The Works Of The Holy Spirit In Our Lives

Acts 2:1-4, 14-21

The Works of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost was an act of God. No one dictated it or commanded it, God Himself did.

• No disciple asked for it, and no one understood the significance of it until it happened.

• Jesus said the Father will send the Holy Spirit after he departs. That promise came true at Pentecost.

God knows its significance. Without the Holy Spirit, no one will be saved.

• Without the Holy Spirit, no one will be strong enough to tell the world about Jesus and finish the work.

• These believers must be transformed - from mere believers of Jesus to passionate witnesses of His love and grace.

• It did not happen because they went through a course or a seminar. It did not happen because of anything inherent in them.

• It was an act of God. He infused into them the passion and the power to witness to a lost and dying world.

God did that because there was no other way. We need the Holy Spirit today.

Reflect with me today the works of the Spirit in our lives – regeneration, renewal, revival.

We need Him firstly because (1) He is the Power for REGENERATION

• We are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• 1 John 3:24 says “This is how we know that He [Christ] lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.” This new life in Christ comes through the Holy Spirit.

• He is the one who convicts; He is the one who enlightens us to the need for Christ; He is the one who prompts us of the words of Christ.

• We are able to know Christ and worship Him because of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says, “He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears… 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” (John 16:13-15)

It is good to remind ourselves that this life revolves around Christ; it is founded on a relationship and not some rules, rituals or routines.

• The Christian life is not about keeping rules but knowing Christ.

• This is fundamental and we need to remind ourselves of that. It is all about Christ.

• The Holy Spirit does not point us to a set of doctrines or guidelines for life. He points us to Jesus Christ.

People say church people are nice people. They are kind and loving, helpful and caring. In church, everyone dresses up and behaves their best on Sundays.

• But this is not what the Christian life is about – being good, moral people gathering together every Sunday for a time of singing and fellowship.

• It is about Christ and my relationship with Him. Paul says, “For I resolved to know nothing [while I was with you] except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2)

Being a Christian is more than just doing the righteous things or believing the right doctrines, it is in knowing the right person.

• As long as we think that Christianity is something that WE do, we are missing the point.

• Pentecost reminds us that it is not about what we do, but what God does in us. The Holy Spirit convicts us; He rekindles the fire within our hearts; He causes us to fall in love with Jesus over and over again.

Until I commit myself to knowing Christ on a daily basis and living faithfully for Him, I cannot experience the true joy of being a Christian because the Christian life has nothing to do with any other thing except a personal and vibrant relationship with Him.

• The Lord says, abide in Me and you shall bear fruit. (cf. John 15)

• Until I live by this constant fellowship with Christ on a daily basis, I am just going through the motions of religion without the experience of a new life.

• Unless and until we are committed to knowing and loving Him, seriously, on a daily basis, we are distant followers who look and act like Christians but without the power.

• There is little passion or power within, but just the appearance of it. There is little faith within, just the act of confidence.

Make time for Jesus. This relationship is foundational to everything else.

• James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

• APPLICATION: Pray 5min every day.

• Paul said, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection” (Phil 3:10).