Intro to Holy Spirit

Topical Discussion Group — “Holy Spirit Pt. #1/2 ”

Stoughton Apostolic Church

Holy Spirit:

Is a “He” (person) and not an “It” This will frame our whole discussion.

John 16:13-15 (KJV)

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Father

I - Jesus speaking

He - Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit, as a person, has a mind, will, and emotions of his own.

Mind of the Spirit

Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) — “…And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Will of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:11 (KJV) — but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Emotions of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) — And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Hebrew concept of the power of God was that it was manifestation of His Person. When you encountered God’s power or glory or presence, you were not encountering an atmosphere, a feeling, a goosebump chill, a force, or power source like an electrical current. You were encountering God’s person in his different and manifold expressions.

Isaiah 11:1-2 (KJV)

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2  and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

Revelation 1:4 (KJV)

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

These are not seven distinct Holy Spirits, but the complete revelation of the Spirit in his fullness, manifesting in these different ways.

Holy Spirit and People in the Old Testament

Joseph was described as having the Spirit of God in Him (Gen. 41:38), and the workers on the temple were also filled unto skill in craftsmanship (Ex. 35:31). He was in Joshua (Num. 27:18). This was the case for special people at special times, for special works.

He came upon many others, like Saul who the Spirit came upon and caused him to prophesy, but then left (1 Sam. 10:10-13). He gave some certain special experiences (Ez. 3:12, 11:24), moved people and gave them strength and power (Judges 13:25, 14:6).

A good case can be made that the work of the Spirit was for special people at special times to do special things. Significantly though in the Old testament, the Holy Spirit was promised in a future new covenant to all believers.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (AKJV) — 6 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Joel 2:28 (AKJV) — And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

A two-fold OT promise of the Spirit for both living and witnessing: power for life and power for purpose.

Holy Spirit & Jesus

Not needing to be born again and regenerated, Jesus was conceived by the Spirit both supernaturally impregnating Mary, but also joining divinity to humanity. Jesus lived his whole life with the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 1:18, 20 & Luke 1:35)

When Jesus was baptized he came out of the water and the Spirit descended upon him and remained ( Luke 3:21-22, Matt. 4:16, Mark 1:10, John 1:32). This is the fulfillment of many OT promises that God’s coming Messiah, Branch, Servant would have the Holy Spirit and minister in His power (Is. 11:1-2, 42:1, 61:1).

Jesus’ was described as having the Spirit without measure (John 3:34), and that the ministry he performed he did so because he was anointed with the Spirit and power (Acts 10:38).

Jesus promised this same Spirit to all of us who would believe.

John 7:38-39 (AKJV) —  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

John 14:16-17 (AKJV) — And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus likewise promised power for service, but unlike the anointing of the Old Testament, this endowment of power was not just for special people at special times for special works. Now through Jesus all have access to an endowment of power for their life witness to Jesus. Everyone gets both (1.) the abiding inner presence and work of the Spirit within and (2.) divine power for service as all are now called to ministry.

The Holy Spirit and Believers

When one comes to Jesus in genuine repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit is given. He comes into the very being of that person and makes them a new creation in fact, not doctrine. They are born again of the water and Spirit.

John 3:5-6 (AKJV) — Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Titus 3:5-6 (AKJV) — not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

1 Corinthians 6:17 ( AKJV) — But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

What does he do for and in all believers?

He imparts life of Christ to us (John 6:63)

Makes us know love of God in our hearts (Rom. 5:5)

Teaches us and reminds us of what God has said to us (John 14:26, 1 John 2:27)

Show us things to come, and brings Jesus voice to us (John 16:13)

Produce God’s nature in us ( Gal. 5:22-23, Ez. 36:26-27, Rom. 8:1, 4)

Reveals God to us and shows us the things that God has made available to us in Christ ( 1 Cor. 2:9-16)

Testifies in our hearts that we are saved and God’s children ( Rom. 8:16, Eph. 1:13-14)

Enables acceptable worship to God (John 4:24)

Helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27)

He testifies to Jesus: John 15:26-27

The above list is not exhaustive, but are some things the Holy Spirit will do in the life of a born again believer. His presence and activity in ones life will be evidenced by fruit.

Romans 8:9-10 (AKJV) — 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

What would he do through all believers?

Give us words to speak to testify of Jesus ( Mark 13:11)

Give us power to be Jesus’ witnesses ( Acts 1:8)

Gives believers gifts for the edifying of the church ( 1 Cor. 12:4-11)

Distinctives:

Upon coming to the Lord in faith and repentance we receive the gift of the Spirit.

John 20:22-23 (AKJV) —  “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Luke 24:45 (AKJV ) — “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures…”

Jesus breathed on them and said receive the spirit, like Adam in Garden received breathe of life (ruach/pneuma). Their minds were opened to understand the scriptures, yet still he instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for endowment of power.

Power plus…

Luke 24:49 (AKJV) — And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Acts 1:8 (AKJV) — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:5 (AKJV) — For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

All four Gospels mention Jesus not only taking away our sins, but baptizing in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33).

Baptise: baptizó / βαπτίζω / To baptize, to immerse, to dip

Usage: The term "baptizó" primarily means to immerse or submerge in water.

Hebrews 6:2 (AKJV) —  “…of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

Baptism into (the body of) Christ

1 Corinthians 12:13 (AKJV) —  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

This is also called being baptized into Christ Jesus, immersed in him (Romans 6:3-4), in which we are placed in Christ at the moment of faith. This is done by God the Father (1 Cor. 1:30)

2. Baptized in water

Acts 8:37-38 (AKJV) —  37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

1 Peter 3:21 (AKJV) — Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

One can be a believer and saved without yet being baptized in water, but it was normative in the new testament church to be baptized upon belief and not to wait. This was because of the powerful testimony it was to the community but also inwardly in identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Great grace is released by faith in water baptism. Not to be confused with John’s baptism into repentance ( Acts 19:4)

3. Baptism in Holy Spirit

Acts 1:5 (AKJV) — For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

This is an immersion into the power of God, not like God coming into you and renewing you, but an experience from Jesus of you being immersed in His anointing and power ( the Person of Holy Spirit — Is. 11:1-2)

Many refer to it controversially as a second blessing, but it is not to be used to differentiate between Christians. It is another experience, not diminishing Christ’s work on the cross, but only made possible by Christ’s work on the cross. It should be part of a life of ongoing experience.

John the Baptist, whose sole job was to make a way for Jesus, announced him in all Gospels as the One who baptizes in Spirit.

Only Jesus qualified for the promise of the Father - the Holy Spirit. So only he can baptize in him. That’s why in John 7:38-39 it says Holy Spirit would not be given until Jesus was glorified. He is the victorious, sinless, obedient one, who did what Abraham and his descendants could not do; perfectly fulfil the covenant and thus qualify to receive the Promise of the Father - the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24:49 both refers to the Holy Spirit as the Promise of the Father and Galatians 3:14 refers to the blessing promised Abraham as “the Holy Spirit.”

This initial immersion that brings power and gifting, as another experience subsequent to salvation is not terminal. It is not an end but a beginning. Acts 2 is Pentecost and only 2 chapters later same people have a whole new, but similar experience in Acts 4:31.

Be filled and keep on being filled…. What’s that all about?

Ephesians 5:18 (AKJV) — “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…”

John 7:38 (AKJV) — He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 (AKJV) — Quench not the Spirit.

Rivers flow and keep flowing!

Power to be a witness is not so much giftedness as it is witnessing to and proving the fact that Christ is Alive and Ruling, because by His Spirit, He is seen and proven as Alive and Ruling in us His Body.

Discussion Questions:

What comes to mind when we mention “Holy Spirit?”

Why do you think that Holy Spirit related topics like gifts and baptism and power can be so divisive and controversial?

How do we keep our conversation from being divisive, especially given the warning in Jude 1:19 that it is those that are divisive who prove to be void of the Spirit?

Why might it be important to recognize that the Holy Spirit is a Person?

What are some of the major differences between the Holy Spirit’s relationship with people in the Old Covenant vs the New Covenant?

What does it mean to be born of the Spirit (John 3:4-5) ?

Look at the non-exhaustive list of things the Holy Spirit does in the life of a believer on page four. What are some of the ways that you have experienced the Holy Spirit in your life? What are some things that he does that you would like to experience more of?

In what ways does the Holy Spirit empower us to be a witness?

Does it make sense to you scripturally to say that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience separate from our salvation experience? What scriptures would you use to back up or support your view point?