The Holy Spirit

By

Albert Gomez

We live in a day an hour of confusion. The time of apostasy is here. We need all the help that we can get to be prepared to endure these last days and for the coming of the Bridegroom.

We must know that the Holy Spirit is the power for the believer. We must know all about Him. Be filled by Him.

The Holy Spirit did not dwell permanently in O.T. people. Samson's situation with the empowerment of the Spirit indicates the temporal indwelling (Judges 13:25; 16:20). King Saul's ministry begins with the Spirit of God coming upon him (Sam. 10:10), but later in the same Book we read that the Spirit departed him (16:14). Nevertheless, the prophets knew exactly right when the message came by the Spirit (2 Sam. 23:2; Micah 3:8). The Lord Jesus quotes Psalm 110 and mentions something that by the mouth of David the Spirit said, words beyond the King's understanding or wisdom (Matt. 22:43).

The Scriptures testify of the Holy Spirit as the inspirer of the Word of God in many places: 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 22:43; Acts 7:51.

Jesus told the disciple to wait until power from the Holy Spirit comes to help them spread the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:8). At the feast of Pentecost (Shavous, meaning feast of the weeks) recorded in the Book of Acts chapter two, the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit came over Jewish and Gentiles. God's program became after Pentecost for everybody. The Holy Spirit came to enable the believer to walk no according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom.8:13-14; Gal. 5:25)

Paraclete, from the Greek parakletos, "to call alongside for the purpose of helping, to exhort, to console, to encourage" (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary). Jesus said that another helper (paraclete) in John 14:16, even the Spirit of Truth (v. 17), that means one like Him. Jesus explains the work of the Holy Spirit as a continuation of His ministry (John 16:8-11). He said that we are going to receive the words to say by the Holy Spirit when confronted about our faith (Luke 12:11-12). The deity of the Holy Spirit is like God's deity (Acts 5:3-4).

The hour that we received Jesus into our hearts is the hour that the Holy Spirit came to indwell us (Acts 2:38; John 7:38-39). The believer in Jesus as His Lord and Savior must have the Holy Spirit. Some disciples at Ephesus have not the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul noticed, and asked them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" (Acts 19:2 a). The Scripture testifies that the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, otherwise we are not His ( Rom. 8:9). In 1 Corinthians 6:19, we read that our body is the temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. By which we reach out to the Father through the Son that enable us by the Holy Spirit (Gal 4:6; 1 John 4:13).

By faith we died with Christ in water baptism to serve Him by the Spirit (Rom. 6:1-6; Col.2:12). We must remember that there is one baptism, one faith, one Lord, one hope, one Spirit, and one body (Eph. 4:5-6).

The Holy Spirit is sealing the believer once the gospel of salvation is believed (Eph. 1:13). The promises of our God are assured by the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts (2 Cor 1:22). The Holy Spirit is the reason for that certainty of the future redemption of our body (Rom. 8:23). Many times the apostle Paul wrote related with our final redemption, and he used the expression, "that day" (e.g., 1 Thess. 5:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:3; 2 Tim 1:12, 18).

He is also a teacher to us and guide us into all truth (1 John 2:27). He is our helper even in prayer in which He makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:26). He is giving us warnings on the coming days (1 Tim. 4:1)

Personally, I can witness how the Holy Spirit reveals truth to me in the Word of God and in life in general. He helps me to understand the times, attitudes, and situations in my life on this world that otherwise would not be possible. The wisdom from God helps me to help others to know Him. Frequently, gives me the right words for counseling people, especially to comfort other believers. He places the boldness in me for the proclamation of the Gospel. He empowers me to deny the lusts of the flesh. He places in my heart to supply people's needs. He gives me occasionally a word of exhortation, and He gives me also understanding when I pray to our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus.

The first thing I mention in this bible study was being ready for the confusion and apostasy of these last days. The Bible speaks about how we should behave with the Holy Spirit: grieve not – quench not (Eph. 4:30 - 1 Thess. 5:19), but be filled with the Spirit as the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians (5:18).

We have received the Holy Spirit since we believed, and we cannot lose it; this is our faith. Nevertheless, as we walk in this world we get dirty and we need the cleansing of the Word (Eph. 5:26). We have a constant drain of power that we must refill. Many times, we heard the expression, "leaking vessels" and that is true. How can we help to clean out the speck in our brother's eye if we do not get our own right before God first?

God has given to the believer, once saved, certain gifts to use, especially in the body of believers. The gift might be teaching, counseling, evangelism, giving, interceding, and so on. However, the main thing is this: are we getting impute for our gift to flow?

Do we get all that we can for the Spirit of God to fill us? Are we coming to church to get out of the service the powerful Word of God to satisfy our souls? Do we use other sources to be filled, like spiritual music, tapped sermons, bible studies, devotionals?

Lastly, to walk in the spirit is our responsibility, to separate ourselves for the things of God is our call.

Respond and God will bless you.

* All Scripture quotations in this paper are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.