Bible Study 028 - The Holy Spirit

We are admonished to do the Lord’s will by being “filled with the Spirit.”
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk
with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, - Ephesians 5:17-18

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person who can be received and rejected, lied to and grieved; a
Helper who can dwell with us and live in us.

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you
forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back
part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the
apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit
and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?While it remained, was it not your own?
And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your
heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” - Acts 5:1-4

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. -
Ephesians 4:30

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit each played a distinct role at Jesus’ baptism.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the
heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting
upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:16-17

Jesus included the Holy Spirit in the baptismal formula as an equal with the Father and the
Son. As God, sharing all of the divine qualities that distinguish God from the created
order, they are co-equal partners working for the salvation of the world. One God—three
Persons.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and
on earth. Go thereforeand make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, - Matthew 28:18-19

The Role of the Holy Spirit In the Plan of Salvation

The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of the world and the birth of Jesus.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void;
and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of
the waters. - Genesis 1:1-2

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called
the Son of God. – Luke 1:35

The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets who wrote the Bible. Thus He can help us
understand what the Bible means. This encourages us to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance
when we read the Scriptures, for it is not great education or great intellect, but humble,
obedient submission to the leading of God’s Spirit that enables us to understand His word.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy
never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:20-21

But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us
through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man
knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows
the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by
God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy
Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:9-14

Even though the Holy Spirit played a very active role in the carrying out of God’s plan of
salvation throughout the Old Testament period, there is a sense in which He “was not yet
given” to the world until Jesus came, because the life, death and resurrection of Jesus gave
Him so much more to testify about in His efforts to draw people to a saving relationship
with God.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts,
let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart
will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing
in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
- John 7:37-39

The new age of the Holy Spirit, when the Spirit began to give full testimony to the meaning
of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection began on the day of Pentecost—50 days after the
Passover on which Jesus died; 10 days after Jesus ascended to heaven, during which the
followers of Jesus were praying in one accord. Three thousand people were converted to
Jesus on that very day as a result of their Spirit-empowered witness.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole
house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one
sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came
together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then
Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit....For the promise is to you
and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And
with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse
generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three
thousand souls were added to them. - Acts 2:1-6,38-41

The Holy Spirit (the Helper, the Spirit of Truth) represents the Father and Son to us, and
testifies to us of Jesus.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. - John 15:26

The Holy Spirit represents Jesus’ presence to us in Jesus’ absence. He convicts the world of
sin, righteousness and judgment to come, and guides us into all truth.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.And when He has come,
He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:of sin, because they do
not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;of
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but
you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you
into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak;
and He will tell you things to come. - John 16:7-13

The Holy Spirit is the active agent in the new birth, creating within us new desires and
aspirations, new hopes, new thoughts and behaviors, and a new capacity for knowing God
and for influencing others for His kingdom. He changes our hearts, making us into new
people who are able to prophesy or testify about God and His truth.

Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be
turned into another man...So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God
gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. When they came there to the
hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he
prophesied among them. - 1 Samuel 10:6, 9-10

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is
old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”Jesus answered, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God. - John 3:3-5

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and
pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and
the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Savior,that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of
eternal life. - Titus 3:3-7
The Holy Spirit will teach us everything we need to know for salvation and effective witness
for God.
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

The Holy Spirit bears witness within us that we are God’s children. No one can take that
assurance away from us.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,
“Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and
if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him,
that we may also be glorified together. - Romans 8:14-17

The Holy Spirit changes our heart and enables us to live in obedience to God.

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your
filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I
will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit
within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
- Ezekiel 36:25-27

As we pray, the Holy Spirit joins us “with groanings which cannot be uttered,” empowering
our prayers, interceding for us and for those we pray for.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as
we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He
makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. - Romans 8:26-27

The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses for God.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses
to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

To the extent that we allow the Holy Spirit to have access to our hearts and to have His way
in our lives, they will manifest “the fruits of the Spirit” rather than “the works of the
flesh.”

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.For the flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that
you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[a] fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you
beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are
Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit. - Galatians 5:16-25

The Unpardonable Sin

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one sin that will not be forgiven. This is not a
specific sin, such as adultery or murder or some other terrible act, nor is it some careless
word spoken against the Holy Spirit. Rather, it involves repeated rejection of the Holy
Spirit’s appeals to a person’s heart to the point where one becomes completely calloused to
the Spirit’s appeals for repentance, irrevocably resistant to any work God wants to
accomplish in one’s life, and unconcerned about the salvation of others. If God is unable to
reach someone’s heart anymore with the appeals of the gospel, He will ultimately,
grievingly, let them go.

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy
against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it
will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him,
either in this age or in the age to come. - Matthew 12:31-32

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD And the praises of the LORD, According to all
that the LORD has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He
has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His
lovingkindnesses. For He said, “Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.”
So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence
saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them
All the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against
them as an enemy, And He fought against them. - Isaiah 63:7-10

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and
have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,and have tasted the good word of God and the powers
of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again
for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the
rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives
blessing from God;but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose
end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things
that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your
work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to
the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the
full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who
through faith and patience inherit the promises. - Hebrews 6:4-12

After David’s great sin of adultery and murder, he deeply repented and prayed that the
Holy Spirit would not leave him, and his prayer was answered. David was later listed
among the great men of faith who will inherit the promise of eternal life at the second
coming of Jesus. There is no past sin that cannot be forgiven as long as our hearts are
presently open to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in our lives.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.Make me
hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.Hide Your face from my
sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast
spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit
from me. - Psalm 51:7-11

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson
and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms,
worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of
fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still
others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were
stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not
worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these,
having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having
provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. - Hebrews
11:32-40

How We Can Receive the Holy Spirit

This text tells us how we can be assured of having the Holy Spirit in our lives constantly.
(1)Ask for Him, and (2) believe that God hears and answers your prayer. Your prayer and
faith must also be accompanied by (3) a desire and commitment to obey God, realizing that
the Holy Spirit will have to make that possible by His sanctifying work in your heart.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks
it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?Or if he asks for an egg, will
he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” - Luke
11:9-13

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them,
and you will have them. - Mark 11:24

And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey Him.” - Acts 5:32

Compiled by Skip MacCarty

Published by Elijah3, L.L.C.