I cannot leave the subject of the Holy Spirit without summarising what the Holy Spirit what does in us and what He means to us who believe in Jesus.
Ezekiel had a vision of a river, symbolising the Spirit, which began as a trickle and continued to increase in volume until it was too deep to wade in. (Ezekiel 47:1-12). John’s vision, in Revelation 22, echoes Ezekiel’s vision…a life-giving stream that flows from God’s throne, restoring and sustaining the life of all God’s creation. This is symbolic of the Holy Spirit who is the life-giving stream through whom God the Father works in all that He does, both in creation and in salvation.
This picture of a flowing river depicts the overall work of God’s Spirit in His realm. He restores, renews, and sustains all life, beginning with creation and continuing with God’s “new creation” the church, which is the body of Christ, made up of all who have been “born from above”, and “made alive” in Jesus by the Spirit. He transforms sinners into sons of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus, and prepares them to live and reign with Him in His eternal kingdom.
Without the presence of God’s Spirit in us, we are physically alive but spiritually dead. Salvation for us is only theory or a religion of self-help, trying to live in God’s kingdom but ruled by our flesh. The result, said Paul, is death.
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
Romans 8:13 NIV
The Holy Spirit’s coming is the final piece of God’s plan of salvation. Until He does the work in us, Jesus’ death and resurrection remain a teaching, not a life-changing experience.
John, the forerunner of Jesus, announced…
“And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’”
John 1:33 NIV
On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all people, Peter declared…
“Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear…Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.””
Acts 2:33, 38-39 NIV
…and Paul taught the Gentile believers…
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
Galatians 3:14 NIV
This is an all-important observation because, in much of current gospel preaching, the promise of the Holy Spirit is lost, forgotten, or even ignored. Is this the reason that a doctrine of the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” as a necessary and secondary experience has been developed to supplement faith in Jesus for salvation?
The Bible’s message is that every believer is baptised by the Holy Spirit and partakes of the Spirit’s life as an integral part of salvation. He is not a special blessing for a favoured few. He has not been given for spiritual “goose bumps” but to represent the presence of Jesus in us, to teach and guide us into all the truth about Jesus, and to transform us into His likeness.
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV
As God’s children, we can only know the blessing and benefit of the Holy Spirit’s presence in us as we acknowledge and develop the awareness of His presence, and walk with and are led by the Spirit through obedience and intimacy with Him.
How tragic that the error of a separate “baptism” has divided the church into first and second class believers. Authentic Christians, according to this fallacy, are described as “Spirit-filled” while the rest are not.
God’s Word is clear. There is no such thing as Christians and Spirit-filled Christians. Every believer in Jesus has been immersed in the Holy Spirit. This is God’s promise if we are the children of Abraham by faith.
However, not every believer, because of poor teaching or inadequate understanding, is aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in him or her. We need to believe and cultivate this awareness by faith in the truth and obedience, not by seeking a second “baptism”.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us be faithful to the truth of God’s Word, believing and obeying what is written, not what we have re-written for our own convenience.
To enjoy the full blessing of the Holy Spirit in us, we must be…
…Filled with the Spirit!
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,”
Ephesians 5:18 NIV
…Controlled by the Spirit!
“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)”
Romans 8:9 NLT
…Led by the Spirit!
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
Romans 8:14 NIV
…Governed by the Spirit!
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6 NIV
…and continually giving thanks in all circumstances…
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
This is a fail-safe way to live a life of awareness, abundance, and adventure in the kingdom of God.
To be continued…