The Holy Spirit is God’s Administrator of divine things.
We must deal with Him or we lack communication with heaven.
We either yield to His promptings or sink in the mire of self-will.
We receive of His strength, as we remain impotent.
We must recognize and obey Him or we will remain spiritually blind, unenlightened in mind and soul, with hearts incapable of deep spiritual response.
We owe more to the Holy Spirit than we can appreciate.
He is not only the Administrator of God’s economy, He is also the Author of divine Revelation.
The Bible is His production, but He employed human instrumentality. 2 Peter 1:21.
He makes it life to the seeking soul. 1 Peter 1:23.
He incorporated a power within its message to help believers stand against the militating forces of evil.
The Holy Spirit is the Lord of the Harvest.
He controls the workers on the field.
He empowers – directs – and prospers.
Our lack of knowledge of Him accounts for spiritual declension and darkness, weakness and lethargy.
The Holy Spirit has power to regenerate, providing a new nature.
He has power to sanctify, producing a new character.
He has power to energize, promoting a new fruitfulness.
He has power to illuminate, presenting a new vision.
Much of the ineptness, defeat, complacency and sorrow among believers is due to our lack of knowledge and communion with the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost – See Acts 2
Note the brevity of the reports of some of the greatest miracles.
The physical creation – a short paragraph
The incarnation – now the birth of Jesus was in this wise
The descent of the Spirit – A few verses in Acts 2
Sound – suddenness – supernatural signs.
The age of the Spirit had opened.
Bethlehem witnessed the humbling of Jesus Christ.
Jerusalem witnessed the humiliation of Jesus Christ.
The manger was inglorious – the cross ignominious.
The advent of the Spirit was all-glorious.
It swept men along in its irresistible force.
Human faculties were energized in a miraculous manner.
The wood of the manger may have mocked the Son of God made flesh – but the timbers of the house trembled when the Spirit was revealed.
The coming of the Spirit was more dynamic than climatic.
“You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you.”
They would have power – enlightenment – guidance – triumph – because of the Spirit in them.
“They were with one accord in one place.”
Those who were gathered in the upper room were of one mind and one heart = one accord.
This implies more than freedom from disputation.
They were in harmony with each other, they were also in accord with the commission they had received from the Lord.
“You shall be witnesses for Me”
They were ready to witness when they were endowed with the power of the Spirit.
This is where most of the Church fails today – we care not of one accord relative to witnessing.
We may agree on the major points of doctrine but we do not adhere to the great commission.
Our Lord wants witnesses – witnesses need power – this comes from the Holy Spirit.
We are apt to sit snugly around the Lord ’s Table and forget that the same Lord who said “This do” also said “Go ye.”
“In one place”
There is only one place for the true servant of God – the place of His appointment.
It would stagger the imagination to think of the outcome if every believer were to occupy the place of the Lord’s assignment.
The impact on a dying world would be startling.
Satan’s forces would be put to flight.
The present position is this. Believers generally speaking are powerless – careless – listless – complacent.
Oh that we might avail ourselves of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Oh that we all could be of “one accord” and in “one place”.
The Holy Spirit’s work
“He shall glorify Me.” John 16:14
The Holy Spirit and the Son of God were not strangers to each other.
They were eternally one in the God head.
Note the prominence of the Spirit’s power in the ministry of the Lord Jesus.
The birth of the Savior – Matt 1:18
“ … she was found of child by the Holy Spirit.”
How an ocean of deity could flow into an eddy of humanity and still be God, is according to Paul, “without controversy a great mystery.”
At the birth of Christ
The Branch was put in a manger – Isa 11:1
The Living Word on dead tree – John 1:1
A man in the glory – 1 Tim 2:5
A lamb on the throne – Rev 7:17
It put wounds in the King eternal – Zech 13:6
All this is attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was directed by the Spirit.
“Then was Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” Matt 4:1
When the Spirit led the Savior into the wilderness it was not for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not He could stand the test, but rather to prove that He could not fail the test.
The first Adam was tested in the garden for obedience.
The last Adam was tested in the wilderness for righteousness.
To be led by someone denotes a surrender of one’s will.
This was true of our Lord. See John 6:38
“I came … not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.”
In surrendering His will the Holy Spirit led Him.
The Spirit led Jesus 40 days and nights in the wilderness.
The result – decisive victory – the devil leaves Him. Matt 4:1
When the Spirit is leading in anyone’s life – there is victory and Satan cannot have control – he must leave.
2 Corinth 2:16 ‘Thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ.”
1. Jesus was identified by the Spirit – Matt 3:16
2. Jesus was anointed of the Spirit – Luke 4:18
a. the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me
b. He has anointed Me
c. He has sent Me
3. Jesus was empowered of the Spirit – Luke 4:14
4. Jesus was glorified by the Spirit – John 16:14
The Spirit indwells the believer
1 Corinth 6:19 “What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you?”
Second only to the matchless miracle of the incarnation of Christ is the descent of the Spirit to dwell in the body of the believers.
Through the incarnation of Christ, God provides the unspeakable gift of eternal life.
Through the indwelling Spirit God provides superabundant power and infinite supplies of sustaining grace.
To reject the Savior ends in catastrophic hopelessness.
To disregard the Spirit results in colossal failure.
What is the practical importance of the Spirit indwelling the believer:
1. He guides into all truth
2. He makes intercession for us
3. He witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God
4. He exalts Christ through the believer
5. He establishes a fellowship with Himself