What did Jesus teach about the Holy Spirit?
Context: John 14:1-6, 18
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:1-6).

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

Promise: John 14:16,17, 23-26
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16,17).

“Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:23-26).

Rationale: John 16:7, 12-15
“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you” (John 16:12-15).

Command: Acts 1:4-8
“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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 1:4-8).

The promise of the Holy Spirit is that all believers would receive the indwelling presence and resurrection power of the glorified Christ within us forever.

Understanding Terms: Baptism does not equal filling
The baptism of the Spirit: “The non-experiential, unrepeated work of the Holy Spirit at regeneration whereby we are placed into the Body of Christ.” F.F. Bruce (Acts 2; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9)

The filling of the Holy Spirit: “The unobstructed or unhindered control or influence of the Spirit upon the believer’s life.” C. Ryrie (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 6:3, 6:5, 9:17, 11:24, 13:9, 13:52)

Baptism
• Occurs only once in each believer’s life
• Never happened before the Day of Pentecost
• True of all believers
• Cannot be undone
• Results in a position
• Occurs when we believe in Christ
• No prerequisite (except faith in Christ)

Filling
• Repeated experience
• Occurred in the OT
• Not necessarily experienced by all
• Can be lost
• Results in power
• Occurs throughout Christian life
• Depends on yieldedness

Understanding The Book of Acts (historical transitions – a new thing)
Where? Acts 2
Who? Jews
Spoke in tongues? Yes
When did they receive baptism? After salvation
Peter’s key role? Present when Jews received

Where? Acts 8
Who? Samaritans (mixed)
Spoke in tongues? Not mentioned
When did they receive baptism? After salvation
Peter’s key role? Present when Samaritans received

Where? Acts 10
Who? Gentiles
Spoke in tongues? Yes
When did they receive baptism? At conversion
Peter’s key role? Present when Gentiles received

Where? Acts 19
Who? Jews who knew only John’s baptism (unsaved)
Spoke in tongues? Yes
When did they receive baptism? At conversion
Peter’s key role? This group previously validated as authentic (Acts 2)

Obeying The NT Command To “Be Filled”: Ephesians 5:15-21
Context: Ephesians 5:1-2, 8
Command: To be “Spirit-Filled”
• The command – “be filled”

We Have Been Given These Resources
1. The presence of the Holy Spirit and the assistance of growing in relationship with God.

2. The power of the Holy Spirit filling and overflowing us allowing us to extend God’s kingdom authority in us and to others.

Jesus desires that each of us have the same power and ability that He had for ministry. Jesus, who emptied Himself of all His powers as God, carried out His life on human terms. He asks us to do the same. The major difference obviously is that Jesus never sinned because He was born of God. But Jesus came to do more than to simply live a sinless life. The ultimate purpose of Christ’s Incarnation was not only to save sinners, but the destruction of the devil and deliverance from the fear of death (see 1 Cor. 15:54-57). In other words, He came to break the curse and to become Lord of a new generation of redeemed men and women. And He wants to fill each of us with the power that will enable us to do what He did, to move His mission forward.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work...you, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world...for everyone born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 3:8; 4:4; 5:4)

Jesus
• Born of the Holy Spirit (Mth. 1:20; Luke 1:35)
• Sinlessly perfect (Mth. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 5:21)
• Received the Holy Spirit’s power (Mth. 3:16; John 3:14, 35)
• Triumphed over the enemy and delivered the needy (Luke 4:18-21; Mth. 28:18-20)

Believers Today
• Reborn by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8; Rom. 8:11)
• Declared forgiven in Christ Jesus (Acts 13:38, 39; Rom. 5:9; 8:1)
• Commanded to receive the Holy Spirit’s power for service (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8)
• Commissioned to the same ministry and victorious life as Christ (Mth. 28:18-20; Acts 10:38; Mark 16:15-20)

The difference between “water baptism” and Holy Spirit “baptism”
John said Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit, sending the Holy Spirit to live within each believer. John's baptism with water prepared a person to receive Christ's message. This baptism demonstrated repentance, humility, and willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process.

When Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (at salvation upon our receiving the Holy Spirit) a person is regenerated by the Spirit's power. Jesus offers to us both forgiveness of sin and the power to live for Him. John’s baptism was a baptism of water:

“I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8)

The number of baptismal responses to Jesus’ ministry was compared to that of John, so it was unquestionably the same type (John 4:1). Also, it was not Holy Spirit baptism since the disciples performed it and they had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit yet themselves (Acts 1:5). Since the baptism in the Holy Spirit did not occur until Pentecost (Acts 2), the baptizing done by Jesus before that could not have been Holy Spirit baptism.

At Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) the Holy Spirit was made available to all who believed in Jesus. We receive the Holy Spirit (are baptized with Him) when we receive Jesus Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit must be understood in the light of His total work in Christians. The Spirit marks the beginning of the Christian experience. We cannot belong to Christ without His Spirit (Romans 8:9); we cannot be united to Christ without His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17); we cannot be adopted as His children without His Spirit (Romans 8:14-17; Gal. 4:6, 7); we cannot be in the body of Christ except by baptism in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit is the power of our new lives. He begins a lifelong process of change as we become more like Christ (Galatians 3:3; Phil. 1:6). When we receive Christ by faith, we begin an immediate personal relationship with God. The Holy Spirit works in us to help us become like Christ. The Spirit unites the Christian community in Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22). The Holy Spirit can be experienced by all, and He works through all (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:4).

The importance of water baptism
Since most New Testament water baptisms were administered at the time of conversion (Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38; 22:16), it seems to mark the entrance of a new believer into the fellowship of disciples (Romans 6:31; Galatians 3:27).

Baptism seems to mark a transition, a turning point from one state into another (Romans 6:3, 4; 5-10):

“For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

The cloud and the sea mentioned here refer to Israel's escape from slavery in Egypt when God led them by a cloud and brought them safely through the Red Sea (see Exodus 14). The spiritual food and drink are the miraculous provisions God gave as they traveled through the desert (see Exodus 15; 16). From these verses, many have interpreted this to mean that baptism has to do with our being set free from slavery to sin and being enabled to go on with Jesus.

“...who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ...” (1 Peter 3:20, 21)

Peter says that Noah's salvation through water symbolized baptism, a ceremony involving water. In baptism we identify with Jesus Christ, who separates us from the lost and gives us new life. It is not the ceremony that saves us, but faith in Christ's death and resurrection. Baptism is the symbol of the transformation that happens in the hearts of those who believe (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12). By identifying ourselves with Christ through baptism, we can resist turning back, even under the pressure of persecution.

The meaning of baptism
The Greek word for baptism is baptizo (bap-tid'-zo). It means to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only in the New Testament of ceremonial ablution, especially of the ordinance of Christian baptism; wash; cover wholly with a fluid; to stain (as with dye): to dip.

From the above, it would seem that the intent of the scriptures is that the person is to be placed under the water when being baptized (John 3:23; Acts 8:38; Romans 6:4).

The timing of baptism
All the water baptisms recorded in the New Testament were baptisms of persons old enough to understand the gospel, to be convicted of sin, and to make a decision to follow Christ. This is easily seen by reading the contexts of the baptisms as cited above.

There are no references to infant baptism recorded in the New Testament. Also, it seems that baptism followed as soon as possible after the person had made a decision to follow Jesus (Acts 2:41; 8:36-39; 16:32, 33).

Who should be baptized?
In the “Great Commission” Jesus commanded us to “go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18). Likewise, in the Book of Mark we are to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel; he that believes and is baptized shall be saved; he that does not believe shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15, 16). The evidence is clear - every disciple of Jesus should be baptized.

Key Verse:
“…after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11)

John the Baptist told us that Jesus would “baptize” or dispense the inward reality of the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit upon His followers.

First, let’s review the third Person of the Trinity, who proceeds from the Father and is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Son. He is the One who inspired the Scriptures, empowers God’s people, and convicts the world of “sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

Who is the Holy Spirit?
1. The Holy Spirit is a personality; He is not just an impersonal force, power or influence. This is seen by the following:

a) Personal pronouns are always used when speaking of Him. In other words, the pronouns "He," "Him" or "Himself" are used and not "it." The Holy Spirit is not a thing; He has a personality.

b) The Holy Spirit possesses attributes of personality such as wisdom and knowledge (Acts 15:28; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12). He has a "mind" or purpose (Romans 8:27). He "determines" to do things (1 Corinthians 12:11). He can be "grieved" (Ephesians 4:30). He teaches (John 14:26), and He convicts the world of sin (John 16:8). He appoints, commissions and commands (Acts 13:2; 20:28). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is said to speak (John 16:13; Acts 1:16; 13:2; Revelation 3:22). All these qualities are attributes of a personality.

2. The Holy Spirit is God. He is equal with God and one with God.

a) Several triune Scriptures equate the Holy Spirit with God (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2).

b) Several Scriptures call the Holy Spirit "God":

“…how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4)

“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 2:22)

c) The Holy Spirit possesses Divine attributes. The scriptures reveal the Holy Spirit as omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), and omnipotent (Genesis 1:2).

The Holy Spirit was promised:
1. In the Old Testament prophesies:

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:16)

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” (Isaiah 44:3; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 39:29; Galatians 3:14)

2. By the Lord Jesus:

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

“By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:39; cf. 14:15-26; 16:7-15; Acts 1:4-8)

When we receive Christ as Lord, Master and Savior, we also receive His Holy Spirit. Jesus said,

“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).

From the Book of Acts, we discover various terms used to describe people’s experience with the Holy Spirit. All these terms are the essential equivalent of Jesus’ promise that the church would “be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5; see especially the fulfillment in Acts 2:4, described by Luke as a “filling”). People were:

• “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4; 9:17);
• “they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17);
• “the Holy Spirit fell upon (them)” (Acts 10:4);
• “the Holy Spirit had been poured out on (them)” (Acts 10:45);
• and “the Holy Spirit came upon them” (Acts 19:6).

Holy Spirit baptism is the initial, onetime experience a person has at the moment they accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. From that moment forward, we are then instructed by the Bible to be continually “filled with” the Holy Spirit so that we can be “empowered” for day-to-day life and ministry.

A person must choose to be continually empowered by the Holy Spirit following conversion – though not necessary for salvation – to realize maximum potential for ministry (Ephesians 5:18 is literally, “Keep on being filled with the Spirit”). This “refilling of the Holy Spirit” is a continual process. Once a person receives the Holy Spirit at conversion, it is then important to be continuously empowered. On the Day of Pentecost 120 disciples (committed followers of Jesus) were “filled” with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). This fulfilled the promise Christ had made to them a few days earlier. He had said, “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). This initial experience of receiving the Holy Spirit is only the beginning of a lifelong experience. God wants us to remain filled with the Spirit.

The Christian life is a life lived on a spiritual plane. The entry point of becoming a Christian begins with conversion - being rightly related to the Lord Jesus Christ. A Christian is someone who comes to Christ in faith, accepting His sacrifice on the Cross as sufficient payment for sin (Ephesians 2:8, 9; 1 John 5:11, 12).

To live the Christian life, we must continue under the control of the Holy Spirit:

“...just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him.” (Colossians 2:6)

We discover that we become a Christian because we “receive Christ Jesus the Lord.” We become empowered and filled with the Holy Spirit as we “walk in Him.”

Please note: it is possible for a person to receive Christ, be converted, and not be controlled by the Holy Spirit. To live in the spiritual plane, we must see each moment from the spiritual viewpoint. Nothing we do is coincidental, or accidental, or by luck. God is God and He is in control whether we realize, accept, or reject this truth.

It is also important to note that if you have received Christ Jesus as your Lord, Master and Savior, you have the Holy Spirit. Don’t let anyone try and convince you that you need more of the Holy Spirit. We do not need to say, “Come, Holy Spirit.” He’s already present within your heart (the heart is the place where the Holy Spirit and Jesus reside). The simple truth is that if you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit. If you are not a Christian, you do not have the Holy Spirit. As Henry Blackaby wrote, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself and God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires action ... you must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.”

Additionally, there are ongoing degrees of being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14). In essence, being Holy Spirit-led as a disciple and/or disciple maker is progressively putting to death the sinful appetites of the lower nature (selfishness versus selflessness). This implies that, while all believers are in some general sense being “led by the Spirit of God,” there are increasing degrees of being led by the Spirit. The more fully disciples are led by the Holy Spirit, the more completely will they be obedient to God and be conformed to His holy standards.

The Bible commands that we be continually led by His Holy Spirit. This includes objective knowledge of Jesus’ commands and our conscious effort to obey them, but it more fully includes the subjective factor of being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit throughout the day, promptings that if genuinely from the Holy Spirit will never encourage us to act contrary to God’s written Word.

What's more, when we think we have heard from God, “God told me” or “I think the Spirit is saying,” especially regarding major life decisions or promptings of unusual actions, these should be subjected to the confirmation of several godly counselors (Proverbs 11:14; 24:6) to help guard against mistakes and to help get a clear picture of God’s objective written standards. This is one of the foundations and benefits of being in a CORE relationship with people who love us, have earned a place of trust, who do not condemn us, in a safe place, and who want only God’s very best for us.

What does it mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit?”

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

We are commanded as Christians to “be filled with the Spirit.” A Spirit-filled believer is one who is controlled by the Holy Spirit and not by any other kind of spirit.

The Greek verb translated “be filled” is worthy of our study and will amplify our understanding. “Be filled” is:

1. In the present tense: it is something we can experience and enjoy now;

2. In the imperative mood (a command): this is not optional;

3. In the passive voice: being filled is not something a believer achieves through his or her own strength, will, or desire, but that it is done for a believer by the Holy Spirit as the believer submits to His control;

4. In the plural form: in other words, being filled is not reserved for some particular group or denomination, but is for the universal body of Christians and for you today.

As Spirit-filled believers serve the Lord in their day-to-day, getting up, going to school or work lives, there is a tendency to become more “self-led” - relying more on our fleshly desires and responses than the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. It becomes important to ask for a refueling by the Holy Spirit in order that He is given control over our lives. As said, the command in Ephesians 5:18 is literally, “Keep on being filled with the Spirit.” Herein lies the key to Spirit-filled living. The Spirit-filled life is a continuous process of receiving and giving, of being filled and sharing with others, of receiving power from God and spending it in His service.

The Holy Spirit marks the beginning of the Christian experience:
We cannot belong to Christ without His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9); we cannot be united to Christ without His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17); we cannot be adopted as His children without His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:6-7); we cannot be in the body of Christ except by baptism in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16).

The Holy Spirit is the power of our new lives
He begins a lifelong process of change as we become more like Christ (Galatians 3:3; Philippians 1:6). When we receive Christ by faith, we begin an immediate personal relationship with God. The Holy Spirit works in us to help us become like Christ.

To be empowered by the Holy Spirit is a gift for every believer for all generations and an experience for you today that will dynamically increase your effectiveness in worship, witness, and spiritual warfare.

The following are considerations regarding the Holy Spirit:
1. You must be a born-again believer: The person who is going to be empowered by the Holy Spirit must have the indwelling Spirit and must belong to Jesus (Romans 8:9).

2. You must ask: The Bible says, if you ask for the Holy Spirit, that prayer will be answered (Luke 11:13). Then, you must continually ask for the infilling presence of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

3. You must surrender: The Apostle Paul made this clear in the Book of Romans when he said, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).

4. You must be willing to obey the Spirit: God does not give this blessing/power to someone and allow him or her to say, “I’ll pick and choose what I like.” If you want to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, you must be prepared to obey the Spirit (Acts 5:32).

5. You must believe: the apostle Paul said, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:2). Faith is key. A person must believe that just as when they received Jesus as Lord and Savior they can receive the fresh and continual empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the same way.

6. You must use what you’ve been given: Having asked, having received, having been willing to obey, having believed, you must now exercise. This is why discipling (a seasoned, more spiritually mature saint walking alongside a younger born-again believer) is so vitally important in today’s church. Just as parents serve in this position in the home, spiritual parents should function in the same model in the church.

The Holy Spirit Is A Person
The Holy Spirit has been given as a gift to the church to assure that the continued ministry of the resurrected Christ is expressed and verified. The Holy Spirit has all the characteristics of a person:

1. He possesses the attributes of mind (Rom. 8:27), will (1 Cor. 12:11), and feeling (Eph. 4:30).

2. He engages in such activities as revealing (2 Pet. 1:21), teaching (John 14:26), witnessing (Heb. 10:15), interceding (Rom. 8:26), speaking (Rev. 2:7), commanding (Acts 16:6, 7), and testifying (John 15:26).

3. He has a relationship with human persons: He can be grieved (Eph. 4:30), lied to (Acts 5:3), and blasphemed (Mth. 12:32, 32).

4. The Holy Spirit possesses the divine attributes of the Godhead: He is eternal (Heb. 9:14), omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-10), omnipotent (Luke 1:35), and omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10, 11).

5. He is referred to by such names as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of promise, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of grace, the Spirit of life, the Spirit of adoption, and the Spirit of holiness.

6. He is illustrated with such symbols as fire (Acts 2:1, 2), wind (Acts 2:1, 2), water (John 7:37-39), a seal (Eph. 1:13), oil (Acts 10:38), and a dove (John 1:32).

Nothing To Be Fearful About
Becoming Spirit-filled is not some mysterious, abstract relationship with God. There is however a difference between being filled with God’s Holy Spirit and being filled with any other kind of spirit. Jesus highlighted this when he said:

“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:11-13)

The abundantly clear promise of Jesus is that anyone who asks to be filled with the Holy Spirit will not come up with something hard and dry (stone), something destructive (scorpion), or satanic (snake). We must see the Holy Spirit for who He is, entirely and beautifully different from those from the realm of darkness and confusion.

What The Holy Spirit Is Like
The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus. To help his disciples prepare for his departure and the Holy Spirit’s coming, Jesus said:

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16, 17)

Jesus says, “I will send another Comforter.” The word “another” is one of the exact same kind. By saying this, He was saying that the Holy Spirit would help them and be to them precisely as He did and was.

The Holy Spirit Is Our Teacher
As a teacher, the Holy Spirit’s assistance is not so much academic as one of inward instruction. He teaches us what to do and say at important times. He helps us keep our life (conduct and standards) in accordance with what Jesus wants. He helps us understand and keeps us consistent with our Father’s heart and purpose.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit Is Our Helper
Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to help the Church in the task of touching the world with God’s love. He strengthens us within and stabilizes us to withstand circumstances and moves us forward in power.

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26, 27)

The Holy Spirit Is Our Convincer
No one can remain passive when the Holy Spirit is at work. He convinces people that sin separates them from God; that Jesus is God, and that this is the focal point of salvation; and that this world system is headed toward destruction. He does what we could never do: He convinces people that God is right, that man needs a Savior. Our role is not to attempt to convict or condemn others by zeal, argument, guilt, or ability. Our work is to bear witness to others of Jesus Christ, pray, and let the Holy Spirit accomplish the task that only He can perform.

1. The Holy Spirit Convicts/Convinces: Our tendency is to do the work of the Holy Spirit. We can never accomplish what He has been sent forth to do. Have confidence in His abilities.

2. The Holy Spirit Convicts/Convinces People: The Holy Spirit is fully capable of breaking through every barrier in the heart of man. We are called to sow seed and to water. Ours is to witness in Spirit and pray, believing it is God who will accomplish the bringing forth of harvest. Prayer “energizes” the Holy Spirit. Manipulation, intimidation, and domination in any form are never characteristics of those led by the Spirit of God.

“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” (John 16:7-11)

The Holy Spirit Brings Glory To God
The greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence is that Jesus will be praised. Jesus will be honored. Jesus will be worshiped as God’s Son. Jesus will be announced as Lord and King. A great deal of confusion exists in American Christianity today because of the “evidence errors” that are so widely spread. The teaching that any specific “sign” or “spiritual gift/endowment” must accompany the infilling of the Holy Spirit simply does not hold up under honest scrutiny of God’s Word.

There is much confusion regarding the evidence of whether or not a believer has in fact been “filled” with the Holy Spirit. We must simply agree with our Lord Jesus, who said, “...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses...” (Acts 1:8).

The absolute test or evidence of first having received, and secondly, walking (continuously) in the Holy Spirit, is less controversial, less popular, less “showy”, and even more empirically and Biblically sound than the “evidences” most suggest; it is an increasing measure of Christ-likeness as evidenced by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. According to John 15:1-8, the fruit (which is often mistakenly suggested as the output of man) is, in fact godliness. Christ-likeness is what the heavenly vinedresser looks for in His people (Gal. 5:22, 23).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22, 23)

What Is Christ-likeness or Spiritual Fruit? (Gal. 5:22-23)
• Love, joy, peace: in our relationship with God
• Patience, kindness, goodness: in our relationship to others
• Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: in our relationship with ourselves

How Is Spiritual Fruit Developed?
• Conviction of Spirit (John 16:7-13)
• Spiritual Birth/New Life (John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:17)
• Nurturing of Spiritual Babes
- through the Word (1 Pet. 2:2-3)
- through the Body (1 Thess. 2:7-8, 11)
• Abiding in Christ (John 15)
- through the Word, Prayer
- through relationships
• Walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18; Heb. 5:11-14)
• Spiritual Adulthood (Eph. 4:14-16; Gal. 5:22-26)

How Does The Spiritual Life Work? (4 Key Concepts)
1. Spirituality is the life of Christ (Eph. 3:16,17; Phil. 1:21; Gal. 5:19-23).

2. Spirituality is the life of Christ reproduced in the believer (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 4:5-10).

3. Spirituality is the life of Christ reproduced in the life of the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:16,25; Rom. 8:1-17).

4. Spirituality is the life of Christ reproduced in the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit in obedience/response to the Word of God (Heb. 5:11-14; John 8:31,32; James 1:19-27).

There is one absolute test of whether an experience is of God. If there is genuine commitment to honor, to obey, to praise, and to worship and glorify the Lord Jesus, then the Holy Spirit is very present. One thing is for certain; Satan will not glorify the Son of God. The Holy Spirit’s ministry of making Jesus real, glorifying Him, is His highest desire.

“He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” (John 16:14, 15)

Conclusion: Principles To Remember
1) The issue is not getting more of the Holy Spirit; it is me giving more of myself to Him.

2) We are never told to seek an experience or gift as evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

3) The conditions for being filled are:
a. Obedience – dedication – yieldedness to God and His Word (Rom. 12:1-2).
b. Undefeated life - dealing with known sin – (Rom. 6:12-13).
c. Dependent life (John 15; Gal. 5:16).

4) The key perspective: it is relationship – not mechanical.

Grow in grace and truth,

Doug Morrell

CORE Notes From Doug