In this weeks session of Multiply, by Francis Chan, we get a renewed understanding of the Spirit of God, also referred to has the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit of God did not come onto the scenes and make its debut in the New Testament. The Spirit of God is very prevalent through the Old Testament in creation and in God’s redemptive work.

We need all the help we can get, and the power of God is provided by the Holy Spirit. We know we are deficient on our own, but God’s plan was to provide.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. – Ezekiel 36:25-17 ESV

We all have had a hard heart, and we need the power of God to survive. That power gets placed in us when we surrender to God.  One of the most power and encouraging lines in that section, to me, is “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues and be careful to obey my rules”.  That provides clarity for me. When I am convicted of my thoughts or actions, that is directed by the Holy Spirit within me. It is the Holy Spirit that provides me the ability to obey God.  I cannot do it on my own. I cannot earn that position, but submitting to the Holy Spirit, God can lead me; day by day, moment by moment.

Who is the Holy Spirit

We need to be aware and careful when we discuss the topic of the Holy Spirit. This is not just some by-product, or after-thought. When we refer to the Holy Spirit we need to recognize that the Holy Spirit is God. Just as Jesus Christ is a distinct person but is also fully divine, so too the Holy Spirit is both unique and fully God.

We see a situation in the book of Acts where this is clearly referenced when Peter interacts with Ananias in Acts chapter 5.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God. – Acts 5:3-4 ESV

The significance and importance of this truth should define how we relate to the Holy Spirit. It is not some mystical guru or genie. He is God and worthy of the love and obedience that God deserves.

How should seeing the Holy Spirit as a person and as God Himself change the way we relate to Him?

Spirit of the New Testament

 

As we read Acts chapter 2, let us pay attention to references of the Old Testament truths and promises, as well as references to the Holy Spirit.

Read Acts 2

What are some of the references in Peter’s sermon can you reflect on as key concepts we have studied in the Old Testament sessions?

How was the Holy Spirit working at this significant moment in redemption history?

Author of the Bible

Not only is the Holy Spirit responsible for the miraculous events recorded in the New Testament, He is also responsible for the writing of the Bible itself! Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit would remind them of what He had been teaching them (John 14:26). These are the things that the disciples and their close associates recorded in the New Testament. Similarly, 2 Peter 1:21 tells us that Scripture is not a human invention, but rather the result of the Spirit’s working through the authors of the Bible.

Ministry of the Spirit

The short physical life of Jesus on earth was not an accident. We might have expected Jesus to continue gathering followers and overturn humanity, ministering to all along the way until everyone was healed and everyone was in a great relationship with God, but that is not how it turned out. It was not thwarted by the Romans, it was actually the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption.

Jesus left earth when He did, because it was part of God’s plan. It had to be so surprising to the disciples in the day when Jesus told them that it would be better for Him to leave than to stay. How could God’s mission on earth possibly proceed more effectively without Jesus? The answer is found in the Holy Spirit.

I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. – John 16:7 ESV

Jesus sent us His Spirit (“the Helper”) so that we can fulfill God’s purposes on earth. The Spirit dwells inside His people—just as God dwelt in the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament—so that He can work through us. This indwelling of the Spirit is not a special gift for some Christians, but rather it is God’s gift to all of His people.  Paul made it clear in Romans chapter 8.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. – Romans 8:9 ESV

The Spirit of God is essential for fulfilling the mission we have been given. We cannot follow Jesus without the Spirit giving us power to be faithful and obedient.

So great is our need for the Spirit that we are commanded to walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), pray in the Spirit (Jude v. 20), and put sin to death by the Spirit (Rom. 8:13), among other things. The Spirit secures our faithfulness till the end. Even the assurance that we are God’s children comes from the testimony of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16). In Romans 7 and 8, Paul contrasted the life that is lived in the flesh (that is, apart from the Spirit of God) with the life that is lived in the Spirit. The difference is staggering.

Read Romans 7 and 8

What does Paul’s comparison of these two ways of living say about the role of the Holy Spirit and our need for Him?

Spirit in God’s Mission

God’s plan of redemption marches on, and He is using His Spirit in the lives of His people to do this work. The church’s mission is too difficult to accomplish without relying on the Spirit. Our mission is too important to attempt without His power. We simply cannot fulfill the Great Commission without seeking and depending on the Holy Spirit.

But we do need to be careful that our pursuit of the Spirit leads us toward Jesus, not away from Him. John told us that the aim of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ (John 16:14). Like a spotlight, the Spirit focuses the attention on Christ and His salvation. Therefore, we should not separate the work of the Spirit from the work of Jesus (or God the Father, for that matter). If we are not led to love and trust Jesus Christ more, it’s likely that we are out of step with the Spirit.

The Spirit can do unbelievable things in and through us. The miracles recorded in the New Testament often inspire us to pursue similar experiences today. But keep in mind that it is the Spirit we are pursuing, not a specific supernatural experience. As you seek to live by the power of the Spirit, look to the promises of God’s Word. Trust the Spirit to show His power however He wants. More often than not, the Holy Spirit guides us by shaping who we are. He gives us new desires so that we gradually begin to live with the goal of glorifying God in all of our decisions. Though this doesn’t look as dramatic as healing the sick or foretelling the future, it is every bit as miraculous.

How have you seen the Spirit of God working in the life of your church? if you are having trouble identifying the work of the Spirit, why do you think the Spirit’s work isn’t being clearly seen in your church?

Spirit of God in the Church

We have already seen that the Spirit dwells within each Christian, just as He dwelled within the Old Testament temple. As important as that truth is, Paul also told us that the church is built together into a temple for the Holy Spirit

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV

We also need to be aware and conscious that we are not strictly referring to one church gathering, one denomination, but the church of God all over the world. Brothers and sisters in Christ, not limited by man made gatherings.

How are you partnering with other members of the body of Christ to be used by the Spirit in fulfilling God’s mission on earth?

This week reflect on your intimate relationship with God via the Holy Spirit.  Be empowered by the Holy Spirit to pursue and rely on Him. Pray that God would work through the life of His church to bring healing, hope and change in the world around us.

This coming weeks reading plan to direct us towards next weeks session:

Acts 1 & 2
Acts 3, 4, & 5
Acts 6 & 7
Acts 8, 9, & 10
Acts11 & 12
Acts 13, 14, & 15

To lead into next weeks message and provide encouragement, watch the short clip from Francis and David.

 

Chan, Francis. Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples. David C Cook.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016).  Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.