On the one hand, our Bibles begin with these words: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth 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… Gen. 1:1-2
Who moved upon the face of the waters? The Spirit of God. He is the first member of the Godhead to be specifically mentioned in scripture, and yet He is the least understood today.
On the other hand, our Bibles end with these words: The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” And let all who hear say, “Come!” And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life freely. Rev. 22:17.
Who is inviting us to come and drink of the water of life? The Spirit, and with Him, the Bride! And it spreads to all who hear.
Therefore, God’s word opens and closes with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In the fourth century Gregory of Nazianzus writes, “The deity of the Holy Spirit ought to be clearly recognized in Scripture. Look at these facts: Christ is born; the Spirit is His forerunner. Christ is baptized; the Spirit bears witness. Christ is tempted; the Spirit leads Him up. Christ ascends; the Spirit takes His place. What great things are there in the character of God which are not found in the Spirit? What titles which belong to God are not also applied to Him? He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of adoption, of truth, of liberty; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, of godliness, of the fear of God. This only begins to show how unlimited He is.
The Holy Spirit is not easy for us to grasp and define, but... neither is God the Father or Jesus Christ the Son, if we think about it. God reveals Himself to us through Scripture more clearly and specifically than through creation or any other way, except when the Word is made flesh in Jesus Christ himself. But even in scripture there are mysteries. What I hope we can do today is not try to remove all the mysterious majesty of God’s Spirit, but hear the Scriptures and accept the specific things it says about Him. This will deepen our respect and reverence of God!
Lets look at a few select passages from our Bibles that mention the Holy Spirit.
1. In the Old Testament we see the Holy Spirit bringing God’s presence. Where the Holy Spirit is... God is!
Ps 51:10-12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
This Psalm is David’s prayer after his sin with Bathsheba. He is convicted of his sin and is pouring out his heart to God. He freely agrees that God’s judgment is just, but pleads for mercy instead. Part of that pleading is here in verses 10-12. One thing David knows about God’s Holy Spirit is that if God takes away His Spirit, David loses everything. He remembers what happened to Saul. When God removed his Spirit from Saul, an evil spirit was sent to replace Him. Ultimately, Saul lost everything. God’s Spirit dwells with the pure in heart and the steadfast in spirit, so David asks God to give these to him. Then David begs God: 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. God’s presence and God’s Spirit are of one cloth here. Where the Holy Spirit is... God is! Another Psalm bears this out well:
Ps 139:7-12
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
This is not about David wanting to get away from God, but about David realizing that God is everywhere, seeing everything, knowing all. How? By His Spirit. We sometimes think of God as being everywhere at all times and this is borne out in scripture. But there is a Holy Spirit presence of God that is actually quite extraordinary and particular. The Bible specifically speaks of God’s Spirit and presence being withdrawn. When that occurs, it is bad. In this case, God’s Holy Spirit presence brings life and peace, and when He withdraws His Spirit chaos and death ensue.
God’s Spirit also brings courage and strength.
Hag 2:3-5
3’Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ’Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ’and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 5’This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
Again, Where the Holy Spirit is... God is!
2. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Other passages show us that God’s words and God’s Holy Spirit are closely associated. Some have even thought that they are identical. That is not true, but it is true that God’s word and God’s Holy Spirit are spoken of in familiar ways. It is always a blessing to have God’s word and God’s spirit together. Satan can quote scripture, but it is void of the Holy Spirit and in opposition to God’s presence. When the word and the Spirit are in partnership, there is amazing power and strength. Isaiah clearly expresses how the Spirit and Word of God work together to bless his people.
Isa 59:21
21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD.
Where the Holy Spirit is... God’s Word is spoken and God’s will is to be done!
Also notice there are grave dangers for those who would rebel and resist God’s Spirit.
Yet God’s punishments serve to remind, convict and restore God’s people to rest and peace with Him.
Isa 63:7-14
7 I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us--yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. 8 He said, "Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me"; and so he became their Savior. 9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10 YET THEY REBELLED AND GRIEVED HIS HOLY SPIRIT. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
11 Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people--where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, 12 who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, 13 who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble; 14 like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the LORD. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name.
How serious is God’s Spirit in us?
A lot could be said here, but look at verse 10 carefully. What happened to God’s people when they grieved his Holy Spirit? He turned and became their enemy and fought against them! Look at Eph. 4:29-30. Do you think Paul may have had Isaiah 63 in mind when he wrote this? What do you think God will do to us today if we grieve his Holy Spirit? Look at Hebrews 6:4-9, 10:26-31. Notice that the Holy Spirit is mentioned in each of these passages. But what do they teach us about how we are to be in God’s presence as God’s people? What happens when God’s people mistreat the Holy Spirit?
Look at Matt 12:31-32
31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Can we take Jesus at his word here, or must we soften it with our interpretation skills so that it is more palatable?
One thing is clear throughout the Bible: God takes very seriously how we treat the Holy Spirit. We are not to take lightly the privilege and blessing of God’s presence with and in us. Where the Holy Spirit is... we are responsible to God.
Turning to the New Testament, we find that the Lord has not changed, and the Holy Spirit’s work actually extends beyond Israel to all flesh.
Beginning with the gospels we discover that with Jesus, God’s Son, the Holy Spirit sums up everything in His life and ministry. From his birth, to his baptism, to his miracles, to his teachings, to his death, burial and resurrection, the Holy Spirit is actively involved and present all the way. Luke is especially concerned to point this out. But Matthew’s contribution at the end of his gospel states it most clearly of all.
The gospel of Matthew ends with what has been called the great commission: Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations: Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
How is Jesus with us today? How is the Father with us? Through the Holy Spirit. We have seen this in our study of John, have we not? We can’t go back over all John says about the Spirit, but look again at 14:15-18. Jesus indicates that when Holy Spirit comes, Jesus also comes. Vs. 20, 23, 26-28a repeat the same.
Our text from John 16 is in the final chapter of the Olivet discourse. Jesus final message to his disciples before his crucifixion end here and what follows in chapter 17 is Jesus’ prayer.
But here in the heart of chapter 16 Jesus promises that when he goes to the Father he will send the Holy Spirit. Then he tells them what the Holy Spirit will do.
He will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment. He will guide the disciples into all truth, also making known what is to come. He will glorify Jesus by revealing what is His to the disciples.
With the Holy Spirit’s coming comes great power, and great responsibility.
Since we have the Holy Spirit, we have the presence of Jesus Christ in us. Turn to Eph. 3:16-17, 20.
Our very bodies become His. 1 Cor. 6:15-20, 1 Cor. 12:12-13. So what you do, Christ does. If you abuse Christ’s presence which is in you through the Holy Spirit, you stand under his judgment and punishment. 1 Cor. 11:29-34.
But when we walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16f) we enjoy the fruit of the Spirit as we also are strengthened to put to death the sinful deeds of the flesh, vs. 24-25.
Romans 8 tells us all about how the Holy Spirit leads us, empowers us, helps us pray, bears witness to our being God’s children, strengthens us as we face suffering for Christ.
Without the Holy Spirit the church could not exist. It is He who inspired the writers of Scripture, and He who dwells in every Christian, giving us life in Christ. All our efforts are dust and ashes apart from Him.
A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money. The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said,
"Well, son, it was 1932, the depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel. I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents.
The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5:00 PM for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I’d accumulated a fortune of $3.50.
(pause)
Then my wife’s father died and left us ten million dollars."
When Jesus died for us He sent us the Holy Spirit, enriching us with all we need to live in Him.
