What Does The Holy Spirit Do?
We saw in the lesson Who or What is the Holy Spirit that The Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit is a personal being infinitely wise, holy, and tender. He is not a force for us to get a hold of and use. He is a personal being who is to get a hold of us and use us. The Holy Spirit is a person and not a force.
The question then becomes what kind of person is He. What types of things will He do and what type of things will He not do. Can we determine from the Word of God what His character is like?
Understand that God must be consistent with His Character.
God is not like us humans. We can be true to our character most of the time. And then snap. We can do something completely opposite our normal character.
Example
Like that NASA astronaut that was accused of trying to kidnap a romantic rival for a space shuttle pilot's affections and was charged with attempted first-degree murder. She was a 43-year-old Navy captain and married mother of three. She was a Naval Academy graduate with a master's degree in aeronautical engineering. She flew to the international space station aboard space shuttle Discovery.
Here you have an achiever, someone who is incredibly smart, has a family. Everything going for them. Someone that many looked up to. Hard working and responsible, and then snap.
Police said she drove 900 miles, donned a disguise and was armed with a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was a competitor for the affections of an unmarried fellow astronaut.
"The intent was there to do serious bodily injury or death, said" Orlando Police Sgt. Barb Jones, referring to a new steel mallet, knife, rubber tubing and large garbage bags that police found in her possession.
She raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers in the car so she wouldn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, authorities said. Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, she waited for the plane to land and then boarded the same airport shuttle bus to get to her car, police said. She rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. The lady refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when she started crying, the statement said. She then sprayed a chemical into the car, the affidavit said.
Humans can do something completely opposite our normal character. But God cannot. God will always 100 percent of the time be consistent with His nature with His character.
So if we can determine what His Character is like, then when someone is claiming that the Holy Spirit is doing something, we will be able to know if they are lying. We will know if it is in line with His character. We will know if it is in line with who He is. We can tell them that making people flop around on the floor like a fish out of water and drool at the mouth is against the Holy Spirits nature. It is contrary to who the Holy Spirit is. Therefore it is not the Holy Spirit that is doing it.
And to know Who the Holy Spirit is, we have to go no further than the Bible. You can learn what someone is like by looking at what they have done in the past and what they are doing in the present..
WHAT HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT DONE IN TIMES PAST?
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
The Holy Spirit was active in creation. Creation was done decently and orderly.
2Pe 1:21 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.
The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible There is nothing more orderly than the Bible.
Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit was part of the Virgin Birth of Jesus
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
The Holy Spirit was also involved in the Resurrection of Jesus
So far we have seen the Holy Spirit having great power. And it has been used for nothing but decency, orderliness, and holiness so far. We do not see the Holy Spirit making people drool and flop on the floor.
But that in the past. Now lets look at what He does later on.
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE CONVERSION?
Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus He does not testify of Himself.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Reproving involves convicting. Of what three things does the Holy Spirit convict unbelievers?
Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment
When someone feels conviction during the preaching, that is the Holy Spirit working. When you feel that tug to go forward during invitation time, that is the Holy Spirit working.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
It is the Holy Spirit that quickens us at salvation. It is the Holy Spirit who is the agent of regeneration.
So the Holy Spirit is very involved in our salvation. He testifies of Jesus, brings conviction, and then quickens and regenerates us when we accept Jesus as our saviour.
Still nothing disorderly. Still no fish flopping.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BELIEVER?
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the believer.
And notice that if anyone does not have the Spirit, then they are not Christ’s. You get the Spirit at salvation and if you do not have the Spirit then you are not saved.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Our body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
A Christian can Grieve the Holy Spirit.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Sins that Grieve. Bitterness, Wrath, Anger, Clamour, Evil speaking, Malice.
Godly attitudes: Kind, Tenderhearted, Forgiving.
1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
We do not see the Holy Spirit forcing people here. He can easily be grieved and quenched. It is no accident that God choose to use the symbol of a dove for the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is from heaven, He is beautiful, loving, and tender. And a dove will easily take to flight. Now the Holy Spirit will not depart from you, but He will take His hands off and say if that is the way that you want it then go on with your bad self.
But that is not the way that we are supposed to be.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
We are commanded to be Filled with the Spirit, which simply means to be lead by the Spirit. We are to die to our selves and let Him do the leading.
This is considering yourself crucified with Christ Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
It is Confessing all known sin 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
It is yielding every area of your life to Christ. Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.
And it is doing all to the glory of God. 1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
And as you are filled with the Holy Spirit, He will produce the Fruit of the Spirit in your life.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The Holy Spirit produces a lot in us. But notice that there is no passing out, drooling, babbling, or fish flopping.
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BELIEVERS?
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Every Christian is Sealed with the Holy Spirit.
This is our guarantee of eternal salvation.
Joh 16:7 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.
The Holy Spirit is our comforter.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us.
Act 1:8 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.
The Holy Spirit is our Power to witness and serve God.
Act 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou [art] God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Act 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
Act 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
The Holy Spirit enables us to Know the things of God’s Word, for He is our Teacher.
The Holy Spirit is not a force but a person and the Holy Spirit is God.
And now you should know something of His Character and Personality. And what His role is in our lives.
We have seen that He is very active in our lives.
He dwells within us. Our body is His Temple. He is our comforter. He makes intercession for us. The Holy Spirit has sealed our salvation.
The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is our teacher and enables us to know the things of God.
And the Holy Spirit is our power to witness and serve.
That is a lot and by looking at what He does you should see that many of the things that people teach about the Holy Spirit are not in line with the Personality and Character of the Holy Spirit.
We should be overjoyed to learn what great provision God has made for us through the ministry of His Holy Spirit. He is God's perpetual, indwelling gift to you. He should not be ignored. Instead we should yield to Him.