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The word Holy means set apart, Consecrated, Devoted to God. The word
Spirit means wind or breath.
The Holy Spirit existed from eternity. In the old covenant,
the Holy Spirit functioned in various ways, such as, in the
creation, empowering for miracles, healings and for the prophetic
gift which foretold of the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit
also led the Israelites through the Wilderness.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the believers.
The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God's Promise. (Luke24:49)
Wait for the promise of the Father.(Acts1:4).
In the Upper Room were the 120 individual believers who were of one
accord. Acts 2 recounts this out pouring 50 days after
Christ's death. The Lord by His Spirit fused them together.
And the church, Christ's bride, was born.
Jesus was cut off from the land of the living to give God an
offering for souls (Isaiah 53:8, 11,12). On the third day
Jesus rose from the dead fulfilling the first fruits offering
(1 Corinthians 15:20). |The Holy Spirit is a gift from
God and must be received. The Holy Spirit is promised to any man
(Jew and Gentile), who thirst for God. (John 7:37-30)
(Act11:17-18)
We are Born again by the Word of God. Peter says,
that we are born "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible
seed by the Word of God, which livith and abideth for ever."
(Peter 1:23). In the New Testament, we have a better
covenant established on better promises. Under the covenant in
the old Testament, God was for Israel and with Israel, but he was
not in them. God is with us and for us, but we also have
something better - God is in us. God is actually making his
home in our bodies.
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Holy Spirit
(The Bible speaks of the trinity as the God Head),
The third person of the God Head
who exercises the power of the Father and Son in creation and
redemption. Because the Holy Spirit is the power by which the
believers come to Christ and see with new eyes of faith, He is
closer to us than we are to ourselves. Like the eyes of the body
through whom all else is seen in a new light . this explains why
the relationship of the father and the son is more prominent in
the gospels, because it is through the eyes of the Holy Spirit
that the Father - Son relationship is viewed.
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The Holy Spirit
appears in the Gospel of John as the power by which Christians
are brought to faith and help to understand their walk with God.
He brings a person to new birth: "That which is born of the
flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit" John 3:6. It is the Spirit who gives Life John
6:63. The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, or Helper, whom
Jesus promised to the disciples after His ascension. The Triune
family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are unified in ministering
to believers John : 14:16,26. It is through the helper
that Father and Son abide with the disciples John 15:26.
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This unified ministry of the God Head is also seen as the Spirit
brings the world under conviction of sin, righteousness, and
judgment. He guides believers into all truth with what he hears
from the Father and the Son John 15:26. It is a remarkable fact
that each of the person of the God Head family serves the others
as all defer to one another: The Son says what He hears from the
Father John 12:49-50 the Father Witnesses to and glorifies the
Son
John 8:16-18,50.54. the Father and Son honor the Holy Spirit by
commissioning Him to Speak in their name John 14:16,26 the Holy
Spirit honors the Father and the Son by helping the community of
believers.
This quality of generosity is prominent in the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where the Holy Spirit prepares the way
for the births of John the Baptist and Jesus the Son Math. 1:20
Luke 1:15,35,41. At the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit of God is
present in the form of a dove. This completes the presence of
the triune family at the inauguration of the Son's ministry All
Three are before John the Baptist, God the father in his Audible
voice saying:
(This is my beloved Son Whom I Am well Pleased) Jesus the Son,
Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove. Matt.3:16-17. Mark 1 : 9-11.
Luke 3: 21-22. John 1: 33. Jesus is also filled with the
Holy Spirit as He is led into the wilderness to be tempted Luke
4:1. He claims to be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord in
fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy Is. 61:1,
Luke 4 : 18-18. during His ministry, Jesus refers to the Spirit
of God Matt. 12 : 28-29 Luke 11:20 as the power by which He is
casting out demons, thereby invading the stronghold of Beelzebub
and freeing those held captive. Accordingly, the spirit works
with the Father and the Son realizing the redeeming power of the
Kingdom of God. God's Kingdom is not only the reign of the Son
but also the reign of the Holy Spirit, as all share in the reign
of the Father.
The person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels is
confirmed by His works in the early church. The baptism with the
holy Spirit's Acts 1:5 is the pouring out of the Spirit's power
in missions and evangelism Act1:8. This prophecy of Jesus
( and of Joel 2: 28-32 ) begins on Pentecost
Act 2: 1-18. Many of those who hear of the finished work of God
in Jesus' death and resurrection
Act 2: 32-38 repent of their sins. In this act of repentance,
they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Act 2:38.
Becoming witnesses of God's grace through the Holy Spirit.
According to Paul, it is by the Holy Spirit that one confesses
that Jesus is Lord Cor.12:3. Through the same Spirit varieties
of gifts are given to the body of Christ to ensure its richness
and unity.
1Cor. 12:4-27. The Holy Spirit is the way to Jesus Christ the
Son ROM. 8-11 and to the Father.
ROM. 8:14-15.
He is the person who bears witness to us that we are children of
God ROM 8 16-17.
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The Holy Spirit
acts wtih God and Christ as the pledge or guarantee by which
believers are sealed for the day of Salvation 2Cor.1:21-22 and
by which they walk and live Rom. 8:3-6 and abound in hope with
power Rom. 15:13 Against the lust and enmity
of the flesh. Paul contrast the fruits of the Spirit:
Love, Joy, peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, goodness,
faithfullness, gentleness, self-control Gal:5:22-23
Since the Holy Spirit is the expressed power of the God Head
family, it is imperative that one not grieve the Spirit, since
no futher appeal to the Father and the Son on the day of
redemtion is available Eph. 4:30
Jesus made this clear in His dispute with the religious
authorities, who attributed His ministry
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to satan rather
than the Spirit and committed the unforgiveable sin Matt. 12
22:32 John 8:37-59
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The Spirit
ministry is evident in the profound teaching of Hebrews 9:14
which shows the relationship of God.
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The Bible Way to receive the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a Gift from God, and must be received.
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