The Holy Spirit: the How to of Christianity

Week before last I wrote a post regarding the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. We saw that the Holy Spirit is a person sent by Jesus to lead, guide, comfort, and direct us. God sent Jesus to us. Jesus completed His work here on earth and now Jesus is sending the Holy Spirit to us. (See November 17, 2010 archive)

Jesus even tells His disciples, "It is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]." (Amplified Bible)

If we want to experience the peace that passes understanding, we need to know all about this Holy Spirit who is the nuts and bolts and the how to of Christianity. Philippians 4:7 says, "And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

The disciples lived in the days of Jesus. We live in the times of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, however, has been in existence since before the beginning of time. God sent Him to specific people in the Old Testament for specific purposes. The Holy Spirit worked though a person to lead God's people and speak through that person for God. The Holy Spirit was not available to all of God's people, just the leader. In fact, the Holy Spirit could be removed from the person. That is not true today after Jesus' completed work on the cross for us. (Ephesians 4:30)

In John 13-17 we see Jesus telling the disciples, "17The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you (John 14:17).”

Jesus tells the disciples the Holy Spirit has been with them constantly BUT will be in you. There is an immense difference between those two participles "with" and "in". A friend can be with you during some of life's trials but cannot be in you living moment by moment in you through the good times and the painful times. But now, as a child of God, the Comforter is not only with you but in you 24/7.

Being an insecure person most of my life, I found this to be very comforting. I have an internal "entity" to lead me, guide me, direct me, comfort me, to intercede for me when I do not know how to pray and to strengthen me when I am weak. In John 16: 14 & 15 Jesus states, "Everything that the Father has is Mine. He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.” It is the Holy Spirit with whom we have close contact with. He is the one prompting and revealing God's will for your life moment by moment.

I want to digress by saying, I believe God has a general will for each and every one of us. Meaning, there are certain everyday principles by which we are to live. But I also believe God has a specific will that is unique for each of us. This unique will is another reason we are not to judge others when they are not on "our page" in our walk with the Lord. Some folks have a lot to work though due to situations beyond their control. Situations they were submitted to as a child resulting in compromising choices made in the present. God takes us where He finds us and walks us through to health and wholeness. Many people have a longer journey to experientially experience that wholeness, yet the Spirit of God is working in these people's lives just as mightily as He is in our lives. The only thing I ever look for in a person is that person's "desire" to be all that God created them to be. When two Christians' desires converge to be all that God created them to be, we can fellowship with Christians whose lives may be "all over the place", if you will.

We discover the Holy Spirit is the writer of the Old and New Testament as He inspired men of old to write down God's words for us. 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, " 20[Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving).

21For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so--it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were born along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit."

Technically, because the Holy Spirit is the One who wrote Scripture, He also is the one who quickens God's word to your heart just at the time you need to hear what God wants to say specifically to you that day for your particular situation. As you experience this phenomenon, you find your desire to lean on God becomes greater and greater.

After Jesus' resurrection we find a short verse that can be overlooked. It is during Jesus' first appearing with the 11 disciples behind closed doors. (John 20:19-22) In the evening on Sunday Jesus appeared and stood among them and said, "Peace to you!" He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples saw the Lord and were filled with ecstasy.

Then Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! Just as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you." And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Most of us are familiar with the account of the day of Pentecost and the tongues of fire and the speaking in tongues that happened after Jesus' ascension back to His Father(Acts 1). What and why does there seem to be two accounts? It appears to me (the one who is not an educated theological scholar) this experience with Jesus was the fulfillment of Jesus' numerous promises in John 13-17; That for a little while you will not see me, but I will return and you will be filled with great joy. You will receive the comforter, the Holy Spirit of God who will be in you not just with you. (My shortened account)

As I write this I think of those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. As you know at the moment of surrender we receive the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did in that closed door room. And what does the Bible say about us? We are born again. We are born once of water as a mother's water breaks and we enter into this world. Remember Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a ruler (a leader, an authority) among the Jews, who snuck in during the night to talk with Jesus. In John 3 he was, told "You must be born of water and of the spirit." You must be born a second time; once into your family of origin and a second time into the family of God. Just as we are born again, I believe the disciples were born again that day. They could not have been born again as they traveled with Jesus prior to the crucifixion. Why? Because, Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. The New Covenant had not yet begun. What do you think?