The Holy Spirit 03B

Date 06.08.2023

People of God GREETINGS! 

It is another week and we thank and rejoice in the Living God, the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ for His provision, love, care, and his indwelling peace in us by the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit.  

Main Bible Scriptures:

John 14 v 15-17

Other Associated Scriptures:

 John 14 v 26, Genesis 1 v 1-2, 1 Corinthians 12 v 4, 7-11, Matthew 12 v 31, 1 Corinthians 12 v 7-11, Ephesians 1 v 19-23, Acts 2 v 4, Acts 10 v 46 and so on.

Prayer:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for another week of divine health, divine peace, divine provision and divine wisdom and revelation of God, the Father. As we come in our own accord to feed our born-again spirit-beings with the rich nutrient of God’s Holy Word, we agree that your Word is the truth. We trust the Holy Spirit to bring the light of God’s Holy Word into our minds and the direction of that Word into our spirits. We trust you, the Lord Jesus Christ that we will be doers of your Word and not hearers or readers only.   In Jesus Name. Amen

 

 

Theme/Subject: “The Holy Spirit”

This is series 03B. In series 02B, we discussed at length about the two working aspects of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again child of God.

The first working aspect of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again child of God is when the Holy Spirit indwells the child of God permanently during salvation (see John 14 v 17).

The second working aspect of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again child of God is when the Holy Spirit comes upon the child of God to fill him for power to witness of the gospel to others (see Acts 1 v 8).

John 14 v 15-17 reads “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” Acts 1 v 8 reads “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth.” These two Holy Scriptures really sum up the two working aspects of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again child of God. It is important for our listeners and readers to know that the Holy Spirit is God’s Ultimate Gift for His children (see Luke 11 v 13). The Holy Spirit is a gift not for the unregenerate person or an unbeliever. The Holy Spirit is the Ultimate gift for the born-again child of God. The unregenerate person must first receive Jesus Christ as Lord before he can receive the Holy Spirit. This is because Jesus is the Ultimate Gift of God for the whole world or unbelievers (see John 3 v 16, 2 Corinthians 5 v 19-20). It is important also to note that a gift is received by the one whom that gift is due.  God, the Father of spirits, has presented Jesus as His Ultimate Gift for the world and He has also presented the Holy Spirit as His Ultimate Gift for His children (see John 3 v 16, Luke 11 v 13). Please pause & reflect!

The indwelling experience of the Holy Spirit ensures divine character development or growth as a result of this child of God spirit continues to feed and practice the Word of God for the spiritual fruit of love, the spiritual fruit of joy, the spiritual fruit of peace, the spiritual fruit of patience (long suffering), the spiritual fruit of kindness, the spiritual fruit of goodness, the spiritual fruit of faithfulness, the spiritual fruit of gentleness, the spiritual fruit of self-control to grow on the spiritual branches which are the born-again spirits of the child of God (see Galatians 5 v 22-23). The born-again child of God has his or her part to play to develop or grow his or her divine character. In that, the child of God must ensure that he allows the word of Christ to dwell in him richly (see Colossians 3 v 16). This means, this child of God puts premium on continuous feeding and on continuous acting on the Holy Written Word of God. If the child of God places premium on the feeding and the practising of the Holy Written Word of God, the Living Word who is Lord Jesus Christ becomes living reality on the inside of this person and this child of God full dependence is in Christ. This full dependence of the child of God in Christ ensures constant supply of the spiritual sap from the Spiritual Vine (the Lord Jesus) onto the spiritual branches and the child of God therefore continue to grow the spiritual fruit. The born-again child of God spirit is the spiritual branch in which the spiritual fruit develops and grows on. This is because fruits grow on the branches. But the spiritual branch cannot develop and grow the spiritual fruit if it fails to permanently remain in the Spiritual Vine (the Lord Jesus Christ) for constant supply of the spiritual sap to the spiritual branches (see John 15 v 5).

Therefore, though every born-again child of God has the spiritual fruit as a result of salvation in Christ. But, because the spiritual fruit growth depends entirely on this child of God ensuring that he remains constantly in Christ (the Spiritual Vine) in order to build his or her divine character; some believers have grown more in the spiritual fruit than others. This means some believers ‘divine character’ has grown far better than others. The lesson is this, the child of God has his or her part to play in growing the spiritual fruit and the more the child of God feeds and acts on the Holy Written Word of God; the higher the growth of the spiritual fruit in this person which interns forms his or her divine character. It is also important to know that fruits grow and the only person who has walked on the shores of this earth who did grow fully in the spiritual fruit is the Lord Jesus. Therefore, keep remaining in the Spiritual Vine (our Lord Jesus Christ) to ensure a constant supply of the spiritual sap to the spiritual branches to ensure continuous growth of the child of God divine character.  Please pause and reflect!

The second working aspect of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again child of God is when the Holy Spirit comes upon the child of God which enables this child of God to receive divine power for witness to others (see Acts 1 v 8).

Unlike, the indwelling working aspect of the Holy Spirit which is permanent, the coming upon of the Holy Spirit is temporary because it is as the Holy Spirit wills or decides (see 1Corinthians 12 v 7-11). The Holy Spirit comes upon the born-again child of God in an atmosphere or environment of worship, praises, thanksgiving, teaching, preaching, edification with the Holy Written Word of God. It is important to emphasise that it is the divine power the child of God receives when the Holy Spirit comes upon him or her which enables this child of God to effectively witness Christ (the gospel) to others. The divine character discussed earlier although it is important in the life of the child of God but it does not necessary enable the child of God for effective witness of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the divine power which propels the born-again child of God for effective witness of Christ Jesus to the world. The divine character forms the child of God nature which is effectively Christ Jesus.

But the divine power is the child of God witnessing tool to bring others to Christ Jesus and also to edify or build-up other children of God. Therefore, born-again children of God that making difference in this world to make Christ known are those that are growing in both their divine power and divine character.

The Holy Spirit as He wills comes upon the child(ren) of God through the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, special faith, gifts of healings, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues (see 1 Corinthians 12 v 7-11). These nine gifts of the Holy Spirit are further categorised into three.

Three of these nine gifts of the Holy Spirit reveals something to the child of God supernaturally and these are known as revelation gifts. Another three of these nine gifts of the Holy Spirit do something supernaturally through the child of God and they are known as the power gifts. The other three of these nine gifts of the Holy Spirit say something supernatural through this child of God and they are known as vocal gifts.

The revelation gifts, the power gifts and the vocal gifts ensure divine power enabling the child of God for effective witness of Christ to others. These gifts come about when the Holy Spirit comes upon the child(ren) of God. Speaking generally, every born-again child of God can desire the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit to ensure that he or she operates at least in one or more of those gifts for effective witness. The reason is that every believer is mandated to preach or proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Mark 16 v 15).

It is important to also stress strongly that if the Holy Spirit does not come upon the child, the child of God still have other option to effectively witness the gospel to others. This option is by using the Holy Written Word of God to teach, to preach and to edify others. The Spirit of God may not come upon the child of God all the time but the Holy Written Word of God is available to the child of God all the time to use for effective witness. The Holy Written Word of God is already anointed with the same power just as the Holy Spirit comes upon the child of God to enable him for witness to others (see 1Timothy 3 v 16-17, Hebrews 4 v12). This is because the Spirit of God and the Word of God agree (see 1 John 5 v 7). Please pause and reflect!

 

 

The Revelation Gifts

The revelation gifts include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and discerning of spirits.

The word of wisdom is the revelation of the mind of God concerning His plan for His children concerning the eternity his children will spend with Him and also to ensure Satan and his forces are put in the place where they are destined in eternity – the lake of fire and brimstone. For example, raising up of the dead in Christ, the putting on of the incorruptible body (spiritual body) by both the dead in Christ and the living in Christ, the deliverance of the creation by the sons or children of God, the casting down of Satan and his accomplices into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are (see Revelation 20 v 10). Please pause and reflect!

The word of knowledge is the supernatural revelation concerning the knowledge of the mind of God with respect to things that had happened or existed and things existing. Jesus received the word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit when He said to the Samaritan woman “For you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband” – (see John 4 v 18).

It is important to know that none of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their operation through the child of God is use to embarrass a person. They are used for the profit of all (see 1 Corinthians 12 v 7). Jesus did reveal to the Samaritan woman that she has had five husbands not to embarrass her but it was to profit her. It is also important to note that Jesus said those words to her in a private conversation. Some things must not be said in public platforms but it must be said in private. I am sure that had the disciples been around, Jesus would have found suitable way to disclose those words to the Samaritan woman in order not to embarrass her. We must act in the wisdom of God in whatever we do as children of God.

In my own ministry, I have received several words of knowledge when the Holy Spirit comes upon me to profit others and sometimes to profit myself and my ministry. The most prominent one is when I was praying in the spirit on a Motor Way and I received the word of knowledge concerning a lady friend. I parked my car safely and contacted my friend and I said to her “I like to let you know that God has asked me to tell you that He loves you.” When she heard those words, she burst into tears of joy on the phone.  

 She told me that she was facing a particular challenge and in her room at the very moment was praying and told God to show her that He is with her in that situation and whether God still loves her. Well, God use me to contact her to give her the word of knowledge to profit her. I have received the word of knowledge for women that naturally doctors have said to them they could not have children due to several natural reasons. To cut a long story short, those women who believed the words spoken to them are now with kids today for the glory of God. Please pause and reflect!

The discerning of spirits is the supernatural revelation of the Holy Spirit through the child of God to see spirits in the spiritual world or realm. To discern means to see.

The discerning of spirits enables the child of God to see spirits in the spiritual world through his or her spiritual eyes. It is important for our listeners and readers to know that discerning of spirits does not necessarily means the child of God sees evil spirits only. There are other spirits apart from evil spirits - principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, dominions, spiritual hosts of wickedness and Satan himself are spirits. Jesus taught that God is a Divine Spirit (see John 4 v 24, Hebrews 12 v 9), angels are spirits (good or evil – see Hebrews 1 v 13-14), an individual is a spirit-being (see 1Thessalonians 5 v 23, Hebrews 4 v 12, Philippians 1 v 21-26), the Resurrected Jesus now lives in the spiritual world in heaven with the Father of spirits (see Ephesians 1 v 20, Hebrews 1 v 3), the Holy Spirit (He now lives inside the born-again spirit of the child of God), Cherubim, Seraphim,  the twenty four elders, the four living creatures, heavenly hosts, chariots and horses of fire are all living in the spiritual world.  All these entities and beings are spirits and they are living and operating in the spiritual world. And a person if enabled can see through the spiritual realm when his spiritual eyes are opened.

I am sure by now, you are aware that the Word of God teaches that a person is a spirit-being, he has a soul and he lives in the natural body (see Hebrews 4 v 12, 1 Thessalonians 5 v 23, Philippians 1 v 21 – 26). Therefore, whether a person is born-again or not he is still a spirit-being and if enabled; he or she can see spirits or can enter into the spiritual world (see Acts 16 v 16-18, Mark 5 v 6-7). Visions, dreams and trances are some of the terms use to describe discerning of spirits. Through discerning of spirits some in the body of Christ have seen angels, evil spirits, the Resurrected Jesus Christ, chariot and horses of fire, the similitude of the Living God and so on.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus we thank you for your incorruptible living Word, that Word has come to us, help us to be doers thereof. In Jesus Name. Amen.

To God be the glory forever and ever in Jesus Name by the power of the Holy Spirit. I know that you are edified, exalted and comforted by this teaching, why don’t you share it with others to edify, to exalt and to comfort them also? It is also important to get your feedback and how together through the weekly teachings we are growing in faith in God’s Holy Written Word.  Amen  

By: Bro Thomas Boakye