The Work of the Holy Spirit

Sunday Evening Bible Study

October 24, 1999

Introduction

We’ve talked about the Holy Spirit as a person. He’s not some impersonal force, He’s a real person. We have a relationship with real people. And we’ve talked about the deity of the Holy Spirit. He isn’t just any old person, He’s God. I want to repeat the story I told a few weeks ago to remind you of a point –

Illustration

One day while walking with some children, Queen Mary was caught in a sudden shower. Quickly taking shelter on the porch of a home, she knocked at the door and asked to borrow an umbrella. "I’ll send it back tomorrow," she said. The queen had deliberately disguised her appearance by putting on a hat that partly covered her face and by wearing some very plain clothes. The householder, reluctant to give a stranger her best umbrella, offered her a castoff she found in the attic. One rib was broken and there were several holes in it. Apologizing, she turned it over to the monarch, whom she did not recognize. The next day she had another visitor—a man with gold braid on his uniform and an envelope in his hand. "The queen sent me with this letter," he said, "and also asked me to thank you personally for the loan of your umbrella." Stunned, the woman burst into tears. "Oh, what an opportunity I missed that I did not give her my very best," she cried.

The Bible says that as Christians, the Holy Spirit dwells inside of us. Do we recognize who it is that lives in us? If we really had a clue who the Holy Spirit is, would it change how we relate to Him?

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Believer

1. He dwells in us

2. He assures us of our Salvation

3. He seals us

(Eph 1:12-14 KJV) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. {13} In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

sealed – sphragizo – to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal.

In the days when the Bible was written, the seal was used primarily as a stamp of ownership. Roman merchants would travel to Ephesus to choose their goods, stamp them with their signet rings, and then return home. When their goods arrived at the port near Rome, the merchants claimed their merchandise that they had sealed.

The seal was used for security reasons. It said to all other merchants or pirates, "Keep your hands off this stuff! It belongs to me!"

The seal showed ownership. It was a mark of authenticity, to place beyond doubt that this item belonged to you.

Once we believe, God claims us as His possessions and puts His seal on us. The Holy Spirit at work in our lives is authentication that we belong to God, but it the Holy Spirit is also a marker telling all others (including Satan) to keep their hands off!

(2 Cor 1:21-22 KJV) Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; {22} Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

earnest – arrhabon – an earnest; money which in purchases is given as a pledge or down payment that the full amount will subsequently be paid. The Holy Spirit is not only the seal of God’s ownership, but He is the down payment until He redeems us as His purchased possession.

The work of the Holy Spirit in our life is a little bit like heaven. Sometimes when you go on a trip with your kids, if you know that your kids are going to get homesick, you might take along certain things to help remind them of home. Perhaps it’s a teddy bear or a favorite toy or blanket. It reminds the child of home. The Holy Spirit in us is a small reminder that we don’t belong here, we’re just visiting, and one day we’ll be going home.

4. He is the Comforter

There are four times in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is called the "Comforter" (King James).

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter <3875>, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26 But the Comforter <3875>, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter <3875> is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter <3875> will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

The Greek word that is used in all these instances is parakletos.

comforter – parakletos – summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid; one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate (Jesus is called parakletos in 1John 2:1; He is our "defense attorney"); in the widest sense, a helper, aider, assistant. The word comes from parakaleo – to call to one's side; speak to; to admonish, exhort; to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort; to instruct, teach. Other Bible versions translate this word as "counselor" (NIV, NLT) or "helper" (NAS, NKJV)

Let’s look a little at the first instance of this title for the Holy Spirit:

(John 14:16-17 KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; {17} Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

another – allos – another of the same kind

Comforter – parakletos – called to one’s side to help

Jesus is telling the disciples that He has been their Comforter.

We use the English word "comforter" to describe a quilt on your bed that you can snuggle up in when you're cold. That's not all that bad.

Jesus has been that source of warmth and comfort to the disciples.

But it goes so much deeper than just warm fuzzies.

He has been the one there to pray for them. He has been the one that was there to help them. He’s the one who’s been there to answer all their questions.

(John 14:1-9 KJV) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. {4} And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. {5} Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? {6} Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. {7} If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. {8} Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. {9} Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

Jesus had been there to answer all their questions. Wouldn’t it have been incredible to have lived with Jesus for three years? Ask Him any question? We have the Holy Spirit, the "other" comforter alongside us.

He’s the one who’s been there to show them how to handle one situation after another.

(Mat 17:14-21 KJV) And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, {15} Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. {16} And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. {17} Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. {18} And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. {19} Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? {20} And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. {21} Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Though I must admit that I might have been a little embarrassed to have had Jesus come back and find that I was not able to do something. On the other hand, it would have been awesome to have had Jesus around to fix my mistakes and teach me how to do things right. We come across times where we don’t know what to do, or we seem powerless to do anything, but the Holy Spirit is alongside us to help us.

Though Jesus will still be their "parakletos", He will be doing it soon from heaven, not from being alongside of them. He will be their "advocate" (same word) with the Father:

1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (AV)

But the Holy Spirit will take the place of Jesus being "alongside" the disciples. He is there to help.

he may abide with you for ever

This new comforter isn't going to just be with them for just three years like Jesus' was. This next Comforter will be there for good, for ever.

the Spirit of truth …

5. He works truth in us

Here we have one of the titles given to the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is marked by truth, gives truth, and defends truth. (A.T. Robertson)

He is also called the "Spirit of truth" in:

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Lesson

Know His work. Walk in truth.

It's very easy to get caught up in telling little lies.

We don't want to admit certain things to people, so we make up lies.

Illustration:

A pastor ended one Sunday morning service by instructing his people, "I would like all of you to read the 17^th chapter of Mark’s Gospel before next Sunday."

The following Sunday, true to his word, he asked the congregation, "How many of you actually read the 17^th chapter of Mark’s Gospel this past week?" Almost everyone in the pews raised their hands to signify they had indeed read that 17^th chapter.

The pastor then stunned his people by announcing, "Ladies and gentlemen, there is no 17^th chapter of Mark." Then he proceeded to preach his Sunday morning sermon, which happened to be on lying.

If we are going to get close to the Holy Spirit, we're going to also be having a close encounter with the truth. There’s no need for telling stories. Don’t be afraid of the truth. Live in reality.