Greetings in the name of the Lord. Thank you for reading. I pray you all had an enjoyable 4th of July.
Last week we were looking at the need that we have for the Holy Spirit of God to transform our lives. Prior to the Spirit of God entering our lives, each one of us is sin filled. We are born in sin. This is why Christ had to die on the cross. To provide a way for sinful mankind to have access to God.
The Holy Spirit eliminates the sinful nature in us, while pouring in the spiritual nature. This is the transformation process. For some, it can happen rather quickly, for most though, this is a lifelong process. This is also called the sanctification process, how we grow spiritually.
For the goal of every believer should be to transform from our sin filled nature into a Spirit filled nature. This is the great work of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
The goal is for us to be filled with these fruits of the Spirit. Paul then says something interesting. Against such things there is no law. Paul is reminding us that the law is for the unrighteous. In fact, last week we learned that the Spirit led believer is no longer even under the law. He has been freed in the Spirit by the Spirit of God from the law, or from the need of the law. Paul again confirms this teaching in 1 Timothy 1:9,
“We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for law-breakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, “ etc.
If we walk by the Spirit we will be transformed by the Spirit. These works of the flesh will be squeezed out, forced out completely by the fruit of the Spirit. This is the mighty work of the Spirit.
But there are other tasks of the Spirit, mighty tasks, important tasks, all working together to make the believer sanctified, Spirit-filled and complete. John 16:7-11, here Jesus is teaching a remarkable lesson that we’ve covered before.
“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regards 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 (Satan) now stands condemned.”
If we are born again believers, and God’s Spirit is truly in us, we cannot be comfortable with sin in our lives. It is just that simple. The Holy Spirit will not allow us to feel comfortable. The Spirit will continually convict our hearts. This conviction leads us to repentance, where we turn away from our sin and draw more closely to the Father.
This convicting power of the Spirit is a gift from God to keep our wandering hearts from sin. The only way that we can be removed from the care of Jesus is if we choose to ignore the convicting Spirit of God. This is a boundary none of us should want to cross. John 14:25-26, reveals another task of God’s Spirit. The Spirit guides us to all truth. John 14:25-26, Jesus is again teaching here.
“All these things I have spoken while still with you. 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.”
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would remind us of the teachings of Jesus. Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit will be sent by the Father in Jesus’ name. This is important because it means that the Holy Spirit has been given Jesus’ authority. The Holy Spirit is a co-equal within the Trinity. Jesus, in John 16:12-13a, also teaches,
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”
Not just some of the truth. Not just the most important truth. Not just the truth that we agree with. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.
This is when all of those silly preconceived notions from our sinful worldviews are imploded by the truth of God’s Holy Word. If the Holy Spirit is truly guiding your life, you will be nudged, driven even, to study the Scriptures.
The Spirit will reveal the truth within every verse. The result is that we naturally move away from wrong beliefs and false doctrines.
We then are free from worldly entanglements with false idols, bad relationships, poor theology, and just plain silly beliefs. Free from the world and sin, focused on God’s Word and his calling upon our lives. Acts 4:31,
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
They were all filled. Not just some of them were filled. They were all filled with the Spirit and the scripture says they spoke the word of God boldly.
In the book of Acts, the evidence is consistently layed out, that God’s Spirit constantly empowered God’s people to proclaim the gospel. Again and again, God’s Spirit provides the words that we need to boldly proclaim the Good News.
Another work of the Spirit is that God’s Spirit equips us for what we are called to do. Each of us, according to the will and plan of God, is equipped with certain spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and still to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”
The Holy Spirit gives gifts to every believer. The purpose of these gifts is to serve the body of Christ and to advance the gospel, build and grow the kingdom, and bring glory to God.
There are a couple pitfalls to spiritual gifts in today’s church. Some overemphasize spiritual gifts to the point that they forget the other works of the Holy Spirit. These churches and individuals focus solely on spiritual gifts. The other extreme is also present in today’s church, this is where spiritual gifts are just plain ignored.
Spiritual gifts are of equal importance to the other works of God’s Spirit. Not more important and not less important, but of the same importance as the other works. Ephesians 5:18-21,
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
The Greek language here is of note. There are five commands in this passage. The first is the central command.
- be filled by the Spirit. This is followed by four other commands,
- speaking to one another,
- singing and making music,
- giving thanks always,
- Submitting to one another.
The meaning can be translated as these five commands are:
- How we become filled with the Spirit.
Or
- What happens when we are filled by the Spirit of God.
But, what if, as the Holy Spirit led Paul in this writing, through the wisdom of the Spirit, in a willing vessel such as Paul, both are meant at the same time?
These five commands refer to actions that occur in corporate worship at church. If you find yourself far from the Spirit, repent of your sins. It is impossible to be filled with the Spirit if you are preoccupied with sin. Then, join in the Holy Spirit led worship and church life with others. As you do this, you put yourself in a more favorable position to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
You cannot swim unless you first get in the water.
Likewise, when you are filled with the Spirit, you supernaturally speak to others in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs while giving thanks to God. It’s a godly love language.
This passage is describing the ideal working of the Holy Spirit in the corporate body. These actions are not done individually but are done together as a church. The Holy Spirit fills us as we worship.
During the week we pour out the Good News to others, then Sunday, the Holy Spirit fills his people back up. As we leave church, our tanks should be filled to the top.
Just a note of observation. The churches that are struggling today are the churches where there is no Holy Spirit present. They are spiritually dead. We are told about this in Revelation 3:14-17,
“To the angel in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm, –neither hot nor cold –I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing’. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor blind, and naked.”
These dead churches are the ones that are struggling, and the ones that are closing. These five commands empower us to have a Spirit filled worship time every Sunday. It is every member’s responsibility to participate. We should leave with our spiritual tanks full, pour them out during the week, then return Sunday, to fill them back up. This is to be our spiritual life as a Christian. Matthew 4:1,
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”
This is an example of how the Holy Spirit led the Lord Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. In Acts 16, a much longer passage that I won’t read, Paul and Barnabas were clearly led by the Spirit to Macedonia, where they had no intention of going originally. God leads us by his Spirit.
For this to happen for any of us, we must be open to the nudges of God’s Spirit. We have to ask, we have to seek, we have to listen for the movement of God’s Spirit in our lives. For, if we neglect God’s Spirit, we risk the judgment of Christ for being lukewarm for him.
I can think of many sad judgments on a poor sinner. But I cannot think of a worse judgment upon a person who thought themselves to be a true believer.
Please agree with me in prayer. Let us pray,
Father,
Forgive me for neglecting your Holy Spirit in my life. I do want this to change. Cleanse me of all sinfulness. Holy Spirit, you are welcome in and around me, always.
Empower me to love others and to worship you in the Spirit. Holy Spirit please lead, guide and direct me. Teach me that which I do not know about God. Reveal to me the truth in God’s word.
Help me to share the Good News of Christ with others. I pray for divine appointments to do this.
Thank you for hearing my prayer. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Be aware daily of God’s Spirit and seek direction.
Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
Blessings,
Thad Brown
Opportunity House
and Harmony Church
Concord