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coram_deo
21-Jul-21, 06:19

The Holy Spirit
This is a thread on what is, for many, the most misunderstood and mysterious part of the Trinity:

From gotquestions.org:

“What does the Holy Spirit do?

The Bible is quite clear that the Holy Spirit is active in our world. The book of Acts, which sometimes goes by the longer title of “The Acts of the Apostles,” could just as accurately be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.” After the apostolic age, there have been some changes—the Spirit does not inspire further Scripture, for example—but He continues to do His work in the world.

First, the Holy Spirit does many things in the lives of believers. He is the believers’ Helper (John 14:26). He indwells believers and seals them until the day of redemption—this indicates that the Holy Spirit’s presence in the believer is irreversible. He guards and guarantees the salvation of the ones He indwells (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). The Holy Spirit assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26–27).

The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews the believer (Titus 3:5). At the moment of salvation, the Spirit baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ (Romans 6:3). Believers receive the new birth by the power of the Spirit (John 3:5–8). The Spirit comforts believers with fellowship and joy as they go through a hostile world (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Spirit, in His mighty power, fills believers with “all joy and peace” as they trust the Lord, causing believers to “overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).

Sanctification is another work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The Spirit sets Himself against the desires of the flesh and leads the believer into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18). The works of the flesh become less evident, and the fruit of the Spirit becomes more evident (Galatians 5:19–26). Believers are commanded to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), which means they are to yield themselves to the Spirit’s full control.

The Holy Spirit is also a gift-giver. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Corinthians 12:4). The spiritual gifts that believers possess are given by the Holy Spirit as He determines in His wisdom (verse 11)

The Holy Spirit also does work among unbelievers. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26), pointing people to the Lord. Currently, the Holy Spirit is also restraining sin and combatting “the secret power of lawlessness” in the world. This action keeps the rise of the Antichrist at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6–10).

The Holy Spirit has one other important role, and that is to give believers wisdom by which we can understand God. “The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Since we have been given the amazing gift of God’s Spirit inside ourselves, we can comprehend the thoughts of God, as revealed in the Scripture. The Spirit helps us understand. This is wisdom from God, rather than wisdom from man. No amount of human knowledge can ever replace the Holy Spirit’s teaching (1 Corinthians 2:12–13).“

www.gotquestions.org
coram_deo
21-Jul-21, 09:42

Jesus Christ talks to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, about what it means to be “born again.”

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I 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.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

(John 3:1-15)
coram_deo
21-Jul-21, 09:47

Jesus Christ talks to His disciples about sending the Holy Spirit into the world, once He has left.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

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.

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.”

(John 16:7-16)

coram_deo
21-Jul-21, 09:54

The Resurrected Christ gives His Holy Spirit to His disciples:

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:”

(John 20:19-22)

coram_deo
21-Jul-21, 11:21

Some see a discrepancy or contradiction in the Holy Bible as to when Jesus Christ’s disciples received the Holy Spirit because of this account in Acts.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

(Acts 2:1-4)

What happened in this account in Acts came many days after the account in the Gospel of John.

But I believe there is a big difference between receiving God’s Holy Spirit and being filled with God’s Holy Spirit. I believe (and think this is one of the major tenets of Christianity) that everyone receives God’s Holy Spirit at the moment of their salvation, that is God’s Holy Spirit indwells every new believer at the moment they believe in Jesus Christ a la John 3:16 and Romans 10:9.

But the degree to which the Holy Spirit influences a believer varies, depending on how much he or she is in The Word and prayer.

The leader of a Bible study group I once attended used the comparison of a car’s gas tank, saying many Christians can be filled with God’s Holy Spirit on Sunday, but if they neglect seeking and worshipping God from Monday through Saturday, the influence of the Holy Spirit in that believer’s life diminishes.

Paul in Galatians wrote of the battle between the Spirit and the flesh in the life of a believer.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

(Galatians 5:16-18)

In Romans 7, Paul writes that he himself is subject to this battle, meaning every believer will be as long as they’re on the earth. But their salvation, their future home in Heaven, is never in doubt.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

I and my Father are one.”

(John 10:27-30)
coram_deo
26-Jul-21, 13:55

In my experience, many believers downplay or overlook the power and role of God’s Holy Spirit, the third part of the Trinity, in the past and even today.

God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son, the first two parts of the Trinity, are better recognized and understood, but the Holy Spirit (referred to as the Holy Ghost in the King James Version of the Bible) is much more mysterious to believers (in my experience.)

A GK member recently questioned how Job could have known that the Earth was suspended in space in 1,400 B.C. (and possibly earlier.) The GK member was referring to this verse in the book of Job, which is part of a speech Job made:

“He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.”

(Job 26:7)

Then, a Bible commentary I read (and posted) today (7/26) said the date of a section of the book of Job had to more current than was thought becsuse Elihu, one of Job’s friends, is discussing evaporation, which was not known by mankind at that time.

But I believe Job and Elihu were speaking under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, just as the prophets did centuries later when they prophesied not only of the coming Messiah but of battles and wars as well.

This verse from the book of Hebrews, the author of which is not certain, though many think it was Paul, reflects how God communicated with people before Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and during it.

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”

(Hebrews 1:1-3)

After Jesus Christ was Resurrected, God’s Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the moment he or she accepts and believes in Jesus Christ.

“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,”

(Ephesians 1:13)

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I 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.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

(John 3:5-8)

These verses are more direct in saying that God’s Holy Spirit indwells believers:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

(1 Corinthians 3:16)

“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.“

(John 14:17)

“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.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

(Romans 8:9-11)

Notice how the Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ are used interchangeably in Romans 8:9.
coram_deo
26-Jul-21, 14:04

Just moments after I posted the most recent post in this thread, I thought of this great verse from John, a disciple of Jesus Christ, that illustrates God’s Holy Spirit indwells believers in Jesus Christ.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

(1 John 4:4)

coram_deo
02-Aug-21, 09:55

Here, Paul refers to the Holy Spirit of God within him:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

(Galatians 2:20)

Here’s a good commentary on what Paul means when he says he was “crucified with Christ.”

“c. I have been crucified with Christ: Again, Paul anticipated a question from those who disagree with him. ‘Paul, when did you die to the law? You look alive to me!’ Paul was happy to answer, ‘I have been crucified with Christ. I died to the law when Jesus died on the cross. He died in my place on the cross, so it is like it was me up on the cross. He died, and I died to the law when He died.’

d. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: Since we died with Christ on the cross we have a different life. Our old life lived under the law is dead. Now we are alive to Jesus Christ and Jesus is alive in us (but Christ lives in me).

i. Paul realized that on the cross, a great exchange occurred. He gave Jesus his old, try-to-be-right-before-God-by-the-law life, and it was crucified on the cross. Then Jesus gave Paul His life – Christ came to live in him. So Paul’s life wasn’t his own anymore, it belonged to Jesus Christ! Paul didn’t own his own life (that life died); he simply managed the new life Jesus gave him.”

enduringword.com
coram_deo
11-Aug-21, 04:47

The Holy Spirit produces “fruit” in the life of a believer, but it’s clear, imo, that this is a cooperative effort between the Holy Spirit and the believer, as Paul indicates in the last verse of this excerpt:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

(Galatians 5:22-25)

But the fruit is not produced by self effort; it’s produced by yielding to the Holy Spirit. It’s clear believers retain their free will after accepting Jesus Christ and must consciously yield to God’s Holy Spirit to walk in the Spirit.

From gotquestions.org

“To yield is to give something up or to give way to a demand of some sort. A person yielded to the Spirit will accede to the Spirit’s will and submit to His authority. Scripture mentions walking in the Spirit—following His lead and living in cooperation with His plan. Scripture also mentions being filled with the Spirit—being fully possessed by Him and functioning in His power and freedom. Both walking in and being filled with the Spirit necessitates yielding to His control.

Yielding to the Spirit finds its opposite in grieving Him (Ephesians 4:30), quenching Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19), or resisting Him (Acts 7:51). Those who are yielded to the Holy Spirit will not be doing that which offends Him, they will not dampen His influence in their hearts, and they will not oppose His will.

Some good examples of believers yielding to the Holy Spirit are found in the book of Acts. The believers gathered in a house in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost were there in obedience to the risen Lord’s command to ‘stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high’ (Luke 24:49). That power came in the Person of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4, when ‘all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues a as the Spirit enabled them.’ These disciples, yielded to the Spirit, proclaimed the gospel to the multitudes, and the church began.

The first foray into foreign missions began when the church in Syrian Antioch was ‘worshiping the Lord and fasting, [and] the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’ (Acts 13:2). Yielding to the Spirit, the church ‘fasted and prayed, . . . placed their hands on them and sent them off’ (Acts 13:3).

On the second missionary journey, Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, were traveling through Asia Minor preaching the gospel. But then the Spirit began to redirect them: ‘Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas’ (Acts 16:6–8). That night in Troas, Paul had a vision that guided the missionaries to Macedonia. The gospel was brought to Europe because Paul and his companions were yielded to the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit would have us ‘give thanks in all circumstances’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18), do good works (1 Peter 2:15), and ‘be sanctified,’ avoiding sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The Spirit desires that we count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Romans 6:11). He desires us to know the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18–19) and be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). He wants those who trust in Christ to be assured that they are God’s own children (Romans 8:16). As we yield to the Spirit, allowing Him full control of our lives, we will see the fruit of the Spirit being produced in us (Galatians 5:22–23), and we can look forward to ‘a harvest of righteousness and peace’ (Hebrews 12:11).”

www.gotquestions.org

While the above excerpt doesn’t really address *how* one yields himself to the Holy Spirit, I believe it’s done through staying close to God by reading His Word, listening to preaching on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and prayer. I think prayer can be done fairly continuously as prayer is really talking from one’s heart to God. I believe those who stay close to God are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and leading - and more likely to follow them.
coram_deo
11-Aug-21, 10:56

When does God’s Holy Spirit indwell a believer? This article from got questions.org answers that question:

“The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. First Corinthians 12:13 declares, ‘For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.’ Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: ‘You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.’ Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: ‘Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.’

These three passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. Paul could not say that we all were baptized by one Spirit and all given one Spirit to drink if not all of the Corinthian believers possessed the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the ‘seal of salvation’ (Ephesians 1:13-14) if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior.

This discussion is controversial because the ministries of the Holy Spirit are often confused. The receiving/indwelling of the Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the Christian life. While we hold that the baptism of the Spirit also occurs at the moment of salvation, some Christians do not. This sometimes results in the baptism of the Spirit being confused with ‘receiving the Spirit’ as an act subsequent to salvation.

In conclusion, how do we receive the Holy Spirit? We receive the Holy Spirit by simply receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:5-16). When do we receive the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit becomes our permanent possession the moment we believe.”

www.gotquestions.org
coram_deo
12-Aug-21, 07:58

Part of the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of Jesus Christ’s disciples - and in the lives of all believers!

“But the Comforter, 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 14:26)

coram_deo
01-Sep-21, 18:05

How Do We “Walk in the Spirit” à la Galatians 5:16?
I think walking in the Spirit is simply staying connected to God throughout the day by reading the Holy Bible, memorizing Bible verses, saying God’s promises in the Holy Bible aloud (such as Jeremiah 17:14, Romans 8:1, Psalm 23:1, etc.,) praying (not all prayers have to be long; one of my Christian friends once told me she says a lot of “arrow prayers” throughout the day,) thanking and praising God, going to God and asking for His help and guidance before a difficult situation and other God-related activities.

Sometimes, if I’m about to walk into a difficult situation, or make a difficult phone call, I’ll say aloud this verse from Psalm 19:

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

(Psalm 19:14)

But, most of all, I think walking in the Spirit is having a consciousness of God, knowing that God is only a thought and a word away, and trusting in Him. I like these verses from Isaiah and say them aloud fairly often:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”

(Isaiah 26:3-4)

I like this verse and say it aloud (though not nearly enough) as a praise to God:

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”

(Psalm 68:19)

(“Selah” means pause and reflect.)

Anyway, this is a good article about how to walk in the Spirit, as the apostle Paul instructs believers in Galatia to do (Galatians is one of my favorite books of the New Testament.)

From Christianity.com:

“What does Paul mean by ‘Walk by the Spirit?’

Walking by the Spirit is just living a life in the Spirit. It's living your life in the continual presence of the Spirit of God. Jesus put it like this in John 15, that we need to abide in Him, basically the same thing. If we abide in Jesus, the Spirit is working within us. So as we abide in Jesus Christ, as we abide in that vine, as a branch abides in the vine, the Holy Spirit is pulsating the sap into our body, if I could put it that way. And he is producing then fruit in our lives. But as Jesus said, ‘When I'm separated from that vine, I shrivel up and I die.’

So walking in the Spirit is a God consciousness. It's having Christ foremost in all your affections. It's pursuing God with all of your heart, as we're commanded to. as the Great Commandment. It's to have no other idols before you and no other gods before you, but to serve God alone with all of your heart.

I think what's important to understand too when we talk about abiding in Jesus is that the way we abide in Jesus is to be practicing what we call the spiritual disciplines. I can't abide in Jesus just by doing what I want to do. Abiding Jesus is giving us the means he has given us that he uses to bring grace into our lives. Things like Bible reading, Bible memorization, Bible meditation, prayer, fellowship, church attendance, evangelism, serving other people. These are ways that we abide in Jesus.

Now, a lot of people come up to me and they say, ‘Can we have a specific explanation as to how long I need to pray and how long I need to read the word?’ Well, that would contradict everything Paul has already argued in Galatians, because now we're back to legalism again. We can't do that. So God has to place that upon your heart, somehow using the spiritual disciplines that he has given to us. As we remain in them, we abide in Jesus, and as we abide in Jesus, his Spirit is working in our lives and we are then walking in the Spirit.

We can, throughout the day, and this is true for every Christian, either be in the Spirit or in the flesh. I don't think it's 75%/25%, 50/50. You're either in one or in the other. And it is our goal as Christians now that we have the Spirit dwelling within us and the ability and power to overcome the flesh, to continually live a life walking in the Spirit.

How to Walk in the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is one of God's most precious gifts to His beloved children. He takes up residence within the believer at the moment of salvation and empowers him to overcome sin and live for God's glory and purposes. However, the Spirit's power can be ‘turned off’ or ignored. Only those who choose to walk with Him have unhindered access to His strength and guidance.

Walking by the Spirit denotes reliance upon Him. He leads the way, and we follow. As He speaks, we listen, heed His warnings, and obey His directions. The Spirit's way is a path of surrender which, although difficult, leads to fullness of life.

God's Spirit not only guides; He also empowers because the challenge of obeying Him is impossible in our own strength. The Holy Spirit supplies everything we need to live a godly life, and He produces His amazing fruit in us.

Being led by the Spirit should be the natural lifestyle of the sons and daughters of God. As you intentionally seek to maintain an awareness of His presence throughout the day, He is only a thought away. When your mind turns to Him, He gives sensitivity to the things of God and understanding about the situations and people in your life.

Take a walk with the Spirit today, and learn to know His voice. Whenever your mind is not occupied with the duties of the day, focus your thoughts on Him, asking for His guidance and looking expectantly for His leading. When He gives it, rely on His power to obey.

Excerpt from ‘Walking in the Spirit’ - In Touch - Mar. 3, 2010 by Charles Stanley

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit was intimately connected with Jesus throughout his entire life. Prior to Jesus’ virginal conception an angel said to Mary, ‘the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you’ (Luke 1:35; cf. Matt. 1:18, 20). When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, the Father anointed him with the Spirit (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22). Then Jesus was immediately driven into the wilderness by the Spirit for a season of testing (Matt. 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1). Luke says that Jesus was ‘full of the Spirit’ when this happened; he afterward returned to Galilee in ‘the power of the Spirit’ (Luke 4:14).

In Jesus’ first sermon, he claimed to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy of a Spirit-anointed ministry of redemption and restoration to Israel (Luke 4:16–21). Peter’s summary of Christ’s ministry describes ‘how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him’ (Acts 10:38). When skeptical religious leaders accused him of casting out demons by satanic power, Jesus said, ‘if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you’ (Matt. 12:28).

In his death, Jesus offered himself as an atoning sacrifice through the Holy Spirit (Heb. 9:14). Paul tells us that Jesus was ‘declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead’ (Rom. 1:4). After Jesus’ resurrection he breathed on his disciples, saying ‘receive the Holy Spirit’ (John 20:22). Then followed Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, when the Spirit was poured out on the church, as the Spirit of Christ.
“

Excerpt from Depending on the Holy Spirit by Brian Hedges

www.christianity.com
coram_deo
23-Oct-21, 07:47

This is a good verse that explains why prophecies in the Holy Bible are so accurate and how scientific facts were in the Bible thousands of years before mankind discovered them.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

(2 Peter 1:20-21)

When someone says the Holy Bible was written under the inspiration, guidance and control of God’s Holy Spirit, this is one of the verses they’re referring to. I received this verse via e-mail today (10/23) as the Verse of the Day.
coram_deo
28-Oct-21, 05:59

Excellent preaching by Pastor Joseph Prince on the power of the indwelt Holy Spirit in a believer’s life:

youtu.be

This video is 11 minutes long but can change a believer’s life 👍👍



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