Post by ambassador on Aug 1, 2009 23:17:57 GMT -5
The Pneuma Hagion (The Holy Spirit)
When most people think of the Holy Spirit, they probably think of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit came down and filled the believers and apostles in Jerusalem. While there is nothing wrong with this, it is my purpose to show you that there is much more to the Holy Spirit than just giving people the ability to "speak in tongues." Do not be so denominationally-minded that you can only think of speaking in "angelic languages" when you see or hear the words "Holy Spirit." Other people may think of the Holy Spirit as some spooky spirit that is out to get them. How ridiculous!
Now, some groups teach that the Holy Spirit is just "God's active force," and they claim that He is not a Person of the Godhead. This is clearly wrong! In Acts 5:3-4 KJV, Peter basically tells Ananias that "he has lied to the Holy Spirit, so he has lied unto God." The Holy Spirit is not God's active force; the Holy Spirit IS God! Also, if the Holy Spirit can be "grieved" or saddened as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:30, that means that the Holy Spirit IS a Person, because "forces" never grow sad¡ªthat would be utterly silly if a force could be sad!
FIRST INSTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit appears in the Bible long before Acts 2. The first reference to the Holy Spirit is in the second verse of the first chapter in the Bible. Here is Genesis 1:2 KJV: "And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The Holy Spirit has existed from eternity past, just like God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ): all three were present at Creation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD'S WORD
The Holy Spirit also inspired holy men to write down God's Word, as we see 2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV: "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Not only has the Holy Spirit inspired God's Word, but He has also preserved God's Word down through the ages through the line of the King James Bible and its underlying Antiochian texts (fulfilling the promise of Psalm 12:6-7 KJV, Matthew 24:35 KJV, and 1 Peter 1:25 KJV).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND JESUS CHRIST
The Holy Spirit, not Joseph, was the father of Jesus Christ's physical body (Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:35)¡ªbecause Jesus had no earthly father, He had no sin nature. Immediately after Jesus was water baptized, the Holy Spirit came down and manifested Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-23; John 1:32-34).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BODY OF CHRIST
If you are a believer today in the Gospel of Grace, the Holy Spirit is actively playing a role in your life today, and He will continue that work until you are raptured with the rest of the Body of Christ: the Apostle Paul wrote that in Philippians 1:6. So, what exactly is the Holy Spirit doing in our lives today as believers? PLENTY!
-----The Holy Spirit indwells all Grace Age believers once they place their faith in the Gospel of Grace (Romans 8:9, 11; Ephesians 1:13)¡ªthis is what Colossians 1:27 means when it says "Christ in us." The Holy Spirit will indwell us until the rapture, when our physical bodies are redeemed (Ephesians 4:30).
-----The Holy Spirit "baptizes" (NOT WATER BAPTISM!) the believers into the Body of Christ the moment they trust the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit has also unified all believers in Christ by placing them all into the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:3-4).
-----The Holy Spirit leads believers to fulfill the laws of God (Romans 7:6; Romans 8:4), guiding them to live righteously (Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 2:20-21; Galatians 5:17-18; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 5:8-9, 18; Titus 2:11-15). The Holy Spirit is saddened/grieved when we sin and go contrary to God's working with us (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).
-----The Holy Spirit is a witness to the Christian's salvation (Romans 8:16-17). He confirms our salvation, that "we are the sons of God." The Holy Spirit seals all believers as soon as they are saved, and He is the "earnest"--the KJV's word for "down payment", or "guarantee"--of our inheritance with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3, 14).
-----Through Christ, both Jews and Gentiles have access by the Holy Spirit unto God the Father (Ephesians 2:18).
-----The Holy Spirit, through Paul's epistles of Romans through Philemon, has revealed to us God's Dispensation of Grace, and the "revelation of the mystery" (Ephesians 3:1-5).
-----As we read, study, and have faith in God's Word, the Holy Spirit will take His Word and strengthen our inner man (Ephesians 3:16). This promotes spiritual maturity--the more we grow spiritually, the stronger we grow in knowledge of the Scriptures.
-----The Holy Spirit prays for our needs as members of the Body of Christ: He intercedes for us, praying for needs that we cannot adequately express in words (Romans 8:26-27).
When most people think of the Holy Spirit, they probably think of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit came down and filled the believers and apostles in Jerusalem. While there is nothing wrong with this, it is my purpose to show you that there is much more to the Holy Spirit than just giving people the ability to "speak in tongues." Do not be so denominationally-minded that you can only think of speaking in "angelic languages" when you see or hear the words "Holy Spirit." Other people may think of the Holy Spirit as some spooky spirit that is out to get them. How ridiculous!
Now, some groups teach that the Holy Spirit is just "God's active force," and they claim that He is not a Person of the Godhead. This is clearly wrong! In Acts 5:3-4 KJV, Peter basically tells Ananias that "he has lied to the Holy Spirit, so he has lied unto God." The Holy Spirit is not God's active force; the Holy Spirit IS God! Also, if the Holy Spirit can be "grieved" or saddened as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:30, that means that the Holy Spirit IS a Person, because "forces" never grow sad¡ªthat would be utterly silly if a force could be sad!
FIRST INSTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit appears in the Bible long before Acts 2. The first reference to the Holy Spirit is in the second verse of the first chapter in the Bible. Here is Genesis 1:2 KJV: "And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The Holy Spirit has existed from eternity past, just like God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ): all three were present at Creation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD'S WORD
The Holy Spirit also inspired holy men to write down God's Word, as we see 2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV: "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Not only has the Holy Spirit inspired God's Word, but He has also preserved God's Word down through the ages through the line of the King James Bible and its underlying Antiochian texts (fulfilling the promise of Psalm 12:6-7 KJV, Matthew 24:35 KJV, and 1 Peter 1:25 KJV).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND JESUS CHRIST
The Holy Spirit, not Joseph, was the father of Jesus Christ's physical body (Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:35)¡ªbecause Jesus had no earthly father, He had no sin nature. Immediately after Jesus was water baptized, the Holy Spirit came down and manifested Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-23; John 1:32-34).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BODY OF CHRIST
If you are a believer today in the Gospel of Grace, the Holy Spirit is actively playing a role in your life today, and He will continue that work until you are raptured with the rest of the Body of Christ: the Apostle Paul wrote that in Philippians 1:6. So, what exactly is the Holy Spirit doing in our lives today as believers? PLENTY!
-----The Holy Spirit indwells all Grace Age believers once they place their faith in the Gospel of Grace (Romans 8:9, 11; Ephesians 1:13)¡ªthis is what Colossians 1:27 means when it says "Christ in us." The Holy Spirit will indwell us until the rapture, when our physical bodies are redeemed (Ephesians 4:30).
-----The Holy Spirit "baptizes" (NOT WATER BAPTISM!) the believers into the Body of Christ the moment they trust the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit has also unified all believers in Christ by placing them all into the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:3-4).
-----The Holy Spirit leads believers to fulfill the laws of God (Romans 7:6; Romans 8:4), guiding them to live righteously (Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 2:20-21; Galatians 5:17-18; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 5:8-9, 18; Titus 2:11-15). The Holy Spirit is saddened/grieved when we sin and go contrary to God's working with us (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).
-----The Holy Spirit is a witness to the Christian's salvation (Romans 8:16-17). He confirms our salvation, that "we are the sons of God." The Holy Spirit seals all believers as soon as they are saved, and He is the "earnest"--the KJV's word for "down payment", or "guarantee"--of our inheritance with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3, 14).
-----Through Christ, both Jews and Gentiles have access by the Holy Spirit unto God the Father (Ephesians 2:18).
-----The Holy Spirit, through Paul's epistles of Romans through Philemon, has revealed to us God's Dispensation of Grace, and the "revelation of the mystery" (Ephesians 3:1-5).
-----As we read, study, and have faith in God's Word, the Holy Spirit will take His Word and strengthen our inner man (Ephesians 3:16). This promotes spiritual maturity--the more we grow spiritually, the stronger we grow in knowledge of the Scriptures.
-----The Holy Spirit prays for our needs as members of the Body of Christ: He intercedes for us, praying for needs that we cannot adequately express in words (Romans 8:26-27).