THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Part 1.
John 16:7-15.
Of all the great stuff that the Bible teaches the Ministry of the Holy Spirit is the one that most people have a problem with. Let me say that I know that I am not an expert, but there are a few things that I have learnt over the years. I have seen many things happen in churches that were actually part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and I have been in churches where what went on had nothing to do with the Ministry of Holy Spirit. As I though about the Sunday service I felt that the Lord wanted me to share with you about the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. I can truly say that though some of this message comes from research but most of this message is what I believe the Holy Spirit has brought to my mind.
In 1983 Robert Duvall wanted to make The Apostle because he felt that the motion picture industry had mostly ignored the work of the Holy Spirit. According to Duvall, filmmakers hardly ever made a movie that would actually show the truth about the Holy Spirit. If they did make a movie it is usually one that was patronizing and full of stuff that has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit or the Bible. Duvall wanted to realistically portray a preacher who was completely under the control of the Holy Spirit. Duvall wanted to understand what these preachers went through and what they believe in order to be able to portray this in an accurate way so that the audience would understand. When he first approached various studios about this movie they wouldn’t go near it because it didn’t attack the evangelical community. Duvall put off the movie for nearly 15 years, until he was able to finance it with his own money. The movie became so popular that he earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of preacher Sonny Dewey. Duvall who was raised in a Christian home and though he was taught to believe in Jesus Christ he never knew much about the Holy Spirit until he made The Apostle. It was during his research for the move that he felt the touch of the Holy Spirit as he sat in a church in Harlem. In response to the popularity of movie Newsweek devoted an article to the concept that there was a resurgence of the Holy Spirit ministry in churches since the movie. According to a Newsweek survey taken after the movie was shown to the public, the survey found that 47% of people in churches claim to have an experience of the Holy Spirit ministry in their lives. What is interesting is that according to Newsweek survey they also found that a large numbers of people who didn’t even go to church say that they also had experienced the Holy Spirit ministry in their lives. I find it interesting that since the movie came out we now have people who have never went to church who have never sat under a teaching ministry and who very likely are not even saved say that they have experience the Holy Spirit ministry in their lives.
Today there is a tremendous amount of confusion and controversy that exists about the Holy Spirit. Today we can visit churches were we will see or hear thing like hysterical laughter or where people fall down and role around on the ground or where people will growl like animals and all this is being done or is being caused by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Because some people have only read the Bible once of maybe heard someone read Acts out loud, they have the idea that the Holy Spirit is a wisp of invisible smoke which is said to be present in churches and is visible when people die. Today it is difficult to find churches that teach and believe the whole concept of the Holy Spirit ministry. There are churches that only focuses on the Power of the Holy Spirit, while other may only emphasize the Holy Spirit ministry in bring someone to Jesus and this is part of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. But that isn’t all that the Holy Spirit is about.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON.
One of the things about the Holy Spirit is that He isn’t a it. The Holy Spirit is a He and He is the third person of the Trinity which means that He is divine. The Bible gives us a picture of God who is our creator. The New Testament has given us a picture of Jesus who is the Son of God and our saviour. Through out the whole Bibles we can read about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Genesis we read that the Spirit of the Lord was moving over the earth. We have seen in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit was placed in people lives like Joseph, Moses and David so that they could achieve the requires work of the Lord. In the New Testament we are told that John the Baptist would be filled with the Spirit while still in the womb. We can also read about the Holy Spirit in Mary life and Jesus life. If we look at the book of Acts, which actually should be called The Book of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit we can see that the church is only able to achieve the Lords purpose simply because of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. The first century Christian church was a direct result of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit has a Ministry to become our guidance Counsellor before we are saved.
It is the Holy Spirit who brings us to the place where we can experience and have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
John 16:7-8-- But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
The Greek word translated counsellor, is Paraclete, and it means one who’s called alongside of another person to offer assistance. For instance, a paramedic is someone who comes alongside a person to offer medical assistance. The word Paraclete could be translated counsellor or comforter.
There was a movie about a wealthy film producer named Mac whose car breaks down in a certain part of Los Angeles. Soon a carload of gang members drives up and they start harassing him and it’s obvious that they’re going to steal his car and perhaps kill him. Just when things are almost out of control, a tow truck driver drives up and he comes alongside of him to offer assistance by chasing off the gang members and towing his car to safety. Jesus tells us that part of what the Holy Spirit as a Counsellor does is to convict people of their sin. People today live with blinders on because most people just assume that if they have more good in their lives than bad then they will be ok. If one pressured people to be exact about where they stand before the Lord most people can’t answer because they don’t know. Our tendency is to minimize our guilt before the Lord to where we see other people sins are worse than ours. So when the Holy Spirit is able to get our attention and penetrate our lives He is able to shatters our defences and show us how we truly stand before God. The only way we can actually know our true standing before the Lord is when the Holy Spirit is working as our counsellor/guide. You see, apart from the work of God’s Spirit, none of us would become Christians; none of us would turn away from our sins and surrender our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. When people take their stand and publicly confess Jesus’ lordship in their lives, the only reason they can do that is because the Holy Spirit is at work in their hearts. We are able to experience salvation because the Holy Spirit has drawn us to the foot of the Cross and we met with Jesus our saviour. The Holy Spirit will not force us nor will he trick us or cause us to do anything against our will. Once we get to the point where we see ourselves as the Lord see us; it is at that point that we are the only one who can make the decision to accept Jesus or reject Jesus. We need to understand that even though the Holy Spirit guides us to the foot of the cross he can’t and he won’t force us to choose Jesus. There are times when the Holy Spirit has done his work and the person has put off accepting Jesus. When we do accept Jesus it is because of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
One of the key tasks of the Holy Spirit is to guide lost soul to a place where they can chose to accept Jesus so they can have intimate fellowship with God.
3. The Holy Spirit is Gods signature that we are part of the family of God.
Ephesians 1:13. After listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation and having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the signature that the Lord uses to let you and I know that we have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.
When I graduated I received a diploma that has an official seal on it. It’s that official seal that authenticates my diploma as genuine. The Holy Spirit is God’s authentication that we have been forgiven and are adopted into the family of God. When I work with people at an alter and I know that they are receiving Jesus I usually ask then after they have prayer how do they feel. The reason why I ask is because salvation is an event in their lives but it is also something that we can experience.
2 Corinthians 5:5 tells us that we are made for the purpose of having the Holy Spirit within us.
If the Spirit of the Lord comes into you life, He will clean you of your sins and I can tell you that when or if this event happens it will be something that you will always remember.
The Holy Spirit that is given at salvation is a first instalment or down payment. We can only experience our relationship with the Lord if we have the Holy Spirit living and working within us.
A. Many Christians never receive all of the Holy Spirit that the Lord wants them to have.
Many people find the Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour and are given the Holy Spirit. As a new Christian the Holy Spirit helps us to live our lives for the Lord Jesus according to what we think the Lord wants. The truth is that most Christians don’t realize that what the Lord has given then is but a sample of what they as a Christian can actually have.
The first door that we open is salvation but that isn’t the only door. As you live your life the Holy Spirit lets you know through Bible teaching and Bible studies that you should open door number two. The thing is that when you open door number two the Lord will require more of your life to be placed into his control.
If a 1000 Christians were being encouraged to open door number two only about 10/15 percent would actually open and walk through the door. The reason is because door number two has to do with the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives. This means that Jesus wants total surrender of our lives and Jesus wants to be the only one handling every aspect of our lives to the Lord. If we open door number two one of the results is that a change in ownership will have to take place. If we walk through door number two the Holy Spirit now is the director of our lives actually showing us how Jesus want us to live and act.
Romans 12: 1-2. Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him. Don
