The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

I. He is God

a. He is called God

Acts 5:3-4 (NIV) 3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

b. He was involved in creation

Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

c. He was involved in Jesus’ birth

Luke 1:35 (NIV) The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

II. Before Pentecost

Came upon particular people to empower them for special service

Numbers 11:29 (NIV) But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"

a. Empowered for leadership (examples)

i. Joshua Num 27:18-19

Numbers 27:18-19 (NIV) 18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.

ii. David 1 Sam 16:13

1 Samuel 16:13 (NIV) So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

b. Empowered for building the Tabernacle – Ex 31:3-13

Exodus 31:3-5 (NIV) 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

c. Empowered for prophecy (examples)

i. The elders of Israel Num 11:25

Numbers 11:25 (NIV) Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again.

ii. Isaiah 59:21

Isaiah 59:21 (NIV) "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.

Ranchers in West Texas make it their practice to round up all their

year-old calves each spring for branding. The calf is held down, the

branding iron is heated red hot, and the brand is placed on its

flank. The brand is the rancher’s mark of ownership. No one can

dispute that the calf belongs to him.

In the same way God has placed his mark of ownership on us by the

sealing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s mark of

ownership, authority, and security over us. No one can remove us from

his ownership until the day of redemption.

I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, the glove can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. The Christian is a glove. It is the Holy Spirit in us, the hand, who does the work. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger in the glove is filled.

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III. After Pentecost

a. Involved in our salvation

i. Convicts of sin, righteous and judgment Jn 16:7-11

John 16:7-11 (NIV) 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.