Scripture: John 14:15-21
Title: “The Helper”
Introduction: Have any of you heard it said, “It sure is hard to find good help now days?” (Try “The Helper” – The Holy Spirit, one who walks along side of you)
D.L. Moody said, “You might as well try to hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart.”
I want to preach about the “Holy Spirit” today. I want to Biblically present you with the “Ministry” of the Holy Spirit, not what someone thinks, but what the Bible says.
There are a lot of people who are skeptical concerning the Holy Spirit and I understand why. When I started becoming interested in the Holy Spirit I approached the subject with my guard up, mainly because I had received very little teaching concerning the Holy Spirit.
The story is told of a certain guide who lived in the Arabian Desert who never lost his way. Because he carried with him a homing pigeon with a very fine cord attached to one of its legs. (The “Cord” represents Faith in the pigeon)
When in doubt as to which path to take, he threw the bird into the air. The pigeon quickly strained at the cord to fly in the direction of home, and thus led the guide accurately to his goal.
Because of this unique practice he was known as “the dove man.”
So, too, the Holy Spirit, the heavenly Dove, is willing and able to direct us in the narrow way that leads to the more abundant life if in humble self-denial we submit to His unerring supervision.
I. WHO IS THIS HOLY SPIRIT?
a. Too many times the Holy Spirit has been REFERRED to as an “It” rather than a “Person” that He really is.
b. The very “First” glimpse of the Holy Spirit is right in the “Beginning” of the Bible. – “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. 1:2)
c. Again “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: . . ”
d. The Holy Spirit is a “Person.” not just a “Feeling” or “Goose Bumps.”
e. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “He.” – “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:”
f. The Holy Spirit is a “Third” part of the “God-head, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS MINISTRY.
a. During the OT times, the Holy Spirit was particularly related to service rather than salvation. – Only a “FEW” had the anointing (enabling) presence of God’s Spirit upon their lives.
b. But in the NT the Holy Spirit takes the “Place of Jesus’” physical presence. – Have you ever wished Jesus were here in “Person?” (He is! – By the Holy Spirit)
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another (Just like Me – Jesus) Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” (John 14:16)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26)
c. “And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” (John 16:8)
“The world’s sin is unbelief in me.” (John 16:9)
d. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13)
He will disclose to you what is to come.
These things include the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection (which the disciples did not fully understand) as well as things yet in the future concerning His resurrection, the Christian life, and His return.
e. “He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.” (John 16:14)
f. The Holy Spirit gives us the “Assurance” that we are saved. – “For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:16)
III. WHY SO MUCH OPPOSITION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT?
a. To answer this question we need to state the reason for Jesus coming into this world in the first place. – “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) – Getting people “Saved” is why Jesus came into this world!
b. Every truly born again Christian owes his experience to the “Witness” of some other Spirit-Led Christian.
c. The natural result of being filled with the Spirit is “Witnessing!”
d. There’s no such thing as a “Spirit-filled” Christian who never witnesses, for the Spirit’s ministry is to testify about Christ. – “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26)
e. The devil knows when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill (control) us then we will become “Effective” in winning people to Jesus Christ. (Satan hates this!)
f. The Holy Spirit NEVER tells anything but the “TRUTH!”
g. The Word of God is “Inspired” so that when a Christian ministers the Word it will be “MORE” effective. – “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Tim. 3:16)
h. When the Holy Spirit comes into a person’s life He brings “Power” to be like Jesus. – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:” (Acts 1:8)
i. Discerning Satan and his workers is a very special “Gift” of the Holy Spirit. – This is one of the reasons Satan fights so hard against the Holy Spirit.
IV. THE DORMANCY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
a. The Holy Spirit is “Here” because Jesus said, “But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)
b. Many Christians have retreated from the task of confronting the world because of “Opposition.” – Or it could be a “Lack of Understanding” concerning the Holy Spirit.
c. The Spiritual Power of the Holy Spirit in your life is “Directly Dependent” upon the amount of “Time” spent with Christ. – Jesus told the disciples, “Ye…shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:27)
d. Only when we spend time exposing our hearts to the Lord through PRAYER & STUDY of His Word on a REGULAR basis will we bring the Holy Spirit into ACTIVITY in our life.
e. James 4:5 says, “What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful?” – He, the Holy Spirit is “Waiting” for us to ask Him to Help us.
CONCLUSION: Well meaning people have referred to the Holy Spirit’s filling as the second – blessing, but every one of us need His abiding presence every moment of our life.
D L Moody was once asked why he urged Christians to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit. "Well," he said, "I need a continual infilling because I leak!" He pointed to a water tank which had sprung a leak. "I’m like that!" he said. It’s a fact that living in this sinful world we do need to be replenished by the Holy Spirit.
If a man is filled with anger, then anger controls his life.
If a man is filled with greed, then greed dominates his life.
If a man is filled with lust, then lust governs his life.
If a man is filled with love, then love influences all he does.
And if a man is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is controlled by the Spirit – but it has to be, "control by consent."
