout, generous, and kind. But he was NYS.
In answer to the prayer of Cornelius the Spirit spoke. He told Cornelius to send for Peter in Joppa. The Centurion was obedient. While the messengers made the thirty-mile trip from Joppa the Spirit continued to work in Cornelius. He gathered friends and family who gathered at his home and waited.
Peter reluctantly makes the journey. His speech was not particularly strong. He started by telling them all the reasons he should not be in the home of this Gentile. But the Spirit had been working. The gathered people were ready to receive the message. Cornelius, his family, and the gathered crowd came to a relationship with God through Christ.
We will not see it with our eyes, but the spirit is already working. He is preparing the hearts of those who are NYS. We need only be faithful, and God will use us.
Third, the Spirit guides us. Paul extends that promise in Romans 8
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
In next week’s message I will focus on the second of these verses. For this part of our study understand that if the Spirit is in us, He will lead us.
If we accept His calling and commissioning, we are starting well. If we believe the Word of God, we understand that He is working in those not yet saved. But we are still at a bit of a loss. How do we know where He is working? How do we know who to talk to? The answer is simple. Rely on the Spirit. Listen to His promptings.
Peter listened and went to the home of Corenlius.
Paul listened and went to Europe.
Listen to the Spirit. He will guide you.
THE SPIRIT’S WORK IN THOSE WHO ARE NYS
For the person who is NYS to come to faith in Jesus, the Spirit must also be at work. Five tasks are evident in Scripture.
First, the Spirit draws men to God. Paul explained this in John 6:44-45.
John 6:44-45 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.”
The Spirit of God draws men to Himself. He stirs in people a hunger and thirst. He makes people suddenly want more than this world has to offer. The Holy Spirit acts to draw men to Himself. People may not know His role in their spiritual lives, but He stirs their hearts.
The second work of the Spirit in the lives of those NYS is His revelation of the existence of God. Paul makes a long, elaborate argument in Romans 1
Romans 1:18-23 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”
The Spirit works in every person, showing them the existence of God. Every person has a God awareness or consciousness. The Spirit shows men that God exists.
Are you anxious that somehow you will have to prove God’s existence. Relax. You will not need to do so. The Spirit will make the case. Jesus said the Spirit will testify of the truth that He comes from God. (John 15:26)
The Spirit works in those who are not yet saved by convicting them of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
John 16:8-11 “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; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
The Spirit convinces, rebukes, and exposes the hearts of believers. The word prove speaks of convincing the intellect, emotion, or conscience. It is a legal term.
The Spirit convinces people that they are sinful. He proves that people are rebellious against God. The world may tell those who are NYS that they are ok. The world may eliminate the concept of sin, but the Spirit proves it.
The Spirit also convinces people of righteousness and judgment. He shows people that there is a standard of right and wrong. He convinces people that there will be a judgment.
This is great news for those of us who would share God’s truth. We do not have to prove these things to those who need salvation. He does that work.
The fourth work of the Spirit is related to the previous one. He convinces people of spiritual truth. Jesus said as much.
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all 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.
The Spirit teaches us the deep things of God. He shows us that the truth is real. We can easily get overwhelmed if we think it is our job to convince them of the truth. It is not. Our responsibility is merely to proclaim the truth. The Spirit will show people that what we say is right.
Certain truths must be believed before a person can be a Christian. He reveals these truths through us.
Finally, the Spirit of God creates a thirst in the hearts of those who need to believe. They will suddenly want to know spiritual truth. They will ask questions. They will express a hunger or a thirst.
There are only two groups of people. Which are you? He works. You must respond. And once you do, help others come to faith in Him.
