Ed Horak's Blog

He is the Third Person of God

The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

T

he aching void in mankind can only be filled with a meaningful and fulfilling fellowship with our creator. The good news is that God can be known and enjoyed as a person. Through Christ we can get as close to God as we want. Communion or fellowship is the Holy Spirit’s specialty. In this book we explore what the Word has to say about the Holy Spirit and how we can get to know Him better so as to better cooperate with God’s plan for our lives.

As a young virgin, Mary had the most incredible experience of her life. She was overshadowed by the mighty Holy Spirit in the most profound way to conceive the savior of the world. This miracle has fascinated mankind for centuries. Today the Holy Spirit wants to overshadow your life so that you too can experience Christ in the womb of your spirit, and bear the fruit of God’s plan for your life.

Jesus promised His followers that He would not leave them as ‘orphans’ or without spiritual parents (John 14:18). He would come to them again by the Holy Spirit. This wonderful mystery was fulfilled when He arose from the dead and breathed on His disciples saying, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ (John 20:22).

There seems to be a resurging awareness of the need for strong supportive fellowship in a world that in many respects is not holding together too well. The Holy Spirit is poised and eager to fulfill that need in your life. He has been given to be your helper.

Fellowship Defined:

 Where You Fit in the Big Picture

John 14:16, 26

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever…

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

God the Father orchestrated the plan of salvation. In the fullness of time Jesus came in fulfillment of prophecy to deal with the issue of sin. He then sent the Holy Spirit to be our ‘helper’ in this dispensation. Our responsibility is to co-labor with the Holy Spirit in fulfilling the commission given to the church. The ‘fellowship’ every believer enjoys with the Holy Spirit is to participate together with Him in the cause of Christ to reach the world with God’s love.

 Who Is the Holy Spirit?

 First, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the God head. His supremacy is revealed by His name. He is called the ‘Spirit of God’ (1 Corinthians 3:16) and has all the divine attributes. For example, the Holy Spirit is everywhere present (Psalm 139:7-10), and has creative powers that only the supreme God can possess. For example, He was present and active when the world the world was created (Genesis 1:2). Only God can be and do these things. It is marvelous to think that we can have close fellowship with the one who was ‘hovering over the face of the waters’ when God spoke the world into existence.

            Second, the Holy Spirit is not some impersonal force or influence like gravity. He is a person who speaks like a person, experiences emotion like a person, and has a will and power of choice like a person. When was the last time an impersonal force like gravity talked to you? It does not happen.

He speaks as a person:

John 16:13

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Acts 10:19-21

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

He feels as a person: (impersonal forces do not feel grief)

Ephesians 4:30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…

He makes choices as a person would as an act of His will:

1 Corinthians 12:11

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

 

 Relating to the Holy Spirit As A Person

If you are to have a meaningful walk or enjoy fellowship with the Holy Spirit you must address Him as a person and not an ‘it’. Try talking to your wife, friend, family member as ‘it’ and see how much that helps in the relationship!

In addressing Him as a person, remember that He is God, and as such is to be properly respected and reverenced as supreme, the one to whom all of us will someday have to give account for our lives.

Your fellowship with the Holy Spirit can be cultivated when you recognize that He is a person. Take time to think about the above scriptures so that your fellowship with Him can begin to grow in a new and fresh way.

 My Own Experience

             When my wife gave her heart to the Lord, she prayed that the Holy Spirit would convict me of my need for Jesus. I can say without a doubt that for two years I experienced an intense awareness of my need. The Holy Spirit was ‘convicting’ me every moment of the day. I could not get away from thinking about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation. My wife’s prayer was certainly answered.

Then, after I had given my heart to the Lord, I remember a specific time and even the place where the Holy Spirit ‘came over’ me and impressed upon me to “learn how to pray”. His presence was tangible in that I felt His weighty presence in the study of our rented house in Johannesburg South Africa, whilst sitting at my grandfathers old roll top oak desk. I have never forgotten that experience and many others over the years since then.

To me the scripture is true. The Holy is a person to be known and enjoyed in sweet, comforting fellowship.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

 

The Holy Spirit helps you enjoy the ‘divine advantage’ Jesus promised when the Holy Spirit came. You might say He helps you ‘draw water from the wells of salvation’ (John 4:13) – things that benefit you personally.

 

In this article we look at  what the Holy Spirit does through you for the benefit of others. His power now flows out of you like a river (John 7:38-39).

 

 

What He does Through You for the Benefit of Others

 

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

 

When Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit’s power before launching out into the world, He introduced what has come to be known as the ‘baptism’ or ‘immersion’ in the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist pointed out that Jesus would be the baptizer in this baptism. He would baptize the believer with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt 3: 11), giving them power to be His witnesses.

 

                                   

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

 

This baptism was promised in Acts 1:4-8, and fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4 after the disciples had spent ten days preparing their hearts to receive this outpouring on the Day of Pentecost. Although they had experienced miracles before, now they were to step through the gateway of baptism into a lifestyle characterized by the miraculous.

 

Acts 2:1-4

Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

Note that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, not just some only. From this scripture, and also Acts 8:14-17 / Acts 10:44, it is clear that God’s will is for all believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter in his Pentecost sermon boldly declared that the gift of the Holy Spirit’s power was to all generations in all places (Acts 2:39).

 

As on the Day of Pentecost, where the initial outward evidence was speaking in tongues, later recipients of the baptism also spoke in tongues. Although this may be controversial to some, it need not be, as the scripture is clear even down to Acts 19:6, that when a believer is truly baptized with the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues.

 

Acts 19:6-7

And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

 

The people Paul laid his hands on were already believers who previously had only been taught the baptism of John, a baptism of repentance. Paul thus took them further in their knowledge of God by introducing them to the Holy Spirit. This subsequent infilling empowered them for fruitful service and witness.

 

 

Devotional and Ministry Tongues

 

The Word teaches a difference between what may be called a ‘devotional tongue’ or ‘prayer language’ that is received when a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, and the ‘ministry gift’ of speaking in tongues in a public setting for the edification of all.

 

1 Corinthians 14:4-5

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

 

When you read around this passage you find that the context of Paul’s instruction to the Corinthian Church is how to properly conduct public meetings with regard to the use of the gifts. If a person speaks in tongues in a public setting, there ought to be an interpretation, and given for the purpose of edifying everyone else, not just themselves. In no way does he forbid speaking in tongues for personal edification (1 Corinthians 14:39. That practice of personal ‘devotional’ tongues is to be treasured, and exercised regularly for personal edification (Jude 20). However, when together in a public setting with ‘uninformed’ people present, when you speak in your ‘ministry gift’ tongue it ought to be interpreted, so that others can be edified. The public practice of tongues must conform to guidelines (two or three at a time) so that all things are done decently and in order.

 

Having said that, there times when believers get together in a meeting, and in unison ‘magnify’ God together by speaking and even singing in tongues at the same time. This is not out of order.

 

Personally, there have been many times when I and fellow believers have been mightily edified as we magnified God together by yielding to the Holy Spirit and making melody in our hearts by singing in tongues. On other occasions we have prayed or interceded for others in tongues when we did not know how to pray for them ‘as we ought’ according to Romans 8:26. The divine ‘helper’, the Holy Spirit was there for us in our ‘weakness’ or inability to pray properly as we ought. But, when a message in ‘ministry’ tongues was given, an interpretation was expected.

 

 

Jesus was Anointed

 

Acts 10:38

…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

 

The anointing or empowerment of the Holy Spirit was one key aspect that defined Jesus as the Messiah. Messiah literally means ‘anointed one.’ He was anointed for service at age 30 years after growing up in the Word all His life.

 

The Holy Spirit settled upon Him in the river Jordan when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in water to fulfill all righteousness. From that moment on, Jesus began to perform miracles (John 2:11). His miracle ministry began because He submitted to God’s will for empowerment.

 

If Jesus submitted to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for service, how much more do we need to step through the gateway of Holy Spirit baptism into the miraculous? Signs and wonders should follow all believers.

 

 

How to Receive the Holy Spirit Baptism

 

Acts 8:14-15

 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit .

 

First, respect and reverence God’s desire to empower you through the Holy Spirit’s baptism by asking Him to fill you to overflowing.

 

Second, realize that speaking in tongues has three key benefits:

 

• Speaking in tongues helps you magnify or exalt God in a special way that takes you beyond your regular devotion. (Acts 10:46 / John 4: 23-24).

 

• Speaking in tongues edifies or strengthens you spiritually. It is as if your spiritual battery is being recharged. (Jude 20 / 1 Corinthians 14:4 / Eph 5:15-21).

 

• Speaking or praying in tongues helps you intercede more effectively in matters not always clear to you. (Romans 8:26).

 

Third, recognize that receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues is an act of your will that requires you to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4 / 1 Corinthians 14: 15).

 

Prepare your heart through prayer and confession, ask the Lord to baptize you with His Spirit (either on your own, or with a minister who has experienced this baptism himself), and yield to the Holy Spirit by taking a breath and speaking out your new heavenly prayer language (tongues).

 

Remember that, like a good father, if you ask God for the Holy Spirit, you will receive the Holy Spirit and no other foreign spirit. Be comforted by this.

 

Luke 11:10-13

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish , will he give him a serpent instead of a fish ? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

 

 

The Holy Spirit’s Power to Witness in Word and Deed

 

You might have noticed that in some Christian circles most of what is said about the Holy Spirit baptism revolves around speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is no doubt a unique manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power in the New Testament. Yet it is equally important to see the following examples of God’s manifest power that are still available to every believer. These are not for someone else in another place and time. They are for every believer empowered by the Holy Spirit to extend God’s kingdom.

 

• Boldness in the face of intimidation: Acts 4:31

In this account the disciples were ‘refilled’ with the Holy Spirit – ‘topped up’ you might say, and began to speak God’s word with boldness.

 

• Continued faithful witness under persecution: Acts 5:28-42

Here Peter and the apostles continued to faithfully teach and preach Jesus even after being unfairly beaten by the religious authorities.

 

• Stephen’s Spirit-filled witness before he was stoned to death: Acts 6:8-7:60

Stephen was able to plead for their forgiveness with his dying breath by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

• Phillip performed healing miracles and deliverances: Acts 8:5-8

God’s miracle working power brought great joy to Samaria.

 

• Peter’s Spirit anointed preaching at Cornelius’ household: Acts 10:34-47

The Holy Spirit fell as Peter preached.

 

• Paul casts out a demon spirit by the power of God: Acts 16:18

Then, He and Silas were then thrown in prison, yet were mightily comforted by the Holy Spirit throughout the night. Their praise invoked God’s miraculous deliverance at midnight!

 

I encourage you to seek God in prayer, for His power to play your part in the consummation of the great end time harvest that has already begun.

 

 

The Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit Work Together

 

Typically, some factions in Christendom emphasize the fruit whilst others the gifts. God does not want you not to get involved in arguing one against the other. Both are vital for a well rounded Christian witness.

 

Take the view that each compliments the other. The same way as character compliments charisma, the fruit compliments the gifts and vice versa.

 

Whereas fruit is developed over time through continued abiding in Christ, gifts on the other hand, are given or imparted at a particular time for miraculous service. That is why a ‘gifted’ believer who has simply received a gift may yet have to grow in Christ likeness, that is, develop fruit. They may act up carnally at times yet still operate in the gifts. This may be confusing to some, but not to God who gives gifts as He wills, not on the basis of maturity but on openness and desire. He continually works with all His children to bring them to spiritual maturity. Let Him be the judge. Your part is to that all believers grow in Christ like character.

 

Furthermore, fruit speaks of who we are created to be, whereas the gifts speak more to what we are to do in breaking spiritual yokes with God’s power or anointing.

 

 

John 16:7-15

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

In this passage we see a number of key areas in which the Holy Spirit gives you a divine advantage you’re your life and witness. If ever you have needed an advantage it is now, and God has given you one in the person of the Holy Spirit. His ministry in your life should not be seen as an ‘after market’ accessory, but rather as vitally central. The time for a casual approach to His ministry in the modern church is long gone.

Let’s therefore look at each of the following things the Holy Spirit does:

• He convicts the world of sin
• Guides you into all truth
• Shows you things to come
• Glorifies Jesus in your life.

 To Convict (or Convince) the World of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment

First, the Holy Spirit works with you in your witness in word and deed to convince people of their need for Jesus. In this context, sin may be defined as refusing to accept Jesus as the solution to all root problems or ‘sins’. When you tell someone about Jesus, you provide the witness through what you say and do to demonstrate God’s goodness in Christ, and the Holy Spirit does the convicting.

            When Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius’ household one day, the Holy Spirit was there to help him convict the hearers of their need for Jesus.

Acts 10:44

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 

Learn to leave the convicting up to the Holy Spirit. Simply speak of and demonstrate God’s love, and leave the convincing up to the Him. Only He can change people’s hearts and give them a heart of flesh receptive to God’s ways (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Only He can regenerate them, (Titus 3:3-7), and make their hearts brand new. If you ‘overplay’ your part, you get in the Holy Spirit’s way.

Second, the Holy Spirit works with and in you to convince the world of righteousness. Righteousness simply means to be right with God. It is a gift from Jesus through the Holy Spirit that must be received in the ‘soil’ of your heart and cannot be earned by self effort.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As a follower of Christ you live your life from a position of righteousness, not towards one. The Holy Spirit must convince you of this liberating spiritual truth.

Romans 5:17

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

When your heart is seeded with righteousness, you can now grow and produce righteous fruit. You begin to live right because you are in right standing (righteous).

Allow the Holy Spirit to convince you that in Christ you are righteous, and begin enjoying living life with a cleansed spiritual conscience.

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

You will grow in leaps and bounds when you trust God enough to acknowledge every good thing in you.                       

Philemon 1:6

…that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

The third area the Holy Spirit has been given to convince us of, is that satan has already been judged! He’s been found to be sorely lacking: a liar, thief and murderer (John 10:10). In contrast, Jesus came to give us life and has been raised from the dead and declared the victor in the cosmic battle for the souls of men.

Yet, it still remains true that what you don’t know can hurt you! Like the proverbial little old lady who died in a small cold apartment, not having opened the attorney’s letter mailed to her many years before stating that she had inherited a fortune, we too can live and die without enjoying our ‘divine advantage’.

Every believer needs convincing that satan is defeated, because circumstances around us seem to portray the opposite.

Colossians 2:15-16

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He took the keys (authority) of life and death from satan (Revelations 1:18 / Matthew 28:18), even going so far as to delegate authority to the church on earth to enforce satan’s defeat

Matthew 16:19

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The same Jesus, who lives in your heart today by the Holy Spirit, has been seated (in a position of authority) far above any demonic entity. All things are under His feet and by association, they are below our feet too! Only the Holy Spirit can convince you of this powerful revelation.

Ephesians 1:19-23

…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Sin or satan no longer has dominion over you, and the Holy Spirit has been given to convince you that satan has been judged, is to be resisted and crushed under your feet by the God of peace!

Romans 16:19-20

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly…

To Guide You Into all Truth

Another ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world and especially the believer is to guide us into all truth. The ‘all’ truth talked about here refers to matters that pertain to your own life. In order to fulfill God’s will in your life you cannot afford to ‘blindsided’ by ignorance of what is relevant to you. You must know ‘all’ things and only the Holy Spirit can cause you to know, understand and apply this truth in your life.

Regarding truth, people have argued what it is over the ages, but when the Holy Spirit convinces you, the matter is settled! The Bible says that Jesus is the “truth’ (John 14:6).

The Holy Spirit is the ‘Spirit of Truth’, so there is a witness that can be enjoyed in your heart as to the truth in any situation.  Learn to yield to the Holy Spirit who guides you into all the truth.

John 16:13

 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth

In a later chapter we look at more of how the Holy Spirit guides you, speaking of and confirming what He hears from Jesus and the Father.

 To Show You Things To Come

God knows your future and what is required of you today in order to ensure that you step into His plan for you. He has given you the Holy Spirit to show you things to come, so that you can prepare. Life does not just happen. Tomorrow is a product of choices you make today. The Holy Spirit is here to give you prophetic insight into your future by showing you ‘things to come’.

 In my experience, my wife and I spent a year preparing our hearts (and circumstances) before we made a moved our family across the world from our native land in Africa. The Holy Spirit had shown us in our hearts that change was coming, and we began preparing.

 Become still and allow Him to give you the ‘divine advantage’ of His perspective of where things are going (or should go) in your life. Then make choices that propel you towards that future and hope.

 To Glorify Jesus in Your Life

 When you allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, the result will be that you will glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit loves to glorify Jesus in what you say and do.  You are Christ’s representative on earth, and in order to accurately portray God’s nature and will to your fellow man, you need the Holy Spirit’s help. The way you speak, what you speak and also what you do, and how you react in different situations, either glorifies Christ or it does not.

 When you are born again the Holy Spirit indwells your spirit and helps you produce ‘fruit.’

 To Produce Fruit in Your Life

John 15:5-8

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

In this passage the connection between Jesus (the vine) and you and me (the branches) is clear. We are to bear fruit in proportion to the degree to which we abide in Him. To ‘abide’ means to make it our practice to yield to the Word of God that the Holy Spirit illuminates to us. You bring glory when you bear fruit out of your human spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He does not bear the fruit, you do. He helps you make right choices, say the right things at the right time, hold back from this or that etc.

 The ‘fruit of the spirit’ that are described in the book of Galatians are a product of the interaction of your newly recreated spirit and the Holy Spirit who now lives within your heart.

 Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

If it were all up to the Holy Spirit to produce fruit, without any cooperation, obedience and sacrifice on your behalf, then why the instruction earlier on to ‘walk in the Spirit’ (Vs 16), that is, make a commitment to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading?

Your life in the Spirit is like a ‘divine dance’ with the Holy Spirit’s hand in yours, leading you across the dance floor in a heavenly waltz. He takes a step, and you follow in unison. Harmony in this divine romance comes with time as you learn to yield to His ways.

 On another note, if you want to know whether the Holy Spirit is in control of a ‘Holy Spirit meeting’, check to see whether Jesus is exalted. If a man, movement, or anyone else is, then put a question mark over that meeting.

Take Hold of Your Advantage!

It is to your advantage that the Holy Spirit now lives within you. Learn to live with an expectancy of the Holy Spirit’s ministry within your heart.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 Remember the words of Jesus:

 John 14:16-17

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– 17 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.

 The Holy Spirit lives within the heart of every believer and must be cooperated with to enjoy the ‘divine advantage’ God wants to give you in every area of your life.

 

          In order to fully enjoy the divine advantage we have been given by the Holy Spirit living inside of us as our comforter and helper, we must continually get to know Him better. God takes natural symbols or familiar material emblems to unfold new spiritual realities about the Holy Spirit).

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead

 

 Get to know the Holy Spirit better through symbols

Consider the following examples: water, wind, fire, wine, oil, clothing and the dove.

 

 The Holy Spirit symbolized by water

Isaiah 44:3

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

John 7:37-39

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive;

          As water is vital for physical life so is the Holy Spirit for spiritual life and vitality. Out of the heart or belly are the issues of life. The Holy Spirit’s influence in your life is like a river flowing out into ‘dry’ circumstances.

           Rivers also speak of movement: something characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s operation. He is always moving, and never stagnant. His dealings can be recognized as He shapes the landscape of your heart and mind to become more like Christ. Like flowing river water has the capacity to carry debris along with it, and even rub off sharp edges making smooth stones, so too the Holy Spirit has the capacity to remove filth from your life, and even smooth off rough edges in your personality.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

          Rivers also speak of productivity. The Holy Spirit will produce fruitfulness in your life when you yield to His dealings.

Revelation 22:1-2

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

           Water comes in different forms: rain, dew and vapor. For water to condense as droplets of rain or even dew overnight, certain atmospheric conditions must apply, the primary one being cooling. In the stillness and cooling of night, symbolic of difficult circumstances, the refreshing and life sustaining ‘dew’ of the Holy Spirit can distill out to bring life into dry situations (Hosea 14:5). Look for the Holy Spirit reassurances, especially in difficult situations. Be calm, rest from your own efforts to make something come to pass, and let God have His way in the attendant silence.

          Remember, speaking in tongues is evidence of surrender and activates the strengthening or edification ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life. So make a practice of speaking in tongues daily and enjoy the refreshing effect. It’s like taking a spiritual shower, bath or swim.

           The covering ministry of the Holy Spirit is described as a ‘cloud’ by day (Exodus 13:22) sheltering the Israelites of old from the hot desert sun on their journey to the Promised Land. In like manner, see the Holy Spirit sheltering you from the ‘heat’ of adverse circumstances as you progress on your spiritual journey.

           One final point about water. The rainbow has seven distinct colors or aspects, as does the Holy Spirit.

 Revelation 4:5-6

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

           Most commentators attribute the following seven characteristics of the Holy Spirit to His ministry: teacher, advocate, counselor, guide, strengthener, comforter and intercessor. Once again, get to know the Holy Spirit in the multiplicity of His grace. There is always more to explore.

 

 Wind, fire and wine as symbols of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-4, 13

Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

           All three symbols are connected to the Spirit’s outpouring on Pentecost: wind, fire and wine. The wind is the ‘breath’ of God that when it blows has a sound. There is a particular sound to God’s voice. It carries peace, comfort, strength, power, healing or whatever you need at any particular moment. The wind can be mighty like a gale, or like a gentle breeze but always appropriate for the need of the moment. The Holy Spirit will speak to you in a tone and with the intensity that is suited to your situation. When you need healing and comfort when you are bruised, He will be gentle. When you need loud correction when in danger, He will be more forceful. Learn to discern by practicing your listening skills.

          With fire comes light, heat and even cleansing. The spiritual light we are given by the Holy Spirit must be set on a hill for all to see. Jesus said that we are the ‘light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14), and must shine in dark places. Let the Holy Spirit embolden you to let your light shine. In the coldness of life’s difficulties, you can also provide warmth and comfort through the Holy Spirit to people needing comfort.

          Also, be open to the cleansing and purifying effect of the Holy Spirit in your life. If you let him, he will ‘burn’ up things that are impure. The fires of heaven will burn up the fires of hellish situations that may be burning in you or those you love. For example, in 1666 AD the city of London England was ravaged by bubonic plague carried by rats. A great fire broke out and burnt up significant parts of the city. However, as a result, many rats were killed and the bubonic plague stopped. A ‘cleansing’ took place that, in the long run, saved the city. In like manner, there may be a ‘fire’ of adverse circumstance burning in your life, that can be cleansed if you are ‘set on fire’ by the Holy Spirit.

Malachi 3:2-3

“But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire

And like launderer’s soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,

And purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the LORD

An offering in righteousness.

Matthew 3:11-12

He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

           In addition, when the disciples spilled out into the streets on the day of Pentecost, and the locals mockingly thought they were drunk with wine, Peter corrected them by referring to Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring.

          Wine as a Biblical symbol speaks of refreshing, stimulation and abandon to God’s purposes. Obviously wanton drunkenness is to be avoided, but Spirit filled abandon is to be encouraged.

 Ephesians 5:18-21

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

           Joy is to characterize your life, and not bitter vinegary expressions of prideful and empty religion. Your heart is like a wineskin that must be soft and supple to receive and contain the ‘new wine’ of The Holy Spirit. Old ways and attitudes must make way for the joyful new.

Luke 5:37-39

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

 

 Oil as symbol of the Holy Spirit

          In the story of the ‘good Samaritan’ the unfortunate traveler who fell among thieves had oil and wine poured into his wounds the Samaritan. This speaks of the the new birth and infilling of the Holy Spirit bringing about recovery from trauma. The trauma of sin that has affected all mankind needs to be dealt with by a twofold operation of the Holy Spirit. The wineskin of our broken hearts must be restored and softened before receiving new wine. So there is the new birth experience then the Holy Spirit baptism or infilling.

Luke 10:34

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine…

          Oil is used as a symbol of anointing for service. The prophet Samuel anointed King David with a horn of oil (1 Samuel 16:13). Jesus, the king was anointed for service (Acts 10:38), and the early disciples were continually refreshed with an ‘oil change’.

Psalm 92:10

10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;

I have been anointed with fresh oil .

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

          They recognized this and yielded to these times of refreshing and were “re’- filled with the Holy Spirit time and again. They had previously been born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, but still felt the need in this threatening situation to be ‘refilled’ with the Spirit, a ‘topping up’ if you please.

 

 The dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit       

Matthew 3:16-17

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

           The Holy Spirit is likened to a dove in Jesus baptism, and in keeping with the first direct mention of the dove in scripture, is used to speak of the peace He always brought to any situation. (Olive branch of peace that the dove brought after the flood of judgment began subsiding – Genesis 8:7-12). After all, Jesus is described as the prince of peace! (Isaiah 9:6). In your life if ever you want to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit look for peace, that’s where He will be.

           Then, like a dove broods over its eggs in order to bring forth new life, the Holy Spirit in you broods over new things he wants to bring forth in your life. He is gentle and protective and will speak comforting and encouraging things to you.

          The dove in the natural is faithful to its one mating partner, is gentle and is able to keep its eyes focused. The Holy Spirit in turn is faithful to never leave you, is gentle and controlled, and keeps your eyes focused on Jesus (John 14:16 / Isaiah 42:1-4 / Matthew 6:22). It is also ‘harmless’ or as is implied in scripture ‘unmixed’ or innocently unmingled.

Matthew 10:16

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

           Your witness in the world must reflect the purity of a dove like holiness. That is something only the Holy Spirit can give you. Your enemy, the devil, is unholy in all that he does, and you and I must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be set apart from evil in all we say and do. Allow the inner seed of positional holiness given to you at the new birth to grow into the fruit of practical holiness as the ‘divine dove’ gains more and more control over your life.

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless , children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,…

The Anatomy of a Decision

Decisions …Decisions

 

We are all faced with a multitude of decisions, each with their own set of consequences. Some will be more significant than others, and the leading of the Holy Spirit becomes imperative if we are to fulfill God’s plan for our lives. Very often correct choices are not immediately obvious, because we do not have all the facts up front. What may appear to be a good move now may later turn sour. However there is a way to avoid making wrong choices. The Holy Spirit knows all things and will help you make God ordained decisions.

 

 

The ‘Revelation Sieve’

All that we read, hear, and think about, needs to be ‘filtered’ through a ‘revelation sieve’ to make a wise decision. Any ‘leading’ you feel you have from the Lord, ought to be confirmed by two or three witnesses.  

“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.  Deut 19:15-16

Many Christians get excited when something even remotely resembles a word from God. “I have heard from God,” they may excitedly say. Then they proceed to rush off half-cocked, later to crash and burn, lamenting that they had “Heard from God!” Yet time was not taken to get confirming witnesses. I know personally of two couples who got married at Bible school on the basis of one ‘prophecy’, later to get all messed up out of the will of God. They did not stop to check things out and get confirmation.

 

A house I stayed in as a youngster whilst visiting in the country, had water tanks that caught the rainwater from the roof. The tank had different types of sand to filter the dirty roof water. When you tapped the water at the bottom of the tank, it was clear and drinkable. It had been ‘filtered’ through the different layers of sand. God’s leading through the Holy Spirit will be ‘clear and drinkable’ when you take the time to filter the impressions and words you get through the ‘revelation sieve.’

 

The Word filter is the first and foremost step in the process of making a decision. The choices you have to make have to fit within the framework of God’s already revealed will. His word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Be sure to shine the Word on what you are planning to do. See if there is something in the Word that God can and will ‘quicken’ to you. It will ‘stand out’ and minister life to you regarding the decision.

 

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105 

 

Be sure to consecrate what you are planning to do to the Lord. Be prepared to back off without stubbornly clinging to what you believed to have been from God. If it was from God He will repeat the message in some way. You have to believe that God has your best interests at heart. He will not withhold any good thing from you if you walk uprightly before Him.

 

 

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.  Psalm 84:11 

 

However, God will keep you from something that looks good to start with, but which will eventually harm you. He knows the beginning from the end and what we are like, so He puts others in our lives to balance out our excesses and weaknesses.

The second step is to seek the counsel of wise elders in your church. God can and does speak through others who may have an angle on things that you have never thought of. Zeal without wise counsel can be dangerous.

 

Plans are established by counsel;

By wise counsel wage war.  Prov 20:18 

 

The third part of the ‘revelation sieve’ involves prophecy. If you received a prophecy or some other word from someone that did not know the circumstances, then they may well have heard from God. These utterances should confirm what God has already been speaking to you. Why would He take the time to speak to someone else, and not give it to you first, His own dear child of the faith? Someone else’s ‘word’ must witness with your spirit. Let peace be the umpire and judge. The God kind of peace will be real even in the midst of the pressure of your decision-making circumstances. After all, you do want to please God with your decision! He will allow you time to check things out, and will not be angry if you want to be sure. He is your Father and wants the best for you.

 

In addition be sure that you have a witness in your spirit and do not step out on someone else’s word alone. The decision must sit well with you and agree with what you already know to be the will of God for your life. If you step out on someone else’s conviction and not your own, they might move on and you may be left stranded without a sustaining sense of certainty. After all, you have to live your own life, so take the time to filter what you hear through the inner witness of your own heart. Do whatever it takes to develop a confidence in your own ability to hear the voice of God in your own heart.

 

The Example of Paul and Barnabas

 

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Acts 13:1-3

Here Saul (Paul) is sent out on his first missionary journey after the Holy Spirit spoke to the group at a special time of fasting. He leaves the local church where he had been serving to fulfill the call on his life. He had been saved and had been told by God through Ananias in Acts 9:15-18 that he was called to bear God’s name to the gentiles, even kings! We see that come to pass in the rest of the book of Acts.  Paul was trained in the Word under Gamaliel. The apostle Peter confirmed Paul’s ministry in the Word, acknowledging that there were things Paul knew that even he Peter found it hard to understand. Remember Peter had sat under Jesus, the Master, for three years!

 

In short, Paul was well grounded in the Word! He already knew that he had a call from God, yet was faithfully serving alongside other seasoned ministers in the local church in Antioch. His decision to leave the church and head on out in his ministry was no quick thing. It was the product of filtering ‘input’ from:

 

·         The written Word of God

·         What was already in his heart: the inner witness

·         A confirming supernatural utterance or prophecy

·         Counsel from wise leadership and peers

 

He became the greatest missionary of the book of Acts. The ‘revelation filter or sieve’ worked for him and his life provides a safe example for us to follow.

 

A useful rule of thumb to follow: if the decision is big, take enough time to be sure. Then have courage; it will still take faith to step out with confidence.

        For we walk by faith, not by sight.  2 Cor 5:7