Part S - The Holy Spirit
Why is He, who is He and what does He do?
If we follow and pay attention to everything what is happening in the nature around us, quickly we will discover that everything has its proper order, proper place and appropriate speed. After the spring doesn’t follow immediately winter and after the night isn’t instantly day. The speed of all what is happening around us is irreversibly established and proceeds according to these preset rules. All God’s creation takes its time and is in no way rushed. Nature around us testifies to God’s profound patience. Same speed of growth we can observe with a man. As he was unable to walk right after his birth, so is he unable to organize his life immediately. He needs time. However, sometime during his/her life, each person must choose which route he/she will take. From the Bible we know them as the way of life or the way of death. I am convinced that at the beginning God does not demand very much from man. Only to make a certain decision, or more clearly spoken, person must make a conscientious choice. When man is grown up, he himself must decide how he will carry on in his life. He can choose to do good, that means, overall follow the rules and moral values of the society he lives in, or he can choose evil, which means to go against the established moral code, ethical values and rules. In a certain sense it is following the natural or by nature established order. The determiner of rightness or wrongness of man’s decisions is then his conscience. Conscience is man’s ethical and moral principle which is governing person’s actions and to a great degree his thoughts as well. It is person’s own sense of what is right and wrong.
Rom.2:15: ..their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
Titus1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
Man is not governed strictly by instincts as are the animals but is a thinking creature. He weighs his experiences, observations and all gathered or accumulated knowledge and his conscience is forcing him to other decisions and choices. His mind performs all of the above and is responsible for this whole process. What Bible considers as man’s mind?
1 Cor.2:11-16: For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. .... 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
From these verses we can see that the Bible considers man’s mind and his spirit as one and the same. We can read verse 11 as follows: For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s mind within him?
Evidence of this we find in verse 16 where Paul speaks about believers having Lord’s Spirit, but he uses expression “having the mind of Christ.” Over the years we have come into a habit to understand under the word “mind” mainly person’s intellectual faculties, while under the expression “spirit” we see predominantly person’s emotions. But in the above quoted verses, Bible does not distinguish between them. Above, both are considered the same. Man’s spirit and his state of mind is in the verses above carrying one and the same meaning.
For a man to be able to have faith and believe God, his own mind, (his own spirit) is not adequate. Man needs aid. He needs God’s help. This assistance or help comes to man in the form of God’s Spirit.
1 Cor.2:14: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
To understand at least a little bit about the Holy Spirit, I will try to answer here three basic questions:
Why is He, who is He and what does He do?
The answer on the first question we have already partially obtained above. The Holy Spirit is on this earth mainly to lead man back to God and to help him to understand all things of God better. Without the influence of the Spirit, man would be unable to understand spiritual things.
On the second question “who is He,” we cannot answer anymore as Christian tradition does or as is believed in almost all denominations and churches. As man’s spirit is not a person or some individual entity, same way God’s Spirit is not some individual being or an independent personage. (See also Part R).
1 Cor.2:16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
The word “mind” and the word “Spirit” is here interchangeable. We can read it as: For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the Spirit of Christ. Same way it is with the last part of verse 11:
1 Cor.2:11: ...In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
It can be read as: In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the mind of God.
Expression “Holy Spirit” equals to “God’s Spirit.”
Expression “God’s Spirit” equals to “Christ’s Spirit.”
Expression “Christ’s Spirit” equals to “Christ’s mind.”
Expression “Christ’s mind” equals to “God’s mind.”
In short God’s Spirit is in reality the power of God’s mind. The sum of all God’s thinking - His thoughts, plans, intentions, views, knowledge and also His emotions and feelings all that combined, forms God’s mind which is in fact God’s Spirit.
The biggest difference between man’s spirit and God’s Spirit is that while man’s spirit by itself is powerless to do and accomplish anything, God’s Spirit by itself is all-powerful and can accomplish everything.
Man’s spirit for most part controls his own mind (controls self) and to be able to accomplish anything, needs a body which his mind can control. In man’s case it is always his own body. Without the ability to control it man cannot do and accomplish anything except to think. Prime example are those who are totally paralyzed.
We know of other spirits which are not visible, but exist in our world. Using different names, we call them fallen angels or demons or devils. For all these spirits to function or to accomplish anything in our world, they must gain possession of some kind of body or a mind. That is why, man’s mind can be also controlled and influenced to a smaller or a larger degree by these other spirits. If it is an evil spirit we call it possession. The person is possessed. Man’s way of thinking is then influenced not only by his own mind (spirit), but also by some fallen angel’s spirit (fallen angel’s mind), or by demon’s spirit (demon’s mind). There can be more of them than one. Finally in case of the believer, he/she is then gladly influenced and affected by God’s Spirit or God’s mind. If man’s mind could be controlled solely by his own spirit, without considering external influence of some other spirits (demons) on our way of thinking, we can then claim that man’s spirit is his mind and man’s mind is his spirit.
On the other hand God’s Spirit or God’s mind to be able to accomplish anything in this world or anywhere else, does not need a body to function as man does, but God needs only His own consent. In other words, God only has to will it. However, for the Holy Spirit to bring the change in man, man must give his permission. God’s mind or God’s Spirit is God’s active power by which He achieves everything. Is Holy Spirit then a separate being of God or some separate personage of Godhead? The answer is simple: No!
God’s Spirit is active power of God’s mind.
Since no one else can by force possess, influence or control God’s mind except He Himself (as it isn’t the case with a man), it is then much easier to claim:
God’s Spirit is the sum of all God’s power, thoughts and emotions, which is His mind.
Finally to the third question:
What does the Spirit do?
Firstly:
The work of the Spirit is to change our way of thinking into God’s way or Christ’s way of thinking. His work is to transform our spirit (our mind) so, that it would be in harmony with God. The remaining part of this chapter will be devoted to how the Spirit of God does it in us.
How does God’s Spirit transform us and what does He demand from us? We know that God is holy, and He wishes that we would be holy also. His holiness is reflected in His character. God is patient, merciful, quiet, peaceful, truthful and faithful and so forth. The same thing He also asks from us. We know that God is love:
1 Cor.13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
We also know that God created man to His own image, therefore our hearts and minds have to be changed, so that we can reflect Him more fully. This change of our spirit which is the change of our mind (our thinking) and our heart (our feelings and emotions toward God) is not instantaneous but starts slowly in our mind and we have to let the Holy Spirit do it slowly in us. He does it by teaching us about God and we do it by learning it.
Rev.3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
First we encounter God’s word. Either we hear or read it. It is the beginning of the influence of the Spirit on us.
John 6:63: The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
First we realize what God demands from us, compared to what we are. When we accept God’s gift of salvation - His son Jesus Christ, and we begin to believe, we become Christian infants. Jesus calls it being born again.
John 3:6-7: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
When we start learning more about God from his word - the Bible, we will slowly begin to change our opinions, our views and our actions and start bringing them more into harmony with God’s will for us.
All this gradual change is caused by God’s word - God’s Spirit. The change of man from enmity into a friendship with God and a greater harmony with Him works on the following principle:
Through God’s word and His Spirit comes the truth about God. This truth changes our thinking. This changed thinking causes change in our views and opinions. These in turn change our actions. All these then slowly change our character and eventually our life destiny.
As long as we will not forsake His word - the Bible, and will put an effort to get to know God better, by His Spirit He will be gradually changing us more into God’s image. By the principle: thought - view - opinion - action - character - destiny, God’s Spirit is transforming our spirit. Bible calls it renewing our minds:
Rom.12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Or, being renewed in the image of the Creator:
Col.3:9-10: Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
It is called growing into maturity:
Eph.4:13: until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
On this road of man to full surrender to the Spirit, the enemy placed many obstacles and hurdles. Our God is aware of all this. That is why this process is not immediate but gradual, depending on how much truth we can handle at once and how fast we can absorb it. It is not a question of one moment as many believe and teach, but lifelong battle with self. This battle starts in the moment, when God’s word comes to our attention. Our mind (our spirit) registers this word and starts to weigh and consider if he should accept or reject it. On some, this first encounter with God’s word has strong effect, on others only little and on some none at all. But God’s Spirit is persistent and may bring man’s attention on same subject repeatedly many times. This is happening with every new thought God’s word or the Spirit brings to our attention.
In our minds is then waged battle between our old thoughts on that particular subject and between the new one the Spirit of God has brought. The battle is waged between our spirit and God’s Spirit (our mind and God’s mind). Our mind sometime wants to hold on to the old, what he is already familiar with, but the Spirit of God is by His word (by the Bible) convincing man to change and come into harmony with the truth. Our conscience is then pressing us to change.
At this same time, the enemy of God is highly active as well. These fallen spirits are whichever way attempting to block this change in us and trying to prevent us from receiving the truth. With all kind of arguments and enticements are attempting to turn us away from taking correct steps, so we would not change our thoughts and views on this or that new understanding, which came to us from God’s word or from the leading of the Spirit.
There are those who hear God’s word but do not believe.
Luke 8:5 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Luke 8:12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
At this beginning phase can be recognized two major directions of resistance (two major countermeasures) taken by these fallen spirits against the workings of God’s Spirit on the mind or spirit of man.
1) Through various enticements man is led to forget about God and by different temptations his mind is occupied on things of this world.
2) By keeping man busy chasing after material wealth (possessions), power or the fame, man has no time for God. These two enticements are preventing large portion of people who heard God’s word, to come to Him and get to know Him better.
L.8:14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
When we accept God’s word and start to walk the way of life, on the scale of spiritual development we are only in the stage of spiritual infants. Large amount of spiritual food (spiritual knowledge and understanding) must be digested and accepted before the believer spiritually matures. And again in this phase of man’s spiritual development and growing up, the enemy is very active to prevent man’s spiritual growth. This enemy’s activity is done often directly in the churches. Through other believers and sometime through the pastors and ministers themselves the enemy is trying to slow down or stop entirely person’s spiritual growing or maturing.
Too often we see the leaders of the various churches, how they are trying to suppress individual thinking when it does not correspond to established church doctrines, even if these doctrines have no Biblical foundation. Many times to go against the teaching of the church is considered as rising up against God’s Spirit.
We should realize, that if we accept enough half-truths or false teachings, the change wrought in our spirit (our mind) will not be in harmony with God’s truth and will not be in the image of God but in the image of His enemy. The person is then on it worst off, then before. From frying pan he got into the fire. If his knowledge and understanding of God consist of many lies and false teachings, the believer is then not able to spiritually mature. And exactly that, is objective of God’s enemies.
If receiving the magnitude of God’s Spirit in us is directly connected with renewing our minds, then it is logical that the more our minds (spirits) are changed to the true pattern of Christ under the guidance of the Spirit, the more and the greater truths we will be able to accept. God then can use us for His plans and purposes in a greater degree then those who stagnated in their spiritual growth. For that reason:
Get to know true God!
J.17:3:Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
In this study I have concentrated my attention only on the intellectual aspects of God’s Spirit. We have looked into the workings of God and His Spirit on us, and how the enemy is succeeding to cloud our knowledge and understanding of it. The emotional side (feelings) of God’s Spirit (mind) and the effect on us was in this study for most part ignored. The main reason for this omission is that I feel that there are many other Christian writers, who are far more eloquent in language, to pen it clearer for your understanding. Most of God’s emotional attributes which He would like to impart to us are depending on our own spiritual growing up. Love is the final product of the fruit of the Spirit and embraces all other.
Gal.5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
However, there is one emotional attribute, which every one of us can and should claim right on the beginning, when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior. The Spirit of God desires to impart it to everyone who believes. It is peace. Mainly peace with God.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Rom.5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
The other emotional attribute is Jesus’ joy. Every Christian, as he/she learns more about God and Jesus Christ should be filled with it! The joy and gladness of the heart is the result and reward of knowing and understanding God and Jesus Christ better, and is believers springboard to his/her spiritual well-being. It is amazing how few believers radiate this happiness, this inner joy and gladness of their heart.
John 15:11: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Rom.14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Evidence that the Spirit of God is with you and in you does not come by working yourselves into some spiritual ecstasy, or by your efforts to achieve some heightened state of your feelings. Some churches employ these methods and pass them off as an evidence of the presence of the Spirit among them. Those churches teach you, how to get into a Spirit. More accurately they teach you, how to get a spirit in you. Sadly, that is the way to get possessed by any spirit of demons or devils, but seldom by the Spirit of God!
To be filled with the true Spirit of God is to be filled with following:
Isa.11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -
Secondly:
The Holy Spirit may empower believers with special gifts or skills if human strength or wisdom is inadequate for the work God assigned them to accomplish. In the Old Testament we can find many instances, where God supplemented human weaknesses with the strength, power and wisdom of His Spirit (mind).
Exo.31:1-3 Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--
This passage explains what it really is, to be filled with the Spirit of God. In this case, it was being filled with various skills, in other words, with knowledge in different kinds of crafts and with ability (power) to do them, even so before that, this man was not up to a par (up to God’s standard).
Num.11:17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.
To help Moses ease the burden, God promises to take some of the Spirit (God’s mind of wisdom, understanding and strength) that He gave to Moses and promises to put it also on 70 chosen leaders to help him carry the burden over Israel.
Judg.14:6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands
Samson is supplemented with the strength from the Lord.
Acts:2:1-6: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
First) To spread the gospel Jesus’ followers are empowered to speak in various languages, so the people from surrounding countries who visited Jerusalem could hear the message of the gospel in their own language. In these cases the Spirit (God’s mind) supplemented human mind and gave them instant ability to speak in these various languages without them learning it first. This is the genuine “speaking in tongues.” The babbling nonsense which we hear today in many churches are in many cases pure and simple devils counterfeits. If there is no one who can translate or interpret it, then there is no benefit to their babbling. (1 Cor.14:1-19).
Second) Why the Spirit of God made such a raucous when He came to rest upon them? Is this the way, how the Spirit manifests Himself whenever God’s Spirit rests on someone? Disciples and other followers of Jesus were waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. If God’s Spirit would come upon them as He normally comes upon His people, they would not be even aware of it. They would not be sure that the promised Spirit arrived and indwelt them. Something spectacular was required. The Spirit of God supplied it in the form of violent wind and tongues of fire. That way nobody could miss it and at the same time curiosity was aroused by everyone in Jerusalem for the sole purpose to spread the gospel, by inquiring what all that excitement was about.
1Cor.12:7-10: Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
The gifts are never given for self-gratification or some self-centered motives, like making business out of it. The manifestation of the Spirit in the form of various gifts is always given for betterment of others (for the common good). I would like to stress strongly one more time to everyone, that the Holy Spirit in overwhelming majority of cases does not come upon the believer in any visible, audible or some other sensory experience, or some extra noticeable way to an outside observer. In most cases the believer himself is not aware of it either. We accept the indwelling of the Spirit in us by faith.
The day of Pentecost and the short period of time after, was an exception to a rule. What some ministries in these days perform in front of the cameras as imparting the Holy Spirit by laying their hands on people, and people falling almost over each other, is another counterfeit of the devil. They are doing it for show and mainly to get your financial support. They are getting rich on your ignorance - on your lack of spiritual understanding.
Notice how the Lord almost always comes to those who are His.
1King 19:11-13: The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
The Spirit of God comes to us as a gentle whisper. No outward show for the benefit of a crowd. He is gently leading us and guiding us to know and understand God better and is leading our hearts (spirits) to come into harmony with His character, principles, plans and purposes, so we can become more and more like Him. It is called: Growing into a mature Christian or attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. For only this reason the gifts were given.
Eph.4:11-14: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
If we are truly guided by the Holy Spirit, this same Spirit will always lead us back to God’s word or teaching of Christ! (I will repeat it for emphasis),
The Holy Spirit will always lead us back to God’s word - the Bible!
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Do not be misled by the multitude of people claiming to receive Spirit from God in the form of some new revelation or vision or a dream. Do not believe some appearance of an apparition or phantom figure bringing more enlightenment or a new message, like many catholic believers experienced. Even if they claim that their new visions explain better God’s word - the Bible, none of these visions, dreams or apparitions originated with God. They are given for a sole and only purpose to confuse you and lead you away from Jesus Christ or from God and or from His word - the Bible.
Revelation A to Z - Part S
Your friend in Jesus
HH