Life in the Spirit

When we consider the first five articles on this website, it becomes apparent the life of a Christian is often quite different from that of the non believers. Those who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord are called to make changes in their lives. How can we make these changes? How can we stop being who we are and become new persons? Jesus told Nicodemus that he would have to be born again. Nicodemus asked Jesus, how is this possible? Jesus replied that he would have to be born again of the Spirit. His life must be changed. Those who are born of the Spirit will live by the Spirit. The flesh produces things of the flesh. The Spirit produces things of the Spirit (John 3:3-6). These changes are wrought by God through the power of the second and third persons in the Godhead. The second person, the WORD of God speaks the mind of God so that change takes place. The third person, the Spirit of God is the power of God that makes change possible.

This power of the Spirit and the Word is seen in Genesis 1:2. The Spirit moves on the watery chaos followed by the Word of God, His thoughts and intents, being expressed in verse 3-26 resulting in God determining that all of His intentions in creation were brought to God’s desired outcome; “God saw that it was good.” In Acts (2:1-4) the disciples were gathered together waiting for the promise of the one that Jesus had told them would come. The Spirit came into the room with the sound of a violent wind. Tongues of fire sat on each disciple and they were able to speak the word with the tongue that the Spirit had given to each one.

In my Christian journey I have noticed that in the last several years that Christians in many faith communities seldom talk about making change to their lives by living in the Holy Spirit. There is a great emphasis on studying the Word. Unfortunately many Christians read the Scriptures on a regular basis, but it seems to be a struggle to live as the scriptures tell them to. It seems that often Christians act as if they think that if they just read the scriptures diligently they will learn how to live for God. In this article I want to explore the work of the Holy Spirit as it relates to our ability to live out the scriptures. Why is the work of the Holy Spirit misunderstood and why do Christians neglect the power of the Holy Spirit.

The following three reasons are suggestions of this failure: Ignorance and unfamiliarity due to a lack of study and discussions about the work of the Holy Spirit in our churches. A second reason may be rebellion and self righteousness. The Word through the Holy Spirit calls for changes in our lives that we do not want to make. Like the Israelites on Mount Carmel, we are torn between the gods of this world and the God of heaven (1 Kings 18:21). We are torn between that which is of the flesh and that which is of the Spirit. Self righteousness refers to the belief that we are already of our own free will and choice doing what is necessary be righteous before God. A third reason may be fear; that is, we are afraid of the Holy Spirit. This fear may come as a result of the previous two reasons. Since we seldom hear anything about the Holy Spirit and since we do not often see His power demonstrated in the lives of Christians that we know, ignorance and unfamiliarity cause us to be afraid of what the Spirit might do to us. In addition to fear there is likely to be a lack of faith in the power and work of the Holy Spirit. Time and space will not allow for an in-depth study of the Holy Spirit, but I want to raise a few things that I hope will lead to further inquiry and discussions in the churches.

In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is most often called the “Spirit of the Lord.” It refers to the work of the Spirit of Israel’s God in the life of the Israelite community. In the New Testament the Spirit of God is called the “Holy Spirit” (Ghost). W. E. Vine tells us that “holiness refers to those who are separated unto God and the conduct befitting those who are separated. ‘“ Sanctification’ is thus the state predetermined by God for believers into which grace He calls them, and in which they begin their Christian course and so pursue” (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words in W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996), p.307. Thus, by God’s grace, believers are changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us explore the work of the Holy Spirit as He brings about change into the life of the believers.

First, the Holy Spirit brings change in our relationship to God. In Romans 8, Paul describes our changed relationship to God. We no longer live according to the carnal mind but according to the Spirit that lives in us (vv. 6-8). Those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. We are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit of God who lives in us. Those who do not have the Spirit of Christ in them do not belong to Him. Just as the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, He will also give life to the mortal body by the same Spirit that now lives in the believer (vv. 9-11). The Spirit makes us sons of God (vv. 14-15).

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to live holy lives. We can overcome the deeds of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21) because we have the “fruit of the Spirit” (vv. 22-23). “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (vv.24-25; see Eph 4:17-24).

Finally, the Holy Spirit empowers us to do ministry. In John 14-16 Jesus tells His disciples that he will send the comforter to come alongside of them to help them to do the work He is assigning them to do. The Spirit of truth will abide in them so that they will always be able to do the work (John 14:12-17) The Holy Spirit will be a teacher and He will be an advocate for them (v.26). Paul tells us of an experience in which the Spirit directed his course in his ministry (Acts 16:5-13).

In next week’s article “Holiness Through the Holy Spirit,” we will give further details of the processes by which the Holy Spirit helps us to increase in holiness.