T2L3 The Work of the Holy Spirit [Discipleship Class]

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TERM 2 LESSON 3: The Work of the Holy Spirit Part 1

LESSON OBJECTIVE

By the end of this lesson, you will understand who the Holy Spirit is, how He works in salvation and sanctification, and how to live in dependence on His power and guidance in daily life.

LESSON OVERVIEW

In our study of the Trinity, we learned that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. In our lessons on salvation and sanctification, we've seen His crucial work. Today we'll focus specifically on the Holy Spirit's ministry. Understanding His work is essential for Christian living because we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength - we need the Holy Spirit's power and guidance every day.

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON

The Holy Spirit is not just a force or influence - He is a divine person with personality:

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming." (John 16:13)

Notice the personal pronouns "he," "himself" - the Spirit has personality, intelligence, and will.

THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Scripture shows the Holy Spirit has characteristics of personality:

Intelligence: "But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10)

Emotions: "Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

Will: "But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires." (1 Corinthians 12:11)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS FULLY GOD

As we learned in our Trinity lesson, the Holy Spirit is fully divine:

"But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While you kept it, didn't it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn't it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven't lied to men, but to God.'" (Acts 5:3-4)

Peter equates lying to the Holy Spirit with lying to God.

The Spirit has divine attributes:

• Eternal: "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

• Omnipresent: "Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7)

• Omniscient: "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10)

THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORK IN SALVATION

CONVICTION OF SIN

The Holy Spirit convicts people of their need for salvation:

"When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment." (John 16:8)

Without the Spirit's work, people would not recognize their sinfulness or need for a Savior.

REGENERATION (NEW BIRTH)

The Holy Spirit gives new spiritual life to believers:

"Jesus answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into God's Kingdom. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'" (John 3:5-6)

"But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:4-5)

INDWELLING

The Holy Spirit comes to live inside every believer:

"Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

"in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." (Ephesians 1:13)

SEALING

The Holy Spirit seals believers, guaranteeing their salvation:

"in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)

"Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

The Spirit's sealing is permanent and secure.

THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORK IN SANCTIFICATION

PRODUCING SPIRITUAL FRUIT

The Holy Spirit produces godly character in believers:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

This fruit is not produced by human effort but by the Spirit's power.

TRANSFORMING INTO CHRIST'S IMAGE

The Spirit gradually changes us to be like Jesus:

"But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)

ENABLING VICTORY OVER SIN

The Spirit gives power to overcome sin:

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5)

INTERCEDING FOR US

The Spirit helps us in prayer:

"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." (Romans 8:26)

When we don't know what to pray, the Spirit prays for us.

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