By the power of the Holy Spirit, believers are saved, filled, sealed, and sanctified. The Holy Spirit reveals God's mind, teaches and guides believers in all truth, including the knowledge of what is to come. The Holy Spirit also helps and intercedes for Christians in their weakness.
10 Scrolls of the Holy Spirit
The following areTen ways the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers.
1. Helper who teaches and reminds
InJohannes 14:26Jesus said to his disciples: "The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything that I have said to you" (Johannes 14:26, ESV).
The Greek word "parakletos" in this passage is translated "helper" in the ESV, "advocate" in the NIV, and "adviser" in the KJV. The meaning of this word refers to "legal counsel".
The Holy Spirit gives wise counsel to followers of Christ. Jesus knew he was going away and that his followers would need the Holy Spirit to help and intercede to remind them of his teachings.
2. Convict the world of sin
Lawyers not only offer wise advice, but also provide evidence that is used to convict criminals. Similarly, the Holy Spirit will prove sin, righteousness, and judgment to the world.
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, because if I don't go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I'll send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment" (Johannes 16:7-8, ESV).
3. Dwell in believers and fill us
The Holy Spirit is God's presence in the life of believers.
"Don't you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV)
4. Source of revelation, wisdom and power
“These are the things that God has revealed to us through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own mind within them? Likewise, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
God gives His followers the Holy Spirit so that we can get to know Him better. Being the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God and reveals those thoughts to believers. The Holy Spirit opens believers' eyes to the hope of salvation and their inheritance in Christ.
Jesus knew that His disciples would need the strength to carry out their mission to be witnesses to the whole world.
Jesus said to his disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Christians have access to the power, revelation and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, just as the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus:
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may come to know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened to see the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious heritage among his holy people, and his incomparable power for us who believe. This power is the same as the mighty power which he exercised in raising Christ from the dead and setting him at his right hand in the heavenly kingdoms" (Epheser 1:17-20).
5. Guide to all truth and knowledge of what is to come
The Holy Spirit says what is yet to come. The Holy Spirit is referred to in German as the "Spirit of Truth".Johannes 16:13because he guides believers into all truth. Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would make known what he heard and would only speak what the Father spoke.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak alone; he will only speak what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because he will receive from me what he will communicate to you. Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. Therefore I said that the Spirit will receive from me what it will communicate to you" (Johannes 16:13-15).
6. Gives spiritual gifts to believers
Attributes of the Holy Spirit, such as wisdom, knowledge, and power, manifest themselves in the lives of believers for the benefit of others. Other gifts are listed in1 Corinthians 12:7-11.
7. Seals in the life of believers
In ancient times, a seal was a "legal signature" that certified ownership and confirmed what was sealed.
The Holy Spirit is our sign of adoption as children of God. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his followers so they could have confidence in their salvation.
Just as you might put down a deposit or deposit on a new car to ensure the seller won't sell it to someone else, the Holy Spirit is a deposit in our lives that confirms the validity of Christ's message and that we belong to Christ .
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a pledge guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's own—to the praise of his glory" (Epheser 1:13).
8. Helps in our weakness and intercedes for us
We all have times when we feel weak and don't know what to do. The Holy Spirit helps us align ourselves with God's will by interceding for us in these times.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We don't know what to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through silent groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).
9. Makes believers new and grants us eternal life
The Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to renew, sanctify, and sanctify us. Just as the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit will give eternal life to believers.
“But when Christ is in you, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness, though your body is subject to death because of sin. And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit which dwells in you."Romans 8:10-11).
10. Sanctifies and enables good fruit in our lives
The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is an ongoing process of sanctificationsanctification. By the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit, believers will not yield to the sinful acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-21), but will bear the good fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).
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Bible verses about the Holy Spirit
- Acts 4:31“After they prayed, the place where they met was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
- Romans 8:14-16“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. The Spirit you have received does not enslave you to live in fear again; rather, the Spirit which you received caused you to be adopted as sons. And through him we cry: 'Abba, Father...'"
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13"...God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved by the sanctifying work of the Spirit and by faith in the truth."
- Titus 3:4-6"...He saved us by the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, which He generously poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior."
Sources
BibleStudyTools.com, Baker’s Dictionary of Biblicaltheology: Holy Spirit.BibleStudyTools.com, Baker’s Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Siegel.BibleStudyTools.com, Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Heiliger Geist.BibleStudyTools.com, Greek Lexicon of the New Testament: Parakletos.BibleStudyTools.com, Torreys Topical Textbook: The Power of the Holy Spirit.CharismaMag.com, “33 Things the Holy Spirit Does.” Marcus Yoars, 2013.
thanks
This article was inspired by the author and speakerMichelle Hoverson.
Penny Noyes, M.Ed.,is the author ofEmbracing Change - Learning to trust God from the women of the Bibleandtwo books about Hezekiah. You can follow Penny on herthe blogand on Instagram@pennynoyes.
Credit: Unsplash/Joshua Sortino