TITLE: What’s the Big Deal About the Holy Spirit?
TEXT: John 14:16-25
THEME: The Holy Spirit
P.S. If you are a Born again follower of Jesus Christ, then you have been called to the Spirit filled life.
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever been alone? I mean felt totally alone with no one to talk too? Or perhaps you have been lost while travelling and did not know who to call or turn too for help.
Can you imagine for a moment what it would be like to have someone with you, 24/7 who will always give you directions when you are lost? They will be there to give answers when you are at a loss for words. Imagine having a friend who constantly gives you encouragement to not give up. A friend who will be honest enough with you to tell you when you are making a mistake and direct you down a better path?
Does it sound too good to be true? Well, if you are a born again followers of Jesus Christ, you already have that friend. That friend is the Holy Spirit.
If you are a Born again follower of Jesus Christ, then you have been called to the Spirit filled life.
Today, and for the next few weeks, I would like to introduce you to the Holy Spirit. In this messahe, we will lay a foundation as we discover that The Spirit filled life is for every believer; we will also answer two important questions, why the Holy Spirit is important, and who exactly is the Holy Spirit.
As we consider the importance of the Holy Spirit, the first point I want us to consider is,
1. THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE IS FOR EVERY BELIEVER.
Have you ever thought about this before? There may be some who may answer, “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” If that is your answer, don’t despair. Even as far back as the days of the early church, people were ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s reality and presence.
In fact in The book of Acts, Luke tells us that there were a group of believers in Ephesus, who were living their Christian lives and did not have a clue about the person or power of the Holy Spirit. When Paul asked them if they had recveived the Holy Spirit since they believed, their answer was a bewildered, “We have never heard of any Holy Spirit.”
You may be surprised to know that there are people in churches across Canada, who know nothing about the Holy Spirit, let alone what HE wants to do in thier life.
Another way you may respond is, “I’m not sure I want anything to do with the Holy Spirit. Everything I hear about the Holy Spirit seems divisive and too emotional for me.
There are many misconception and myths that Christians believe about the Holy Spirit. At the outset of this study I would like to dismiss some common misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit..
TO begin with, The Holy Spirit is not an it. Nowhere in Scripture is the Spirit of God treated as an inanimate object. He is given names. He is given a personality. He is given jobs. He is given functions. These are not qualities of an it, but of a living person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is not something, He is someone.
Furthermore, The Holy Spirit is not the force from Star Wars. Many people view the Holy Spirit according to the description Obi-Wan Kenobie gives the force in the Star Wars movies. They see the Holy Spirit as “something” that controls your movements, but obeys your commands. They see the Holy Spirit as “something” that surrounds us and binds the galaxy together. Of course, Scripture says that binding creation together is Jesus’ job.
Finally, The Holy Spirit does not make you act weird, strange, foolish or contrary to His written word.
The Bible is clear, we do not need to be afraid of the Holy Spirit. Neither are we to neglect the Holy Spirit. And certainly we should avoid grieving the Holy Spirit.
So what then ought a relationship with the Spirit look like?.’
This relationship with the Holy Spirit will be marked by three things. Firstly it will be marked by PURPOSE. The reason Jesus has given to us the Holy Spirit is so that we can live life to the fullest. In John 10:10, Jesus promised true abundant life.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.(TNIV)
Eugene Peterson in the MESSAGE says, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
And I think that the Amplified really captures the meaning Jesus words, I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
The second mark of the Spirit filled life, is POWER. This is what makes the PURPOSE possible. The Spirit filled life is not based on emotions says Charles Stanley. As the Holy Spirit works in You, He gives you the POWER enabling you to produce the Character of Christ through your life.
This in turn causes you and I to be EFFECTIVE AS WE MINISTER IN Christ’s name. The Apostle Paul testified to the Corinthians,
4When I talked with you or preached, I didn’t try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God’s Spirit show his power. 5That way you would have faith because of God’s power and not because of human wisdom.( 1 Cor.2:4-5)
The Spirit filled life is marked by purpose, power and effectiveness. It is not something you do, but it is something you are because of who is living and working inside you. God desires for each of His children to live a Spirit filled life, and He expects you to be led by the Spirit on a daily basis. ( C.Stanley p.8)
So, then the Bible says, Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal.5:25)
The Spirit filled life is for every follower of Jesus to experience. Now, I have had people ask me, if I am saved, and the Holy Spirit already indwells me, then why do I need anymore of the Holy Spirit in my life?
2. WHY DO WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES?
We need the Holy Spirit in our lives as much as we need a relationship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who makes living the victorious Christian life possible. We need Him at work in us and through us if we are going to fulfill God’s will for us on earth and to become the person God created us to be.
Chuck Swindoll in His book, Flying Closer to the Flame, gives a practical illustration explaining the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Let’s say we decide to purchase a new car. We look around, We kick a few tires, we decide on the car we want. We have the cash to purchase it. We need only two things to enjoy that car. We need keys to access the car. These keys open the door, trunk, and turn on the ignition. They get us started on our journey.
However we will not drive very far without fuel. As the key is to the car, salvation is to the Christian. The cross is the key that opens the door to the Christian life. It gives us access to God. It opens the door to God and a living relationship with Jesus.
However, we discover that as we live this new life, we operate only so far on empty. We must have the fuel of the Holy Spirit to empower us and to energize us and to move us from where we are to where we want to be.
To be saved and know that your sins are forgiven is a wonderful place to be. To know that there is an eternity in Heaven assured for us, is an incredible hope. But God does not wish for you to remain only sitting with the keys in your hand, admiring the new life you have received through Christ.
There is more, o so much more. When we place the control of our lives to the Holy Spirit, we enjoy some wonderful blessings. The Apsotle Paul lists some of these blessings in Romans 8.
With the coming of the Spirit in our lives comes the blessing of LIFE AND PEACE (11,6, 13). Then, there is an ABSENSE OF FEAR, in verse 15 where we can call God ABBA Father. There is an INNER ASSURANCE where doubts departs and confidence comes ( 16-17). In addition we have assistance in prayer ( 26, 27). And in verse 28 there is the awareness that all things are working together for GOOD and GOD’S GLORY..
You and I have the key to the car, it is called salvation The tank is filled to the full with fuel, this is the Holy Spirit. But in order to experience the benefits of the Spirit filled life, I must turn the key and engage the gears, in order to go where God wants me to go.
Chuck Swindoll says, and I quote, ‘Even though every believer has the Holy Spirit it is possible to operate our lives apart from His control. But when that happens, and it does with many Christians every day, what is missed is nothing short of tragic. When we operate under His control, the potential for peace and joy, calm and comfort, guidance and insight, confidence and courage knows no bounds.
THIS IS WHY WE NEEDTHE SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES.
So let’s get this straight. You and I need the Holy Spirit in our life. Furthermore, every follower of Jesus is expected to live the Spirit filled life. However, some may not be convinced. After all, it is not easy having a relationship with someone that you cannot see or touch.
A Sunday School teacher was trying to teach her class of 5 and 6 year olds about the trinity. She had each one memorize, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. When the students returned to SS a week later, she had little Johnny recite. He began, ‘God the father, God the Son and, (hesitating) God the Holy Smoke”
A generation ago A. W. Tozer wrote that when the average Christian thinks about the Holy Spirit "he is likely to imagine a nebulous substance like a wisp of invisible smoke which is said to be present in churches and to over hover good people when they die" (A Treasury of A. W. Tozer, p. 41).
Part of our problem is that the Holy Spirit seems so mystical. We can picture God the Father, because we’ve all seen fathers. We can picture God the Son because he became human and we can read about what he did and what he’s like. But when we try to picture the Holy Spirit our minds go blank, and we end up with symbols like a dove, or wind, or fire, or smoke.
3. WHO EXACTLY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The Holy Spirit does not want to be a puzzle. He desires to reveal Himself to us and to be known by us. Who then is the Holy Spirit?
For starters, the Holy Spirit is a PERSON. When we begin to see the Holy Spirit as a Person, and not merely an experience, we will have a much different perspective on living in the fullness of the Spirit or being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Where does the confusion come from?
On the Day of Pentecost we read,
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Sometimes people confuse the sights and sounds of the Spirit’s arrival with the Holy Spirit Himself. These are MANIFESTATIONS of the Holy Spirit, they are not the Spirit Himself. The sound is AS A rushing mighty wind. The Holy Spirit is infinitely more than manifestations of sights and sounds. HE IS A PERSON.
There are three qualities that make up a person. They are Knowledge, will and emotion. Let’s take a look at scriptures that reveal these qualities associated with the Holy Spirit:
We read about the knowing ability of the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 2:11, For who knows a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit within? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
And we read about the will of the Spirit: All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. Or just as He wills according to the NKJV.
In Romans 15:13, we read about the ‘love of the Spirit. And in Eph.4:30, we read Paul’s admonishment: ‘Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize that you cannot grieve someone who doesn’t love you. Because the HS has an emotional capacity, HE can be grieved. The Holy Spirit has emotions.
In addition to this, the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity: God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Says Charles Stanley, He is of one Nature, character and identity with them. He is present anytime the Father and Son are present. He is inseparable from the Father and from The Son. At the same time, He is a unique person. He has a specific identity and function in our lives. The Holy Spirit’s role is to fill, empower, to work in and through God’s creation.
The Holy Spirit is the PROMISE of God to believers. In John 14:16, God gives us a promise concerning the Holy Spirit. He gives us His word through His Son, Jesus. The power of the Holy Spirit enables you to be born again. He gives you a brand new life, He enlivens your spirit, He makes you alive to God
Jesus has told his disciples in John 13 that he is going away and they cannot come with him. They knew he was talking about his death. Judas is betraying Jesus. Peter will deny the Lord. They will all flee. Their world is about to be turned upside down. Like a rollercoaster their emotions has hit bottom.
In John 14 Jesus comforts them with two essential promises. The first promise is that he is going to prepare a place for them and will return and take them with him to that place so they could be with him forever.
The second promise is that HE would send another comforter, the Holy Spirit.
John 14:17 Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever...”
Jesus has taken care of these disciples. He has taught them and nurtured them. And they are wondering how they are going to make it without him. Jesus knows they could not make it on their own. But he is not going to abandon them like a bunch of orphans. He is going to send to them another Comforter.
In John 14:18 he says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
How will he come? In the person of the Holy Spirit[2], .
Many of you know that the word in John’s text translated Counselor, Comforter, or Helper is “parakleetos” which is difficult to translate into English. It is a combination of para meaning beside and kaleoo meaning I call. It refers to one called along side to help. It was sometimes used as a legal term for a defense attorney[3]. Therefore it is sometimes translated Advocate[4]. John uses this term to help us understand our relationship to the Holy Spirit.
What Jesus is saying is that I am going to send you someone who will do for you all the things I have been doing for you. Another Comforter, the “another” is, allos[5], another of the same kind (Someone just like Jesus). “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter...”
The Holy Spirit is God’s promise to you as His child today. But there is more.
The Holy Spirit is the POWER of God in the believer.
There is a story about a vaccum salesman down in Tennesee. He was out in rural Tennesee. He had a his vacum cleaner and all of this tools and everything, and he went out there and he told a lady, "I’ve got the most exciting vacum cleaner you have ever seen. It will clean your house from top to bottom...you only have to pay so much down." And the lady said, "It sounds real good." He said, "You see that big pile of dirt right there on the floor with all those fur balls and bugs and things." He said, "My vacum cleaner will just pick up all those things up just like that and if they don’t, I’ll eat it." She said, "well you might as well get your knife and fork, because we do not have any electricity out here!"
The moral of the story is, You will be sucking up dirt the rest of your life if you do not have the power.
Why did Jesus promise His disciples the HS? Because HE knew they would need to have the HS in them if they were to be faithful, and effective in thier walk with God. The HS enables you and I to live the Christian life.
The Bible syas, 8But 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."
And in Ephesians 1:17-22 Paul writes, 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And Finally Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us
The bottom line is that as followers of Jesus, God has promised the Holy Spirit to His children. God wants you to have a relationship with the HS because He wants us to live effective, joy filled lives. To do tis we need His powering our lives
CONCLUSION: Why is this important to you and me? Because what was true of the disciples is also true of you and me. Without the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, encourage us, lead us, and guide us—without Him we too will not make it. No one in this room is able to live godly without the abiding help of the Holy Spirit. In fact, we can find ourselves very depleted and discouraged when we try to do it all in our own strength. But here is the good news; this promise to the disciples is also a promise to you and me.
Acts 2:39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." NKJV
Too many Christians are content to live adequate Christian lives. They believe if they go to church, read their Bible occasionally, and say their prayers once in a while, they are all right with God. Occasionally they might volunteer to serve others in the church, or help out at their neighborhood food bank, and they think they have gone over and above their calling.
Let me challenge you today. God doesn’t call you or anyone to just an adequate Christian life. He desires to have a daily walking/talking relationship with you in which you experience His presence, trust Him for wisdom, courage, strength and rely on Him for results.
The Lord desires to live within you. He desires to communitcate with and through you. He desires to live out his life through your expression of it.
There is no such thing as the ‘average Christian life. Either you are living a vibrant spirit filled life, or you sren’t. you are in forward motion or in neutral. You are sitting in the car, the key is in the ignition but you have as yet to engage the gears.
My invitation to you today is to make a decision to choose the Spirit filled life. This begins when you first ask Jesus to forgive you your sin, and allow Him to be your Lord and Saviour.
Then you are called to allow the HS to take full control of your life. Choose the Holy Spirit Life. God will not force Himself on you or force Himself to operate within you. He works by invitation only. He won’t overstep the boundaries of your will. Will you open your life today to the Holy Spirit? Why is this important to you and me? Because what was true of the disciples is also true of you and me. Without the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, encourage us, lead us, and guide us—without Him we too will not make it. No one in this room is able to live godly without the abiding help of the Holy Spirit. In fact, we can find ourselves very depleted and discouraged when we try to do it all in our own strength. But here is the good news; this promise to the disciples is also a promise to you and me.
Acts 2:39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." NKJV There is a story about a vaccum salesman down in Tennesee. He was out in rural Tennesee. He had a his vacum cleaner and all of this tools and everything, and he went out there and he told a lady, "I’ve got the most exciting vacum cleaner you have ever seen. It will clean your house from top to bottom...you only have to pay so much down." And the lady said, "It sounds real good." He said, "You see that big pile of dirt right there on the floor with all those fur balls and bugs and things." He said, "My vacum cleaner will just pick up all those things up just like that and if they don’t, I’ll eat it." She said, "well you might as well get your knife and fork, because we do not have any electricity out here!"
The moral of the story is, You will be sucking up dirt the rest of your life if you do not have the power.
God has promised the Holy Spirit to His children. God wants you to have a relationship with the HS because He wants us to live effective, joy filled lives. God has promised the Holy Spirit to His children. God wants you to have a relationship with the HS because He wants us to live effective, joy filled lives.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
