WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JULY 10, 2022
TOPIC: THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS
BY T. O. BANSO
“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” (John 14:26 New King James Version).
There are misconceptions about the Holy Spirit. Therefore, believers are not enjoying the ministry Holy Spirit to the fullest. The Holy Spirit is a person, not a feeling. If you depend on feelings and you don’t feel anything, you may conclude that the Holy Spirit is not at work.
The Holy Spirit is not a dove. Yes, John the Baptist said that he saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove upon Jesus (John 1:32). But we can’t because of that reduce the Holy Spirit to a dove.
The Holy Spirit is not a wind although in Acts 2:2, on the Day of Pentecost when the disciples received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind came from heaven. Neither is the Holy Spirit fire. Acts 2:3 says that on the Day of Pentecost, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of the disciples. The Holy Spirit can operate or manifest as fire or wind, but it is not limited to that. He is a person.
The Holy Spirit is not speaking in tongues! Speaking in tongues is just the manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit as it happened on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). What about John the Baptist’s statement in Luke 3:16-17b that Jesus “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”? That scripture doesn’t say the Holy Spirit is fire. It says the Holy Spirit and fire.
The Holy Spirit is a person that Jesus, before He ended His earthly ministry, promised would come. He said, “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” (John 14:26 New King James Version). He has since come.
Believers should fellowship with the Holy Spirit as a person. We should communicate with Him, ask Him questions, and tell Him to help us regarding His ministry or functions in the lives of believers.
What are the functions of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers? What is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians?
1. The Holy Spirit gives those who believe in Jesus new life from heaven. Anyone born again is born of the Spirit (John 3:3-8). No one can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). He convicts the world (sinners) of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
2. He empowers believers to tell others about Jesus (witness to others) and strengthen believers in the inner man (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 3:16). Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost was in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the end, 3,000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41).
The Holy Spirit gave utterance and boldness to Peter before the council in Acts 4:5-21. Verse 13 says when the Council members saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled; they realized that they had been with Jesus.
After the release of Peter and John, the believers prayed for courage. Verse 31 says that when the apostles had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
In Ephesians 3:16, Paul prayed for the Ephesians thus: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (New Living Translation). The Holy Spirit strengthens believers in the inner man.
3. He leads or guides believers into all truth (John 16:13a). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 15:26, 14:17a). And He leads or guides Christians into all truth.
4. He teaches believers and reminds us of all things (John 14:26b). He testifies of Jesus to believers – He tells believers all about Jesus (John 15:26). He is our teacher and reminder (1 John 2:27; John 14:26b).
5. He helps the believers to speak the right words, especially when we’re in difficult situations such as on trial (Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11-12). The Holy Spirit speaks through us the appropriate words when we are in difficult situations.
6. He helps, counsels, or comforts believers. He is called the Helper, Counselor, or Comforter (John 14:16, 26a; 16:7). For instance, the Holy Spirit helps in believers’ weaknesses, including in prayer (Romans 8:26-27).
7. He produces fruit in the believers as we allow Him to control our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). No believer can bear the fruit of the Spirit; the fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit in every believer as he cooperates with Him.
8. He gives believers spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Romans 12:6-8). All spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit. On the diverse gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:11 says, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (New King James Version).
9. He brings Jesus glory by revealing to believers whatever He receives from Jesus. In other words, He glorifies Jesus as He takes from what is His (Jesus’) and declares it to believers (John 16:14-15).
10. The Holy Spirit assures believers that we belong to God and will receive what God has promised us. Its presence in believers proves that we are God’s children. Ephesians 1:14 says the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. In other words, the Holy Spirit is a pledge, foretaste, or first instalment of our inheritance or future heritage.
If you’re born again, you need the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life. Jesus knew that the believers would need Him after His departure from this earth. That was why He promised to send Him (Luke 24:49; John 15:26; 16:7). The Holy Spirit has since come. Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with Him. Cooperate with Him to fulfil His ministry in your life. If you’re baptized with the Holy Spirit already, yield your life to Him. Don’t neglect Him.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, let the ministry of the Holy Spirit be fulfilled in my life. Holy Spirit, empower me, teach me, lead me, guide me, and help me in my weaknesses. Holy Spirit, glorify Jesus in my life. I pray that all believers will open themselves to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
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