APOSTLES’ CREED: I Believe in the Holy Spirit
We live in a world in which people are seeking spiritual experiences. Many believe in guardian angels, spirits, or vague spiritual sensations—sort of a quiver in the liver. Some engage in meditation, or trying to connect with themselves, or an experience of oneness with the universe. Some turn to the occult, and some are attracted to Eastern religious practices, which may or may not bring them closer to the God whom we should worship.
In our study of the Apostle’s Creed, we began with God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth. Then we reflected on Jesus Christ the Son. Now, we think about the third person of the Trinity with the phrase, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”
Growing up, we said the creed every Sunday. When I said, “I believe in the Holy Spirit,” I might as well have been saying, “I believe in Mars,” because neither Mars nor the Holy Spirit meant much to me. The Holy Spirit WAS working in my life, through my family and church, and through the events and people in my life, but I did not identify the work of the Holy Spirit all around me.
Today, we want to think about two questions: “Who is the Holy Spirit?” and, “How can we develop a personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit?”
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The Holy Spirit is God. Sometimes he is differentiated from the Father or Son, as the Bible says that the Father and the Son “send” him. Yet he is not separated from the Father or the Son, as the Bible refers to him as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, or simply the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God, especially as he is active in relation to the world.
At creation, Genesis 1:1 says, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Psalm 104 tells us that the Spirit continues to be active in creation: “All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send YOUR SPIRIT, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”
At times in the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon people chosen by God: Bezalel, who created artistic tabernacle furnishings; Moses, along with the 70 elders in the wilderness; judges, like Othniel, Jephthah and Samson; Saul, the first king of Israel.
The Holy Spirit came upon God’s prophets. As 2 Peter 1:21 says, “Prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Yet in Old Testament times, a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit was rare. The prophet Joel said that in the last days, when Messiah came, all believers would receive the Holy Spirit: Joel 2:28-29, “Afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people…Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” On the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted that text, to explain the coming of the Holy Spirit for all believers.
Jesus promised his disciples that when he left them, the Holy Spirit would be with them. In John 14:16-18, he says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” The Greek word translated “advocate” is “paraklesis,” one who stands alongside. Just as Jesus had been alongside them for three years, he promised that the Holy Spirit would be alongside them. In fact, it would be as if he himself was with them, for he said, “I will come to you.”
After Pentecost, all believers were given the Holy Spirit. Acts tells of times when people were “filled with the Spirit,” especially when they were in danger. Jesus had told his disciples that when they called to testify, the Spirit would give them words to say, and that was evident in Acts.
The Holy Spirit was evident in many ways in the New Testament. Sometimes he gave gifts of speaking or tongues or healing, but Paul was careful to say that the gifts of the Spirit were broader than that, including things like teaching, administration, hospitality, and evangelism. Paul also talked about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
The New Testament is clear: If you are a Christian, you have a personal connection with God, the Holy Spirit. Paul spells that out in Romans 8:9, “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”
The Holy Spirit is God, especially as he is active in the world and personally involved with God’s people.
HOW CAN WE DEVELOP A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Relationships don’t just happen; we have to take time to connect.
One way to do that is to set aside time to LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. Many Christians find that in a daily quiet time, they can listen to the Holy Spirit better, and their relationship with God grows.
Jesus made time to be quiet and alone with his Father. In Mark 1:35-38, we read, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’” In his quiet time of prayer, Jesus refocused.
Many people don’t have much quiet time in their lives. They are always connected to their phones, from morning ‘til night. Even while they eat or watch television, or sit on the patio enjoying the outdoors, they are connected. (I hate to say it, but I am one of those people sometimes!) Some people can’t even have a conversation with a friend or family member without being connected electronically to the rest of the world.
What can we do when we are quiet before God?
One thing we can do is read the Bible. Reading helps focus our minds, and reading the Bible puts the focus on what God says. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” “God-breathed” refers to the Holy Spirit, since the Greek word for “spirit” is the same as “wind” or “breath.”
When we read the Bible, we can expect that the Holy Spirit will speak personally to us. Jesus said in John 16:12-13, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.”
Our quiet time should also be a time of prayer. Prayer is more than asking for whatever pops into our heads; the Spirit guides us in prayer. Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
In our quiet time, or in any of our thoughts, we can listen for the whisper of the Spirit. We need to be careful, of course, because we might confuse the voice of God with the voices in our heads—our own selfish desires, or the voices of our culture. 1 John 4:1 tells us, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” A good test of a thought that pops into our heads is whether it honors God and recognizes the authority of Jesus Christ as Lord.
The Holy Spirit might speak to us in our quiet times, but he also might speak when we are with other believers. Acts 13:2-4 says, “While [the Christians in Antioch] were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit spoke to all of them, giving them confidence.
When Christians gather, the Spirit is present in worship, fellowship, honest conversations, and even business meetings. Paul said in Acts 15:28, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” It was a Spirit-focused business meeting!
Of course, as the church gathers and the Word of God is taught and applied, using the spiritual gift of “prophecy,” the Spirit speaks. The Holy Spirit is with us now, as we reflect on God’s Word together.
Yet a relationship with the Holy Spirit goes beyond spiritual exercises like quiet time, prayer, and worship. The Spirit goes with us always, if we allow him to do so.
We can WALK WITH THE SPIRIT. Galatians 5:25 says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
The disciples walked with Jesus. They made a commitment to be with him, and they listened, they observed, they learned. He went out in his name, stretching themselves to teach and pray for healing. They associated with people they would have avoided otherwise, eating with tax collectors and “sinners.” They followed him to Jerusalem, with Thomas saying, “Let us go and die with him.”
Walking in the Spirit goes beyond “liking Jesus.” Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, might challenge our self-centeredness, rebuke our sins, and change our outlook. Walking in the Spirit might mean doing hard things—things we wouldn’t do on our own. We might find the motivation to confront and overcome a sin we have allowed to continue. We might find the courage to speak the truth to a friend, or share Christ with a coworker. We might change the way we treat our spouse, or reconcile with an enemy. We might take steps to overcome a bad habit or addiction, or simply rearrange our schedules to serve in some way. We might volunteer at church, or find time for a person who has been neglected.
If we truly want to have a relationship with God, we have to go where God is going. We have to walk with the Spirit.
As we close today…What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
Does he have a message of comfort and peace: “Don’t be afraid”?
Is he revealing a sin or shortcoming to you?
Is he giving you an answer to a problem you have been struggling with, with a first step toward a solution?
Is he saying to you, like Jesus did to many, “You are healed, you are released from the power of evil.”?
Is he saying, “We could be so much closer. I could give you so much more.”
What must you do to keep in step with the Holy Spirit?
Obey God’s commands? Take a risk to step out in faith? Schedule time for a closer personal relationship?
Get to church more often?
Forgive someone, do an act of kindness or encourage someone?
Work on your marriage, call your mother more often, be a stronger parent?
If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you now, make a commitment NOW to act on what he is telling you.
