Do You Know Him? Part 6

We saw that on the Day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh fulfilling what was spoken by the Prophet Joel. (Joel 2:28-29) If we look at the scriptures and contrast the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and also the church, we would discover that the ministries are almost identical. As Jesus was the example of the unhindered workings of the Holy Spirit in the early church, He should still be the same today, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) If the Head of the Body has not changed, then neither should the Body or its members. Every believer as a son or daughter of God and member of the church should follow in His steps and submit themselves to the Holy Spirit and His workings.

If Jesus the Son of God depended on the Holy Spirit, how much more should the believer also depend on Him. All that God has for us and desires to do through us will only be done by the workings of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives. Every believer needs to open their heart and permit the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself. When Jesus commissioned the twelve to go out before Him, His instructions to them were based on what He Himself had openly performed before them. Scripture shows us that He sent them out to do the same. "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease...And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 7-8)

This had taken place before the death, resurrection and glorification of the Lord so the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on all flesh. However, the commission that Jesus had given them was surely the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember, there were many in the Old Testament that were used of God to do remarkable things that were the works of the Holy Spirit. We also see the work of the Holy Spirit on seventy other disciples that Jesus sent out to replicate His ministry. "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go...And heal the sick there, and say to them,'The kingdom of God has come near to you...Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10: 1, 9, 19)

Again, this also took place before the death, resurrection and glorification of the Lord, but was certainly the work of the Holy Spirit. The following although not all inclusive are examples of the Holy Spirits work in the life of the believer.

• New birth is brought about by the Spirit (John 3:5-6)
• The Spirit enables the believer to worship (John 4:23-24)
• The Spirit imparts life (John 6:63)
• The Spirit teaches the believer and guides them into all truth (John16:13)
• The Spirit empowers the believer to witness (Acts 1:8)
• The Spirit fills the believer with Himself (Acts 2:4)
• Through the infilling of the Spirit, the Spirit enables the believer to speak in unknown languages (Acts 2:4)
• The Spirit speaks to the believer (Acts 8:29)
• The Spirit gives a calling to the believer for service (Acts 13:2-4)
• The Spirit guides the believer into their ministry (Acts 16:6-7)
• The Spirit indwells the believer’s spirit (Romans 8:9)
• The Spirit enables the believer to put fleshly deeds to death (Romans 8:13)
• The Spirit leads the believer (Romans 8:14)
• The Spirit give assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16)
• The Spirit enables the believer to pray (Romans 8:26-28)
• The Spirit opens the believer’s understanding to the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:12)
• The Spirit imparts spiritual gifts to the believer (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
• The Spirit will bring about the resurrection and immortality to the believer’s body (1 Corinthians 15:47-51)
• The Spirit produce fruit in the believers recreated spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
• The Spirit strengthens the believers inner being (Ephesians 3:16)
• The Spirit brings about renewal (Titus 3:5).

With the exception of a few (those that pertain specifically to salvation), the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer is a direct reflection of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples prior to and even greater after the Day of Pentecost. This should tell us that the work of the Holy Spirit through the believer and the entire Body of Christ has not been limited to some dispensation. If we believe that His work has stopped and is only involved in regeneration, then we need to address the following questions. We need to have honest answers that are backed by scripture, especially for the last question that we will see. Question; why would God send the Holy Spirit upon certain people in the Old Testament to do incredible works? Why would thw Word become flesh being led by the Holy Spirit to do incredible works when His main purpose was to die for mans sin? Why would Jesus commission at least eighty two disciples that we know of, to replicate Him ministry through the working of the Holy Spirit prior to His death? Why would God prophecy that His Spirit would be poured out on all flesh rather than a limited few? Why would the early church need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and replicate the ministry of Jesus? Finally, why would God perform all the miracles, signs and wonders for thousands of years and stop them now?

The fact is, looking at the above list of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer tells us that His mighty works have always been and will continue to manifested through the church until Jesus Christ returns. Unbelief, in many people in the church will not stop His work. Believing in man's doctrines over God's Word will not stop His work. His work will continue as long as Gods people exercise faith, believe and act upon His Word. We must fully believe that Jesus is the Word Who became flesh and that He (the Word) is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) If we can embrace these truths, then God is able to perform what He says, yes, even today through the church, The Body of Christ. PTL