Blog : The Holy Spirits Ministry

The Holy Spirits Ministry

11/1/2009 7:30 pm

1 Thessalonians 4:8

"He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." KJB

Every believer should have some awareness of the Holy Spirit and His work in their lives, but unfortunately some choose to ignore the small voice within them and do what they want anyway. If there is no such awareness then the chances of salvation are negligible and the relationship with God is nil if at all. In fact Paul tells us this: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9) KJB. Therefore, we need to earnestly look at the ministry of the Holy Spirit and what He has to do with your life.

Those who have come to the saving grace of Jesus could not get there on their own but rather were prompted by the Holy Spirit of wrong doing and their need for a Savior. All, who have come to that point, have been urged or convicted by the Holy Spirit prior to their salvation. Now, from the world's slant on things, that is where the ministry of the Holy Spirit is and should remain. We see, through the teachings of Christ Himself, that He is sent to "...reprove the world of sin and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:

KJB. Which He does very well indeed or we who are saved would not be so. We all needed to be reminded that we are sinners who need the righteousness of God placed on us rather than our own righteousness. The Holy Spirit, in acting on the behalf of the Father, draws us into a very personal relationship with the Father and gives to us the enlightenment of our sins and confirms to us that we do not have any righteousness, or right standing, with the Father and our need for Christ's righteousness is the only way we can come to the Father and He, the Holy Spirit, is confirming to us that we will stand in judgment of our sins unless we accept the righteousness of Christ.

Now, reproof from the Holy Spirit has but one single goal: to bring about the regeneration of our hearts towards a just and Holy God and to give us the witness or proof that we are the children of God through accepting the Lord as our Savior. Until we do that we are not the children of God, despite what the world teaches. (Titus 3:5; Romans 8:16) KJB. We are born from above, right? (John 3:3) KJB and we are made a new creature by the Triune Godhead (2 Corinthians 5:17) KJB. Paul reminds us through his writings, and through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, that we are created like Christ, in "righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24) KJB. The Holy Spirit renews or rebuilds our "dead" spirit, and makes us alive and well. (1 Peter 4:6) KJB. In other words, without the ministrations of the Holy Spirit in our lives we would still be dead and sick because of the sin which we inherited from Adam who was the first to be thus, dead to their disobedience to God. (Romans 5:12) KJB.

Without the Spirit filled life we would never be able to live for God in no way what so ever. We are filled with the Holy Spirit at the instant of salvation and we will never receive any more of the Holy Spirit than that day and time. Without the unction or anointing of the Holy Spirit within our lives we could not be of any service to God. Now, salvation is only the beginning of life. Even though we might come to God at an age later than someone else we cannot truly live until He comes in and makes our souls alive unto God and it is through His prompting that we live each and everyday. When we do not have this prompting, it is not the Holy Spirit which leaves us but rather us who leave Him or rather ignore Him. The Lord will allow things to happen in our lives to get our attention and until we recognize those things that God is allowing, and maybe causing, we cannot live a total and complete life. Life in Christ is much better than a life without Him working in our lives.

Now, salvation, like I said, is only the beginning! Once regenerated or "born-again" the Holy Spirit sees that we are lead to all truth, the truth which lies in Christ and Christ alone. (John 16:13) KJB. The Holy Spirit is what John calls, "the Spirit of truth" and He will lead us to truth. Even though we might have read the Bible before salvation, we cannot learn the truth without the "Spirit of truth" directing us into this truth and He will. The Holy Spirit will not invent new truth for us to learn but will lead us only to the truth which is in His word, our Bible, regardless of what some might think. Before salvation we do not have the ability to learn the truth or understand His word, the Bible, but after salvation, the Holy Spirit opens up a new and wonderful world for us to explore. When I was in Vietnam, being there as a Mormon, I read the Bible several times and could not hardly understand any of it, but after I received Christ some 19 years later I was able to understand what I was reading. Even though I read it before, many times, it was after my salvation that I was able to understand it. That is the power of the Holy Spirit working in my life. The Holy Spirit will take the truth from the only source that is truth, His word and that is straight from the mind and heart of God.

Now, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are both sanctified positionally and progressively. (2 Thessalonians 2:13) KJB. We are sanctified at the instant of salvation but we are also made more so by the Holy Spirit directing us into the Word of God as we learn and mature as God's children. Also, with the power of the Holy Spirit, (Acts 1:

, we are able to give forth fruit (helping others to learn of Christ), and to help us build them up in their faith. Paul tells us about this in his epistle to the church at Galatia. (Galatians 5:22-23) KJB. When we come under the filling of the Holy Spirit, or when the Holy Spirit moves in our lives, because as I said we do not receive more of the Holy Spirit for at salvation we have all we will ever have, we have the power of God to lead others to Christ's saving grace. That is the power we have, the power to be His witnesses to others around us, across the nation and around the world.

Now, I pray that we all have the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit and that He may be ours as our Lord promised and that we all learn how to practice what He commands us to do, to be His witness to others so that they to may come to Him and make disciples also.

By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.

Used with permission

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