INTRODUCTION
What difference do you think it would make if the Holy Spirit were withdrawn from your life and your church?
Well, considering that the Holy Spirit carries out the work of God the Father – I guess we could safely assume that it would make an enormous difference. But in what way?
1) He comforts
It’s been said that we can go to sleep at night in perfect peace, when we are confident that God is awake!
There are many reasons why we might be anxious – family issues, stress from work, or world events. But one of the principle roles that the Holy Spirit plays in our world of worry is that of comforter.
It’s not that having the Holy Spirit alive within us makes life easy – but He can bring satisfaction no matter what our circumstances.
a. He is present (Acts 2:2)
First the Holy Spirit comforts us because he is present.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting (Acts 2:2)
b. He encourages me (Acts 9:31)
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened, and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31).
Certainly one of the reasons the church “grew in numbers” was because it was a place of encouragement. Put downs, bad mouthing and criticism were rare. The Holy Spirit comforts as he encourages people through his people.
c. He helps you stay connected to God (Romans 8:26)
… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26).
When I just don’t know how to approach God – His Spirit helps me.
d. He assures me of who really I am (Romans 8:16)
The Spirit comforts us when we feel lonely and isolated.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).
When no one else wants to know us, we can be confident that God does.
This is what the Holy Spirit does this for us – assuring us that if we believe, then we are God’s children and nothing can change that. God is for us no matter what!
So the Holy Spirit is our comforter. And in a church that is expecting God to achieve marvelous and wonderful things in people’s lives, the Holy Spirit aims to do just that.
This means that we no longer have to experience loneliness or isolation, we are cherished, loved and wanted. We are no longer helpless – He is our helper. We no longer have to live with doubt and uncertainty – the Holy Spirit brings confidence as he comforts.
2) He guides (John 16:13; Acts 16:7)
I have a remote controlled car at home that can only go in two directions - backwards and forwards.
Sometimes life is like this. Sometimes we are powerless to change our circumstances. But the Holy Spirit enables us to change the direction of our lives. With God’s help we can break out of the rut that drifting has worn in our lives because the Holy Spirit also guides us.
a. He guides me by speaking clearly and at anytime (1 Cor 3:16)
The bible tells us that God’s Spirit lives in those who follow Jesus (1 Cor 3:16). And because he is always present in the Believer he has an “access all areas” pass which enables him to speak to us at anytime.
b. The Holy Spirit helps me understand the ways of God.
Again the scriptures say,
… "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us
(1 Cor 2:9-12).
For us this means that when we lose our way or when life leaves us perplexed the Holy Spirit is willing to guide. He shows me the way to the life God intended just for me right from the start. Rather than being confused, the Holy Spirit enlightens us to His way.
3) He makes our faith a real experience (Acts 2:3 Cf John 14:15-21; 15:26; 16:7 and 14).
No longer does the Holy Spirit make casual appearances in history – Since this occasion that we read about in Acts 2 (Pentecost), He indwells each and every Believer making their experience of God very real in a very virtual world.
In a world in which almost everything can be imitated, the Holy Spirit makes God real to us.
We are living in a world where imitations are common - A place where people will willingly settle for an imitation. We use words like “Synthetic” to describe unnatural objects. And terms like “Artificial intelligence” to describe our computerized world. “Reality TV” is an attempt to make the ridiculous look real – but we’re not fooled are we?
Movies like “The Matrix” challenge our concept of what true reality is. And many people are searching for that true reality but settle for second best.
Some people are like the boy who had never seen a circus. When he heard that the circus was coming to town he raced home to ask his parents for some money to buy a ticket. He took his $5 and rushed back to town just in time to see the circus parade start. He watched as each act made its way down the main street, the elephants the lions, the acrobats. He heard the cheerful music and saw all the colorful performers.
As the clown passed by, the little boy reached into his pocket and took out the $5. Handing the money to the clown, the boy turned around and went home. What had happened? The boy thought he had seen the circus when in fact he had only seen the parade!
He had missed the real thing all together. Some people are willing to live every day of their lives like this. Missing all that God has for them. The Christian life is a marvelous adventure, an exciting journey. But many people - including Christians - seem to be content living in fantasy-land.
But in a world where we can simulate almost every kind of experience, the Holy Spirit brings a refreshing reality to our experience of life and God. (He is the opposite to everything that’s phony).
In Acts 2:3 we’re told the Holy Spirit appeared as a flame, that separated and came to rest on each of the disciples. This was to show that the Spirit is given to every Believer – not just a select few. And as the Spirit indwells the Believer, he makes our experience of God real.
a. He helps me to know Jesus (John 14:15-21)
First he helps us not just know about Jesus, but to truly know him on a personal level. (Read John 14:15-21)
Jesus promises that he will live in us – that by His Spirit we will know him and he will show himself to us. The reason Jesus seems unreal to some people is because they may not have his Spirit.
b. He teaches me spiritual truth (John 14:26)
But with the Spirit alive within us we can have incredible insight into spiritual reality.
Jesus said …
… the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26).
He promises to make our experience of Jesus very real. So real in fact that we will know pure truth.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. …. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you
(John 16:13-14).
The Holy Spirit takes away my confusion and doubt and reveals truth and reality to me. He makes my relationship to God very, very real.
4) He provides power to live the life my Creator intended (Acts 2:4; 1 Cor 12 and 14; 1 Thess 5:19).
a.He gives me power beyond myself for service (Acts 2:4; 6:3)
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them
(Acts 2:4)
These were languages previously unknown to the disciples. They had not learned to speak them. They were divinely enabled to speak in other languages – given power beyond themselves to serve the Lord in a unique situation.
The Spirit did this for a number of reasons – he wanted the people at the festival to understand the gospel, so he spoke in their own languages. But also, he wanted everyone to know that this was God. It was something that the disciples could not have done in their own strength. This was a ministry to the people that was possible because the Spirit’s power was met by the disciples obedience – it was the unmistakable power of God.
The Spirit gives obedient Believers power so that others may know that God is real.
b. He gives me spiritual gifts to be used to build others up (1 Cor 12 and 14; 1 Thessalonians 5:19)
For the disciples on this occasion God’s power was displayed in their ability to speak other languages that were previously unknown. But God’s power may be displayed in us through any number of gifts.
1 Corinthians 12 says, There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit (v4) … and that … to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (v7).
If we are not seeing or experiencing the unmistakable power of God it may be because we’re not using or nurturing our Spiritual gifts. Maybe we don’t even know what our gifts are.
Far from being a powerful life, the bible describes this situation as sinful disobedience. The bible plainly says …
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire (1 Thess 5:19)
“Quenching the Spirit” is disobedience. For us not to take up our God given gift and use and nurture it is “putting out the Spirit’s fire” – and this is sinful. Far from empowering us, it leaves us as spiritual cripples. When we don’t see God’s unmistakable power at work we start to doubt him – let alone those who don’t know him yet.
The power of the Spirit is like a CD. I can’t see the music that’s recorded on a CD. But I can know that a CD has music on it because I can read the label and it will tell me. I can know I have the Spirit alive in me as a Believer because I can read the Bible and it tells me. I can also know a CD has music on it if I play it and hear the music. Likewise I can know I have the Spirit alive in me if I am obedient to Him and use the gifts he has given me – only then will I see the results of his power in my life.
So the Holy Spirit gives me power to live life the way my Creator intended. This is gives us a great source of confidence in ministry – it’s not about you and your ability! It’s about God and the abilities he has given you and is willing to enable you to use.
If we want God’s power we must start using and nurturing our spiritual gifts.
CONCLUSION
So what would happen if the Holy Spirit withdrew from our church and our lives? Instead of comfort we would have trouble. Instead of firm guidance we would have confusion. Instead of reality we would only have lies and fantasies. And powerlessness would replace true power.
In a church that is expecting God to achieve marvelous and wonderful things in people lives the Holy Spirit will comfort and guide God’s people – he will make God real (revealing his truth), and he will provide the power needed to live the life our Creator intended for us right from the start. This is what we are inviting people to – that they may have a real and powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit of the living God.
www.australindbaptistchurch.com
