What does the Holy Spirit Do in My Life?
John 14:12-17
There can be little doubt that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit has been the seedbed for an enormous amount of misunderstanding during the last 35 years, and it’s a subject every Christian needs to understand.
Clearing away some of the current confusion is our goal as we look at our Lord’s promise of the Holy Spirit in John 14. His words provide answers to such questions as Who is the Holy Spirit? Is the Spirit a person or a power? Why did the Spirit come? What difference does all of this make to me?
As we turn to Jesus’ words for answers, it’s my desire that we will not only understand the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit but that we will embrace His Presence in our lives.
How Do I Receive the Holy Spirit? “ He that believeth on me” John 14:12
I. The Resident Within – Jn. 14:17 “He dwells with you and will be in you”
The Spirit of the Living God takes up residence in the lives of believers. There are 2 Great Realities:
a) The Indwelling of the Spirit – In the O.T. the Spirit fell upon Isaiah 59:20. In the N.T. the Spirit Dwells in John 14:17, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Cor. 3:16. When you give your life to Christ, the Spirit takes up permanent residence, but He can be grieved. The indwelling is for all believers, it does not indicate the direction in life but the position in life. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
b) The Filling of the Spirit – This is different from the indwelling but it flows from it. The Holy Spirit is maintained moment by moment. Being filled is a repeated experience. Specific times and assignments (Acts 4:8) You must be yielded. Walk in the Spirit so you do not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
1. Controls and Influence: Ephesians 5:18
2. Gives you a new language: Acts 2:4
3. Gives you righteous boldness: Acts 4:8,31
4. The vessel is not as important as the contents of the vessel. Romans 6:13
II. The Point of His Presence – We are The Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
a) Presence should result in holiness
b) not just for empowering, but motivation
c) Surrender & Control (the danger of grieving the Holy Spirit Eph 4:30)
d) The work he performs we cannot do in our own selves: John 14, Matthew 5:13-48
III. The Power of His Presence – Acts 1:8 Power (Greek term: dunamis) inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. There are at least 3 ways He expresses His Power:
a) Power for life – to be different from the world Romans 15:13, 2 Cor. 4:1-18
b) Power for Outreach – (1 Thess. 1:5, Acts 2:17-21, ) Not by cleverness or ability to craft words
c) Power for Ministry in the Church – Not achieved by human brilliance or skill Acts 2:38-47, 1 Cor 14:26, Eph 4:12, 1 Thess 5:11
IV. The Power of Greater Works – John 14:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18
a) Spiritual Growth – (Galatians 3:1-5)
1. Submissive to His control over our lives (1 Peter 5:6)
2. Produce His Image (Galatians 5:13-25)
3. Produce His Attitude (Matthew 5:3-12)
b) Spiritual Gifts – Gifts are tools, not toys 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Romans 12:3, Eph 4:7-16
1. Minister to the body – (1 Peter 4:10-11)
2. Extraordinary- (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
3. Build the Body – (Romans 12:4-8, Eph 4:11-15)
c) Spiritual Worship
1. Spirit gives true worship (John 4:24, 1 Corinthians 12, 14)
2. Glorify by bearing fruit (John 15:8)
3. Shows you the need for Spiritual Maturity (Hebrews 5:1-14)
V). Living in the Spirit– Those in Christ must submit Hebrews 12:1-15
a) What kind of Temple are you providing for His dwelling place?
b) His Cross Provides Forgiveness, His Spirit offers His Presence
c) How can I be filled? Being filled involves 4 essentials:
1. Christ-Centered – Christ is our focus (2 Cor 5:10, Phil 2:5-11, Phil 3:10-14)
2. Be in the Word – Seek God’s will for your life (Matthew 6:33-34) (Lk 4:1-2)(Colossians 3:16)
3. Be Submissive – Under the Influence or control (Colossians3:15 – 4:10)
4. Be Confident – You can know with absolute certainty that by doing your part, God is doing His part
d) How Can I tell when I’m Spirit-Filled?
Some people say that the way you can know you are filled with the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongues or to just “feel it”. Some even dare to say that anybody who doesn’t speak in tongues is not Spirit-filled. When Paul described the results of being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, he didn’t mention tongues-speaking or a feeling. But he did mention there is substance “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph.. 5:19-21; Col 3:16). He also listed nine fruit of the Spirit as evidence in Galatians 5:22-23
According to Ephesians 5:19-21, a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit will know it because of four evidences in his life: joyful fellowship, heartfelt praise, abounding gratitude, and reverent submission. Let’s look briefly at each of these.
1. Joyful Fellowship. The first evidence of being Spirit-filled is joyful fellowship with other Christians. It is described as “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”(19). Singing with God’s people had its roots in Hebrew worship. Psalms 29, 33, 37, 40, 95, 96, and 100 are just a few of the songs in which the Israelites encouraged one another to join together in praise, gratitude, and obedience.
2. Heartfelt Praise. The second result of being filled with the Holy Spirit is heartfelt praise to God: “Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”(v.19)The term “in your heart” means singing from a sincere heart, as expressed in Colossians 3:16, “Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
3. Abounding Gratitude. The third evidence of being Spirit-filled is abounding gratitude: “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”(20). In his letters, Paul repeatedly gave thanks to God, and he encouraged his readers to follow his example (Phil. 1:3; 4:6; Col 1:3,12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; 4:2; 1Thess 1:2; 2:13; 5:18; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:1; 4:3-4). He told us to give thanks to God in everything and for everything.
4. Reverent Submission. The fourth way we can know we are filled with the Holy Spirit is reverent submission: “Submitting to another in the fear of God”(21) A Spirit-filled person is humble, gentle, and meek. He is not proud, aggressive, or self-assertive. His reverence for Christ is the source of his humility. As a servant of Christ, he possesses a servant’s spirit. Therefore, he does not find it difficult to submit to his fellow believers.
In his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul pointed out that the life of a Spirit-filled person will be marked by nine moral qualities that he called “the fruit of the Spirit.” When they are present, it is further evidence that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Let’s look at each one of these spiritual qualities.
1. Love: an attitude that moves us to put God and others ahead of ourselves. A spirit that impels us to give, serve, and to forgive.
2. Joy: a spirit of gladness rooted in our faith, expressed through song and accompanied by an optimistic spirit.
3. Peace: inner serenity derived from God and based on the reality of our peace with God through Christ’s sacrifice.
4. Longsuffering: patience in the midst of difficult circumstances and in our relationships with difficult people.
5. Kindness: practicing the golden rule of treating others as we expect them to treat us.
6. Goodness: open, honest, pure, and generous behavior.
7. Faithfulness: we can be trusted and depended on in all our relationships.
8. Gentleness: a tenderness of spirit that enables us to discipline others properly, endure persecution graciously, and to witness to others sensitively.
9. Self-Control: the quality that gives us control over our desires, especially those that relate to the body.
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ. The Spirit’s primary mission is to carry out Christ’s orders (Jn 16:12-15). We don’t need dramatic “signs & wonders” to mature in Christ.
We must carefully examine our faith, evaluate what we are being told, and test all things by what God has said in His sure and trustworthy Word. Paul said, “I am afraid that your minds may somehow be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.. 2 Cor. 11:3
Let us strive to let the Spirit Control our lives. Romans 8:4-9