The Work of the Holy

Spirit
Chapter 30
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
By: Dr. Wayne Grudem
1.Define the work of the Holy Spirit:
• The work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God
in the world, and especially in the church.
• The Holy Spirit’s work is to complete and sustain what God the Father
has planned and what God the Son has begun,

i.for in Genesis 1:2, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

ii.And at Pentecost, with the beginning of the new creation in Christ, the Holy
Spirit comes to grant power to the church (Acts 10:38; 2:4, 17–18).
2.Fill in the blanks:
• The Holy Spirit is now the primary manifestation of
the presence of the Trinity among us. He is the one
who is most prominently present with us now.
 3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
The Holy Spirit purifies
• Since this member of the Trinity is called the Holy Spirit, it is not surprising
to find that one of his primary activities is to cleanse us from sin and to
“sanctify us” or make us more holy in actual conduct of life.
i.Even in the lives of unbelievers, there is some restraining influence of
the Holy Spirit as he convicts the world of sin (John 16:8–11; Acts 7:51).

ii.But when people become Christians, the Holy Spirit does an initial
cleansing work in them, making a decisive break with the patterns of sin
that were in their lives before.
3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
• Paul says of the Corinthians, “You were washed, you were sanctified ,
you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God ” (1 Cor. 6:11; see also Titus 3:5).

• Sanctification comes by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13; 1

Peter 1:2; cf. Rom. 8:4, 15–16), so that it is “ by the Spirit ” that we are
able to “put to death the deeds of the body” and grow in personal
holiness (Rom. 8:13; see 7:6; Phil. 1:19).
3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
The Holy Spirit unifies
• When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church at Pentecost,
Peter proclaimed that the prophecy of Joel 2:28–32 was fulfilled: But
this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel.
• And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that
• I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy,
• and your young men shall see visions,
• and your old men shall dream dreams;
• even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my
Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
• (Acts 2:16–18) There is an emphasis on the Holy Spirit coming on a community of
believers.
• Not just a leader like Moses or Joshua, but sons and daughters, old men and young men,
menservants and maidservants—all will receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in this
time.

• On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit created a new community, the church. The
community was marked by unprecedented unity, as Luke reminds us: And all who
believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their
possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And
day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they
received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all
the people.
3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
The Holy Spirit reveals
Revelation to Prophets and Apostles

i.The Old Testament Scriptures came about because “men spoke from God as they were carried
along by the Holy Spirit ” (2 Peter 1:21). Several other passages mention the work of the Holy Spirit
in Old Testament prophets (see Matt. 22:43; Acts 1:16; 4:25; 28:25; 1 Peter 1:11).

ii.The New Testament apostles and others who wrote words of New Testament Scripture were also
guided “into all the truth” by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), who also spoke to the apostles what he
heard from the Father and the Son and declared to them “the things that are to come” (John 16:13;
cf. Eph. 3:5). Others who were filled with the Holy Spirit also spoke or sang words that became part
of Scripture, such as Elizabeth (Luke 1:41), Zechariah (Luke 1:67), and Simeon (Luke 2:25)
3.Name the four ways the Spirit brings evidence
of God’s presence and blessing, and give
an example of each:
The Holy Spirit empowers
He Gives Power for Service
a.Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit frequently
empowered people for special service. He empowered Joshua with
leadership skills and wisdom (Num. 27:18; Deut. 34:9)
b. New Testament. The empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the New
Testament is seen first and most fully in his anointing and empowering of
Jesus as the Messiah. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at his baptism
(Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). John the Baptist said, “I saw the Spirit
descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him” (John 1:32).
4.What are some ways in which the Holy
Spirit brings about holiness in our lives?
• After the initial break with sin that the Holy Spirit brings about in our
lives at conversion, he also produces in us growth in holiness of life.
He brings forth the “ fruit of the Spirit ” within us (“love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,”
Gal. 5:22–23), those qualities that reflect the character of God. As we
continually “are being transformed into the same image from one
degree of glory to another,” we should be reminded that “this comes
from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).
5. How did the Spirit work in the Old
Testament?
• From the very beginning of creation we have an indication that the Holy Spirit’s work is
to complete and sustain what God the Father has planned and what God the Son has
begun, for in Genesis 1:2, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
• Even in the Old Testament, it was predicted that the presence of the Holy Spirit would
bring abundant blessings from God: Isaiah predicted a time when the Spirit would bring
great renewal.

• until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high , and the wilderness becomes a fruitful
field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be
peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide
in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. (Isa. 32:14–18)
6.Define “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” using the
context of the passages in which it is mentioned (Matt.
12:22–32; Mark 3:22–30).
• Even in the Old Testament, it was predicted that the presence of the Holy
Spirit would bring abundant blessings from God: Isaiah predicted a time
when the Spirit would bring great renewal.

• until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high , and the wilderness
becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then
justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful
field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of
righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a
peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. (Isa.
32:14–18)
7.As you consider the teaching of Scripture regarding the
Holy Spirit, what are some ways to discern whether the
Spirit is the one leading you?
• Paul is saying that if you are led by the Holy Spirit, you
will be following the desires of the Holy Spirit, and
those desires will guide you to fulfill God’s moral law:
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires
of the flesh ” (Gal. 5:16–17).
• PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT
• 8.How often do you think about the Holy Spirit’s work in your life?
• Almost all of the time.

• 9.Have you practiced walking by the Spirit? What things could you place in your life to remind you
of your dependence on the Spirit?

• Yes. I keep reminding myself through His Word daily and spending quiet time every morning
contemplating on what happened yesterday and what right things I should do today.

• 10. As you close your time in this chapter, thank the Lord for his work in your life through the power
of the Holy Spirit, and ask him to continue that work in greater measure. [Your Response Here]