“The REAL Purpose of the Holy Spirit”
July 26, 2009
“But 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." Acts 1:8
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4
What a fantastic day this must have been. The city was filled and overflowing with people from every nation on earth. You could hear a group of Asians speaking on one street. Across the street may have been a group of Africans talking. Someplace else were some Arabian people visiting.
People were dressed in all kinds of clothing. It must have been kind of a circus setting – maybe like it is around here on the Fourth of July. Then something gets their attention. It’s a sound. It’s an amazing sound like a great wind – kind of like a hurricane or a tornado would make – but nothing is blowing around. It’s just a sound.
That got everyone’s attention. All eyes are riveted to where the noise is emanating. Then this little band of Christians, maybe with the tongues of fire still visible, pour out of an upper room and began to preach – and everyone heard in their own language. It must have been a fantastic day. Wouldn’t you have liked to have been there?
Because this was such a sensational day; such a sensational and supernatural happening, so many people have missed the point. The sound of a great wind, the tongues of fire and speaking in other languages was fantastic – but it wasn’t the point. I think God was communicating something through all that – but this morning I want to talk about the REAL purpose of the Holy Spirit.
It isn’t speaking in tongues. I know there are denominations built on promoting that gift, even though it is clearly the least of the gifts, and some say it is the ‘evidence’ of being filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s isn’t. The evidence is the fruit – which is listed in Galatians 5.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not to do spectacular miracles – although they may happen occasionally. It isn’t to glorify the individual that is filled – or to bring blessings on them, although that may happen.
The real purpose of the Holy Spirit is POWER! God has provided power for you – through the Holy Spirit. Power to free you from sin; Power to live a holy life; Power to serve Him. Power to be the individual God wants you to be. You don’t have to be a slave to sin. You do not have to be addicted to alcohol or drugs or tobacco or pornography or peer approval. God freed us through the power of Jesus. Jesus said,
“If the Son sets you free – you are free indeed!” (John 8:36)
God, the Son, is the source of our freedom. God, the Holy Spirit, is the means in which we receive the power to be free. Consequently, there are two distinct works of grace necessary for you to receive the power to be free. First is salvation, which comes through believing on Jesus. The second is the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which comes through the repenting of your sin and dedicating yourself completely and totally to the Lord. Peter said,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
Peter was talking to a people who believed in God. They were a religious people. They were willing to sacrifice time and money to worship God. But their religion was not enough. They need to repent and be baptized in Jesus’ name first. THEN they were qualified to receive the Holy Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit will not come upon you until you repent of all your sins and consecrate yourself wholly to the Lord. I think a lot of Christian go through life settling for immaturity; settling for just enough religion to make it to heaven. They don’t want to surrender their wills to God. They don’t want to change their ways. They want to be in control and call the shots – and God will let them. God never forces maturity on you. He never forces you to grow or seek. He invites – but He always respects your will. Consequently, probably most Christians never get beyond a superficial relationship with God. They never experience the infilling – because they never completely surrender their wills to God. And, truth be known, they do not want to experience what the Holy Spirit may do in their life. They are afraid He will ask too much. They are afraid He will demand too much. They are afraid the cost will be too high. So what are they afraid of? Let’s think about it.
Let me make this clear, the ‘real’ purpose of the Holy Spirit is to fill you with power. That’s the number one lesson we need to get from Pentecost. God wants you to have power in your life. But there is a process before that power comes. There needs to be a ‘purging’. Remember the sound like a great might wind? There is power in the wind – but there is also a cleansing. The wind blows all the chaff away. Is that biblical? Let’s take a look.
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires” Ephesians 4:22
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood…” Ephesians 4:25
“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Ephesians 5:3
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God” 1 Thessalonians 4-6
Is there anything in your life - habits, attitudes, actions – that the Holy Spirit needs to remove? Before the power comes – purging must come. Maybe you have wondered why you did not have the power in your life that you feel you should have. Could it be that the Holy Spirit will not take up residence in your soul until that thing (that only you and God know about) is purged from your life. A thorough inventory needs to be taken of our life periodically and we need to honestly evaluate every area of our life. If anything has crept in or if there is something we have selfishly horded and protected and claimed for our own – we need to release it to God. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to blow it away. We don’t need it anyway.
The real purpose of the Holy Spirit is to give us power – but first we need to allow Him to purge our lives of anything that would hinder Him and His power. Is there anything in your life that would bring dishonor on God? Allow Him to purge your life of that thing.
Then the Holy Spirit comes in tongues of fire. There is power in fire. Ask any fireman. Fire can cause devastating destruction or bring life giving warmth. But the power is a purifying power. Fire has the power to purify metals – like gold and silver. It has the power to purify medical equipment, and it even purifies the food we eat.
Do you realize God wants you to be pure? He says,
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14
I want you to notice that grace has appeared to ALL people. Are all going to be saved? No. Only those who receive that grace will be saved. Those who receive that grace will be known by not giving into the flesh and living godly lives. I want you to notice that Jesus gave himself for us – why? To save us and to purify for himself a people that are his very own. So how are we purified spiritually? Let’s take a look at Scripture.
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
“All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.: 1 John 3:3
I want you to notice that the purifying process takes two. God has done his part by sending Jesus to die for us and pay the penalty for our sin. But as in all relationships – it takes two. We have a part, too. We are to purify OURSELVES. We are to wash our hands (or works) and purify our hearts. If we have this hope of salvation – we are to purify ourselves.
How do we do that? We can’t make ourselves pure. We don’t have that kind of ability or power. Our part is in the offering of ourselves to God to be purified. Our job is to bring our lives and souls to Jesus and give them to Him - to be washed clean. The Bible says,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1
The price has been paid. The debt has been satisfied. The power is available. The question is “Do you want it?” Understand that their will be a purging and a purifying of your life – body, soul and spirit, if you surrender. But there is very little power without it.
The real purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bring you power. It is power to serve. It is power to share the gospel. It is power to live the holy lives God desires we live. This is God’s will for you. We need His forgiveness – but there is more. The Scripture says,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Do you see that He wants to not only forgive us – but to purify us as well?
Are you willing to offer your all to Him? If so - pray a prayer like this.
Jesus,
I love you. I know you have forgiven me of my sins. I have confessed them and you promised to forgive them. But I need cleansing in my life. I need the Holy Spirit to come in power. I surrender my life to you. Purge me and purify me and give me the power to live for you.
In Jesus Name,
