The Good Gift
The Holy Spirit is referred to as being a good gift from our heavenly Father. It is God giving of himself to empower and enlighten his children that they may grow and bear good fruit in a secure and loving relationship with him.
Luke 11:13 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?” WEB
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. WEB
There are many aspects to this Gift it is described and expressed in a wide variety of ways. The following scriptures will address some of these.
By this gift we have been given access to his power and authority to carry out his will and purpose. (Phil 2:13)
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” WEB
Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. WEB
Rom 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; WEB
Heb 2:4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will? WEB
- Of the Holy Ghost. The genitive is objective: distributions of the one gift of the Holy Spirit in different measure and in different ways. Compare 1 Cor 12:4-11. Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
- With the gift of the spirit of God dwelling in us we have further opportunity to receive other gifts that flow out to us from his spirit
- These gifts are given so that we as children of God can grow, become strengthened and mature in our relationship with God and with one another in the spirit.
We also receive truth, counsel, teaching, guidance and boldness to speak forth his word that gives life to those that are willing to hear.
Acts 4:31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. WEB
1 Cor 2:12-13 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. WEB
Luke 12:11-12 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.” WEB (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14; Acts 8:29; 16:6)
The Holy Spirit gives the ability to speak in other languages.
Acts 2:4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. WEB
Acts 19:6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. WEB
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is seen as something that is desired in those that would be called to minister.
Acts 6:3 Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. WEB (Acts 6:5)
Through his spirit that he has given us God reveals his love to us.
Rom 5:5 and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. WEB
It takes us out of the fleshly realm and places us in the realm of his spirit.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. WEB
It gives life to our mortal bodies.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. WEB
The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are his children.
Rom 8:13-17 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 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 with him. WEB
This gift involves God living in us.
1 Cor 3:16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? WEB (1 Cor 6:19-20)
The Spirit also justifies and sanctifies his children.
1 Cor 6:11 Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God. WEB
God has put his seal of ownership on us by giving to us of his spirit.
2 Cor 1:21-22 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22 who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts. WEB (2 Cor 5:5; Eph 1:13,14)
We are strengthened in the inner man with power through his Spirit.
Eph 3:14-16 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; WEB
It is described as a gift that we cannot have too much of.
Eph 5:18-20 Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; WEB (Jn 7 37-39)
- Be filled with the Spirit. Keep on being filled; be continuously filled with the Spirit. A believer can never obtain more of the Holy Spirit, for he indwells the Christian’s life in all his fullness. But the Holy Spirit can get more of the believer; that is, he can exercise complete control of the life that is yielded to him. Wycliffe Bible Commentary
- It is in the imperative which is a command
It is the means by which we are to worship our God.
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; WEB
The Spirit helps us guard those good things that God has given to us.
2 Tim 1:14 That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. WEB
It is proof by which we can know that he continues to remain in us.
1 John 3:24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us. WEB
1 John 4:12-13 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. WEB
The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and intercedes for us in prayer.
Rom 8:22-26 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in hope but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 25 But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. 26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. WEB
- The Spirit intercedes for the groaning that we cannot utter. (verse 23)
Jude 20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. WEB
And his spirit produces fruit that allow us to live victorious and meaningful lives in him.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. WEB
To sum it up we have been given the power to walk and grow in our relation ship with God and stand strong and experience all of his goodness and love that is available to us in our new life we have with him in his spirit that he has given to us. How we use and honor this good gift will play a large part in what kind of individuals we allow it to make us into.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit – Part 8