Sunset Park Community Church
Lesson 7 - The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is probably the least understood of the three members of the Trinity. One reason for this is that the Bible says "...He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears... He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." John 16:13, 14. It is the main job of the Holy Spirit to bring glory to Jesus Christ. That means that He deflects attention from Himself and points people to Jesus and so He does not get noticed as much. This does not mean that His ministry is not important. Each person of the Trinity has a role to play in our lives and there is no jealously or competition among them!
1. The Holy Spirit is a Person
He is not a bird (He just appeared as one) He is not "God's active force" - some sort of divine electricity (as some cults have said) - He is a person!
A. He Speaks - Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches..."
B. He Commands - Acts 13:2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
C. He Appoints - Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
D. He Teaches - John 14:26 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.
E. He Works Wonders - Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
F. He Intercedes - ROM 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
G. He can be Lied To - Acts 5:3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
H. He can be Resisted - Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
I. He can be Grieved - Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
J. He can be Blasphemed - Mark 3:29 - "But whoever blasphemes against The Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
K. He Wills - I Corinthians 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
2. The Holy Spirit is God
A. He is Eternal - Hebrews 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
B. He is Omnipresent - PSA 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
C. He is Omniscient - I Corinthians 2:10-11 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
D. He is Omnipotent - Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
3. The Work of the Holy Spirit
A. Creation - Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
JOB 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
B. Equipping - Judges 14:6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.
C. Conviction - John 16:7-8 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.
D. Salvation - John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
E. Indwelling - I Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
F. Sanctification - I Thessalonians 4:7-8 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
G. Counselor - John 14:26 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.
H. Intercessor - Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
I. Resurrection - Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.