In May 2021, I started writing an article about the Holy Spirit and left it in draft. At that time, I didn’t know enough to share. Well, this is the revamped article as I just laughed through what I previously wrote.
What comes to mind when you hear of the Holy Spirit?
The first words that come to my mind are comforter and helper. In John 16:8-14, Jesus speaks of a helper coming after He leaves. Here, He lists the purpose of and how the Holy Spirit (HS) operates.
Purpose
For a long time, I struggled to understand what Jesus meant when He said the Holy Spirit will do these things. What are these things?
John 16:8 NKJV says, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment“
When I read the ERV version, I understood exactly what Jesus meant. Thank God for Bible translations, making our lives easier since forever. Let’s break it down together.
Sin: John 16:9 ERV says He will prove that they are guilty of sin because they don’t believe in me. Reading this changed my perspective on how I share about Jesus. Why? Only the HS can convict someone’s heart about not believing in Jesus.
On a side note, it takes the pressure off and helps us pray ahead of evangelism.
Righteousness: The art of being right with God. In John 16:10 ERV, the Holy Spirit is solely responsible for showing us what to do and how to be right with God. The only way to be right with God is to believe in Jesus Christ.
Judgement: According to Colossians 2:14-15, by dying on the cross, Jesus disarmed principalities and powers. In essence, the works of the devil have no power over you and I once we believe in Christ. Subsequently, the HS helps the world see and understand this. John 16:11 ERV
How does the HS operate?
Well, Jesus said the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. What does that mean? There’s clarity as you keep reading John 16:12-15. The Spirit takes of what belongs to Christ and reveals it to us.
I don’t know if you’ve read it previously, but John 1:1 says in the beginning, before making the earth, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In vs 14 of the same chapter, John said the Word dwelt among flesh. Only Jesus fits this description.
The explanation draws this conclusion; the HS works within the confines of God’s word – the Bible. If the Bible doesn’t point in that direction, you’ll never hear the Spirit ask you to tow that part.
Who has the Holy Spirit?
Believers. Ephesians 1:13 says, “You heard the true message, the Good News, about the way God saves you. When you heard that good news, you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he promised“.
As long as you believe in Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit. The now question is, do you rely on the Him?
From my experience, the HS enhances the experience of anyone who relies on Him. Typically, someone asks, “How do I know if the Holy Spirit speaks to me?”
Well, He’s always speaking, but are you listening? It can be that reminder to read your Bible, pray, reach out to a friend, or even providing information you may need.
According to John 14:26, the Holy Spirit is meant to remind you & I of all that Jesus said.
The most important thing I’ve noticed is that you become sensitive to the Holy Spirit as you learn about who God is – read your Bible.
In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is a direct consequence of your salvation. This means you don’t need to beg nor roll on the floor to receive the Spirit. You already have Him. The degree to which you study your Bible influences your reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Now, you know better about the Holy Spirit. Will you rely on Him?
Thank you for reading – Funmi
Read Previous article: How God helped me know Him better in Hungary
