The Holy Spirit. The Power of God

The Holy Spirit The Power of God

Agenda What does the word Spirit mean What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit? Examples of God using the spirit Man using the spirit Can people posses the spirit today?

The word spirit in the OT 07307 ruwach AV-Spirit or spirit 232, wind 92, breath 27, side 6, mind 5, blast 4, vain 2, air 1, anger 1, cool 1, courage 1, misc 6; x378 Means: Literally: wind, breath Metaphorically: mind

The word spirit in the NT 4151 pneuma AV-Spirit 111, (Holy) Ghost 89, Spirit (of God) 13, Spirit (of the Lord) 5, (My) Spirit 3, Spirit (of truth) 3, Spirit (of Christ) 2, human (spirit) 49, (evil) spirit 47, spirit (general) 26, spirit 8, (Jesus own) spirit 6, (Jesus own) ghost 2, misc 21; x385 Means: A movement of air A disposition or emotion of a person

Modern language & the word spirit Still has the same root meaning For example Expire Ek = out Spir = breath Therefore to breath out

Example Lu 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit <4151>: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost <1606> 1606 ekpnew ekpneo from 1537 and 4154; AV-give up the ghost 3; 3 Lit: to breathe out, breathe out one s life, breathe one s last, expire

In a similar way: Opposite of Expire Inspire defined in several ways 1: to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale. 2: to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence: His courage inspired his followers. 3: to influence or impel: Competition inspired her to greater efforts. 4: to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence: writings inspired by God. 5: to guide or control by divine influence.

What is the Holy Spirit? Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost (spirit) shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

What is the Holy Spirit? Note in Luke 1:35 The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee Is equated with The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore the Holy Spirit = The power of the Highest i.e. the Holy Spirit = Power of God Note a power NOT a person

Why is it called a Spirit Remember spirit = wind / breath The power of God is like the wind It is infinitely powerful It cannot be seen Just like the wind Can be a soft gentle breeze Can be a raging storm You can t see it BUT you can see it s effect

What is the Purpose of the Holy Spirit?

Example Used in creation Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit <07307> of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Example Used to sustain God s creation Ps 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit <07307>. God s spirit used freely to maintain order in nature Continually In all places of the world simultaneously

Example Used of angels to carry out God s purpose today in the world Ps 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits <07307>; his ministers a flaming fire: His angels are spirit beings, they do not have or need physical substance They are like the wind / breath They exercise His power on His behalf

Examples of people having the Holy Spirit

Example Rare use in the Old Testament of a person having the Holy Spirit E.g. David after he had sinned with Bathsheba Ps 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit <07307> from me.

Possession of the Holy Spirit Clearly God can use His spirit whenever he wants for whatever purpose He wants The power was given to Jesus also in unlimited form This makes his temptations even more challenging! Men are occasionally given the spirit in limited form Ro 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Why would Holy Spirit be given to man? 1 Cor 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. i.e for profit or benefit

God s giving for a purpose To make the Tabernacle Ex 31:2-5 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. Note Bezaleel could not speak in tongues or heal people!

God s giving for a purpose Gift of tongues Acts 2:6-9 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Note Peter could not make beautiful things in gold!

Ranking of gifts 1 Cor 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, First apostles, Secondarily prophets, Thirdly teachers, After that miracles, Then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Why were apostles first? What was special about the gift of an apostle? We will show Apostles uniquely had the ability to pass on the Holy Spirit to others

Philip There were two Philip s in the New Testament Philip the apostle Ac 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. Philip the evangelist Ac 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

Acts 8 Philip in Samaria could heal, Acts 8v6 Followed by Peter & John (apostles) to pass on the Holy Spirit V18-19 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

Acts 8 - Conclusion Philip the evangelist had the Holy Spirit Was unable to pass on the Holy Spirit to others Apostles were required to do this and had to come from Jerusalem for this purpose

1 Cor 13 The gifts were to die out along with the apostles V8-10 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Perfect = Complete 5046 teleiov teleios AV-perfect 17, man 1, of full age 1; 19 1) brought to its end, finished 2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness 3) perfect 4) that which is perfect 4a) consummate human integrity and virtue 4b) of men 4b1) full grown, adult, of full age, mature

Perfect = Complete What was due to be completed but had not yet been completed? What was going to be perfect when it was completed? Answer = The inspired Holy Scriptures Note inspired by the Holt Spirit

Gifts that are claimed today The testing the gifts claimed today shows significant differences from that which is recorded in Scripture during the first century What is claimed today is mistakenly attributed to the Holy Spirit

Gifts of Healing

Gifts of Healing Healing was almost always instant E.g. Jesus with Malchus s ear John 18:10 Healing was for two reasons Primarily as a demonstration that God was with the person doing the healing Also as a demonstration of compassion

Gifts of Tongues

Gifts of Tongues Acts 2 A coherent language V13 otherwise the accusation would have been correct! V9-11 real languages are mentioned Note a gift of tongues NOT hearing V6 every man heard them speak V11 we do hear them speak in our tongues Today people cannot do this They just make ecstatic utterances Note references in 1Cor 14 to unknown tongue the word unknown is NOT in the original

Holy Spirit in the Future Jesus will use God s power to establish His Kingdom when he returns back to the earth Luke 21:27 and then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with POWER and great glory

Summary

Summary The Holy Spirit is the power of God

Summary The Holy Spirit is the power of God It is a power and not a person

Summary The Holy Spirit is the power of God It is a power and not a person God uses the Spirit as he sees fit for his purpose

Summary The Holy Spirit is the power of God It is a power and not a person God uses the Spirit as he sees fit for his purpose Man has occasionally been given the power in the past for specific purposes These gifts died out early in the 2 nd century AD These gifts are not available for use by man today

For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.