The Holy Spirit

1. WHO is associated with the Father and Son in the triune Godhead? GO you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and Of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 28:18. 2. What statements make it quite clear that the Spirit is a Person and not merely a divine influence? a. He is capable of speech. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said unto the churches. Revelation 2:7. b. He manifests emotions of pleasure, vexation, grief. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost. Acts 15:28. They rebelled, and vexed His Holy Spirit. Isaiah 63:10. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Ephesians 4:30. NOTE - If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit. But if we think of Him in the Biblical way as a divine person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me? R. A. Torrey, in The Fundamentals, Volume 1, Page 55. c. He has executive ability and is capable of purposive action. All these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. 1 Corinthians 12:11. 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. Genesis 1:2. d. He works wonders. Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, 1 have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Romans 15:19. e. He gives guidance. When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. John 16:13. f. He appeals to the Father on behalf of men. Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26. NOTE Not only does the Spirit understand the unexpressed yearnings of our innermost hearts, but He passes them on to the Savior. Knowing just what we need, the Holy Spirit inspires our yearnings, then translates these yearnings and dictates our appeal to Heaven. From the completely surrendered soul who may ask amiss, not understanding what is best, but desiring to yield all to the guidance of the Spirit, He takes the requests and directs the results according to God s plan. What a wonderful helper He is!Lynn H. Wood, Mysteries Unveiled, page 229. 3. What part had the Spirit in the work of creation? 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. Genesis 1:2. 4. Since the entrance of sin how has God communicated with man? The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21. 5. How was the Holy Spirit associated with the incarnation? The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35. 6. In what way did God manifest His approval of Jesus at His baptism? John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. John 1:32. 7. How was Jesus empowered for His ministry? Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee; and there went out a fame of Him through all the region roundabout. Luke 4:14. 8. By what power was Jesus fortified to endure the cross? How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14. 9. What part did the Spirit have in the resurrection of Jesus? Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18.

10. Who was appointed to take the place of Jesus at His ascension? 1 will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth. John 14:16, 17. NOTE A Comforter. The word is a wide one. It means one who comforts, or who pleads, or who exhorts; one who calls us to his side, as a father does his child when he has some special thing to say. The Holy Ghost is all this to us. How little we use Him, or trust Him, or lean on Him, or love Him, or deal with Him. And how much we suffer loss by this neglect! How much do we grieve and vex Him! We might be so much more full of peace, and light, and love, and holiness, and strength, and comfort, did we but employ this Comforter more constantly, more trustfully. - Horatius Bonar, Light and Truth, page 373. 11. How is the Spirit active in the work of redemption? a. Convicts of sin, makes known divine righteousness, and warns of judgment. When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:8. b. Regenerates. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, 1 say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:5, 6. NOTE. We talk of reconstruction. That is outward. The New Testament talks of rebirth. That is inward. How much farther must we move in the wrong direction before the miserable heresy of humanismthat within man lies all the power he needs to transform himself and the world-receives its deathblow? Leslie D. Weatherhead, In Quest of a Kingdom, page 14. Being born, the first or the second time, is clearly not a duty to be performed by ourselves. No man can horn himself. Turning to God, submitting himself to God-that is a duty. Being made a new man, being spiritually renewed, being given a clearer sight-that is a blessing from above. Turning, trusting-that is mans part. Renewing, regenerating-that is Gods part. If we will do our part, God can be relied on to do His part. To doubt this is wrong and unjustifiable. H. Clay Trumbull, Our Misunderstood Bible, page 92. 12. In what further work is the Spirit engaged on behalf of the children of God? a. Sanctifies. That 1 should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost! Romans 15:16. b. Illuminates. 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. John 16:13. c. Empowers. Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, said the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6. NOTE-If we realize that Gods Spirit is the guarantee for the success of work done for God, we shall escape the vulgar error of measuring the importance of things by their size. If we try to get so near God as to see things with His eyes, we shall be saved from many a false estimate of what is great and what is small, and may have our own poor little doings invested with strange dignity, because He deigns to behold and bless them.-Alexander Maclaren, The Books of Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor Prophets, pages 299, 300. d. Protects. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19. NOTE. The Holy Spirit may help us, will surely help us, just as far as He can, even if we do not know His name or ever call upon Him. But there is so much more that He might do for us if we would only open our hearts and ask Him to come into them. Remember, He is God, and God is love. And no man ever asks God to come into his heart and holds his heart open to God, without God s entering. Phillips Brooks, The Candle of the Lord, page 230. 13. In what mighty way will the activity of the Spirit be manifest in the latter days? Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. Joel 2:23. See also Hosea 6:3. 14. In what way will the work of the Spirit in the latter days correspond with that at Pentecost? With many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Acts 2:40. Come out of her, My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4.