Eleven Beneficial Enabling Powers Of The Holy Spirit

How The Holy Spirit Functions for Believers

John 16:13-16

Too many of us fail to appropriate the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, relationships and ministries to our own detriment. The following eleven descriptions give a brief over view of the ways the Holy Spirit empowers us to do exceedingly abundant workings above all that we can ask or think. (Eph. 3:20)

1. The Holy Spirit seeks to bring greater glory to the Lord through every believer. Jesus said, "He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." (John 16:14) Ask the Lord to help you give God greater glory through the Holy Spirit working to illuminate, manifest and clarify all of God’s will and blessings for your life.

2. The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers in ways that He pleads our concerns to the heavenly Father. Paul wrote, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Rom. 8:26) Ask the Lord to help you gain greater reliance on the Spirit to plead your case to the heavenly Father for all of your needs, goals and problems.

3. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt. Jesus said, "When he comes, the Spirit 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." (John 16:8,9) Ask the Lord to help you become more reliant on the Spirit to bring conviction to yourself and those around you so that you are less judgmental.

4. The Holy Spirit guides believers into truth. Jesus said, "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." (John 16:13) Ask the Lord to help you be given all spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding of truth that will enable you to bear fruit in every good work while increasing in the knowledge of God. Remember, all truth is God’s truth.

5. The Holy Spirit comforts us in times of affliction and hardship. Paul wrote, "Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Cor. 1:4) Thank the Lord for ALL of the comfort He provides you with in terms of His encouragement, affection and blessings.

6. The Holy Spirit cleanses, sanctifies and justifies us. Paul wrote, "And that is what some of your were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (I Cor. 6:11) Thank the Lord for the way that He washed you from all the penalties of sin. Praise the Lord for setting you apart from the world and its corrupting influence in the power of sin. Honor the Lord for making you right in the eyes of God so that you can have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:1,2)

7. The Holy Spirit restrains evil. Moses wrote, "Then the Lord said, ’My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years... The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." (Gen. 6:3,5) Thank God for the way the Spirit restrains men from doing even worse acts of evil because of God’s mercies and grace.

8. The Holy Spirit refreshes us daily with hope and love. Paul wrote, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Rom. 5:5) Take an inventory of all the hope and love you are enriched with through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s blessings.

9. The Holy Spirit regenerates. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born? Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:3-5) Ask the Lord to help you lead many to a saving faith in Jesus Christ with a sense of urgency and awareness of their need to be born of the Spirit.

10. The Holy Spirit reminds us of important truths we forget. Jesus said, "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26) Ask the Lord to help you remember all the valuable truths the Lord for your conversations, plans and purposes in His will.