The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

[NewCreation435]

Below I have listed some verses and the role of the Spirit that this verse indicates the Spirit does in our lives. Something for us to meditate on and discuss. I feel like the role of the Spirit is so important that we literally can do nothing without Him.
1. John 3:3,5- Jesus said that a person has to be born of water (natural birth) and the Spirit to see the kingdom of God. One of the role of the Spirit is regeneration.
2. Romans 8:11- The Spirit indwells the believer. The word dwells is oikeo which means to dwell in. It is the indwelling power of the Spirit that ultimately will raise up the believer at the resurrection.
3. 1 John 2:20, 27- He anoints- His anointing teaches us all things. The Spirit bears witness of Jesus and reminds the believer of Jesus’ words. He “takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.” Verse 15 of John 16.
4. John 16:13- He guides- the word guide is hodegeo which means to be a guide, lead on one’s way, to guide, to be a guide or a teacher. The Spirit will guide into all truth and will speak what he hears.
5. 2 Thess 2:13- Through sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth God chose them from the beginning for salvation.
6. Romans 8:16, Hebrews 10:15. The Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.
John 14:16-26- Comforts- the Father sent us the Holy Spirit who is our helper
7. Romans 14:17- The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
8. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16- God reveals all truth through the Spirit that searches all things, even the depths of God.
9. Galatians 5:22,23- The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ,gentleness and self control
10. 1 Corinthians 12:3-11- gives good gifts- to each believer a manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Verse 11 indicates he works all these things, distributing gifts to each individual just as He wills.
11. Romans 8:26- the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

 

[user1234]

Can we borrow point number 1 from the OP and place it in the baptism thread where ppl keep insisting (and teaching erroneously) that the water of 'being born of water and of the Spirit' in John 3:5 means water-baptism, when it doesnt?

 

[NewCreation435]

Can we borrow point number 1 from the OP and place it in the baptism thread where ppl keep insisting (and teaching erroneously) that the water of 'being born of water and of the Spirit' in John 3:5 means water-baptism, when it doesnt?

this is what I was taught it meant in seminary. And if you think about it it makes sense. After all, the fetus when it is developing in the mother's womb is surrounded by water and fluid. When a woman goes into labor her "water breaks". Fluid such as water and blood come out with the baby when it is born. It is "being born of water" which is what Jesus said.

Jesus said this birth is not enough. He told Nicodemus that you must be born again. Born of the spirit.

 

[Josiah]

Jesus said this birth is not enough. He told Nicodemus that you must be born again. Born of the spirit.

IMO, that's the point of what Jesus said to Nicodemus: water ALONE (whether what "water" of birth or of baptism - Jewish baptism was just water) is not enough, it's GOD who GIVES life (both physical and spiritual). Our first birth is not our doing but wholly a GIFT, our second birth ("born again") is not our doing but wholly a GIFT. God GIVES life - both physical and spiritual (and yeah, I wonder if the point is that typically water is involved in each).

IMO, most Christians (not all, however) give at least SOME credit to God for their life..... at least to SOME degree, credit the Holy Spirit for their faith/salvation/justification/born again status. They may see this as synergistic - God did PART of this and SELF did part of this, together making for faith/justification/born again. Others give ALL the credit to God for our life, our regeneration, our faith/justification/born again and thus see this as monergism - all God's doing, God's GIFT. In any case, there is much MYSTERY here ("the wind blows where it wills...... but no one know......") We may not know HOW all this cranks out - but SOME give split credit (some to God, some to self) and some give all the credit to God. The later position is one of the five Solas of the Reformation: Soli Deo Gloria. Monergism. GOD does it, does it all.... we just receive.... and yes, that applies to physical life AND spiritual life, to BOTH births (both births typically involving water?). Some give a bit of credit to the Holy Spirit, some give all the credit to the Holy Spirit.



Soli Deo Gloria (my position.... embracing the Solas of the Reformation)



- Josiah

 

[NewCreation435]

I'm going to get a water gun and shoot you if you start with the baptism thing again LOL

 

[MoreCoffee]

I'm going to get a water gun and shoot you if you start with the baptism thing again LOL

The holy Spirit is involved in baptism and baptism is a part of his ministry.

:smirk:

 

[NewCreation435]

The holy Spirit is involved in baptism and baptism is a part of his ministry.

:smirk:

Can you tell I'm pointing my water gun at you. LOL

I actually agree with the above statement. We just interpret that a little differently

 

[MoreCoffee]

Can you tell I'm pointing my water gun at you. LOL

I actually agree with the above statement. We just interpret that a little differently

I am already baptised so your water gun cannot harm me, my baptism is like a shield of steel (using best Batfink voice).

 

[NewCreation435]

I'd like to focus on that last verse Romans 8:26. It says He intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Isn't it cool how the Spirit intercedes for us. When we don't know how to pray or what words to use regarding our situation. God knows what we need and the Spirit intercedes for us according to His will

 

[atpollard]

I'd like to focus on that last verse Romans 8:26. It says He intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Isn't it cool how the Spirit intercedes for us. When we don't know how to pray or what words to use regarding our situation. God knows what we need and the Spirit intercedes for us according to His will

When you try all of the fertility tricks to conceive a child and receive the news that early in the second trimester the baby spontaneously aborted ... when you give up after years of trying and learn that your wife is pregnant, but will probably be bedridden for the last two trimesters and will need a C-section because natural child birth has too great a risk of damaging her caged spine and causing paralysis ... when your tiny, perfect infant daughter is in an ICU struggling to breathe with a giant needle and tube taped to her tiny little arm and her tiny little veins ...

... Groans too deep for words are the only appropriate prayers.

 

[MennoSota]

When you try all of the fertility tricks to conceive a child and receive the news that early in the second trimester the baby spontaneously aborted ... when you give up after years of trying and learn that your wife is pregnant, but will probably be bedridden for the last two trimesters and will need a C-section because natural child birth has too great a risk of damaging her caged spine and causing paralysis ... when your tiny, perfect infant daughter is in an ICU struggling to breathe with a giant needle and tube taped to her tiny little arm and her tiny little veins ...

... Groans too deep for words are the only appropriate prayers.

Indeed.
When your child has two choices, die due to liver failure or die from surgery.
There are times when the valley is so deep, we can no longer solve anything. It's that place of total surrender to God's sovereign will that we just can't speak. That's the moment where the perseverance of the saints is sustained by the Spirit's intercession alone.

 

[user1234]

God bless you brothers (and your wives) (and our sisters, too)

I never knew the joys and blessings of being married and having my own children, and at this point, Im guessing I never will, but I guess I also have to be grateful to not have to deal with those heartaches and gut-wrenching decisions that can come with the territory.....I give you guys alot of credit, and if I may say, I rejoice together with you as well for the grace of God in your lives and the obvious strength and courage He's given you, and thank you for being an encouragement to others in Jesus' name. Blessings in Christ to you.

 

[NewCreation435]

When you try all of the fertility tricks to conceive a child and receive the news that early in the second trimester the baby spontaneously aborted ... when you give up after years of trying and learn that your wife is pregnant, but will probably be bedridden for the last two trimesters and will need a C-section because natural child birth has too great a risk of damaging her caged spine and causing paralysis ... when your tiny, perfect infant daughter is in an ICU struggling to breathe with a giant needle and tube taped to her tiny little arm and her tiny little veins ...

... Groans too deep for words are the only appropriate prayers.

very true that.

 

[MennoSota]

God bless you brothers (and your wives) (and our sisters, too)

I never knew the joys and blessings of being married and having my own children, and at this point, Im guessing I never will, but I guess I also have to be grateful to not have to deal with those heartaches and gut-wrenching decisions that can come with the territory.....I give you guys alot of credit, and if I may say, I rejoice together with you as well for the grace of God in your lives and the obvious strength and courage He's given you, and thank you for being an encouragement to others in Jesus' name. Blessings in Christ to you.

Snerfle, I don't want you to have a wrong conception of my own circumstances.
It was not I, but my brother and wife who not only buried their daughter, but also their two sons due to the affects of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. They were faced with multiple decisions where the only choices were...which one is worse. I spoke through their eyes, but I walked with them in the grief. I have shared my story elsewhere, explaining that the losses of my nephews and niece are just the tip of the iceberg in a seven year time frame that saw the death of loved ones all around me as well as loss of career. The waves just kept coming. In those moments you cannot put your prayer into words. You can only try to keep trusting against all odds. It is there where the Spirit sustains you in praying to the Father lest the waves encompass your very being.
In the midst of that churning it was there that I read CH Spurgeon's quote: "I have learned to kiss the wave that tosses me onto the Rock of Ages." It is that Rock, in the midst of the storm, that gives you hope.
Presently, God has placed me beside still waters. I am extremely grateful for this respite. But, if we truly walk with Jesus, it means that we walk to the cross. If Jesus died for me, then I must trust He can bring me through on the path to the cross.
I didn't want anyone to be mislead after seeing how you took my post. Yet, I do have the scars that tell me I walk the path of Christ.

No Scar – Amy Carmichael

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:
Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And, pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who has no wound nor scar?

 

[user1234]

God bless you, MennoSota , I appreciate you sharing that.

Heavenly Father, Thank you, Lord for your love and sustaining grace. Thank you for your protection and care of our brother Menno, being his shelter (and all of ours) our Rock of Ages, in the midst of storms.

Thank you for bringing him through with more strength and resolve, and greater reassurance than ever, that the good work you've begun in him, you will continue to completion and that glorious day when we see you face to face.

Thank you, Jesus, for so great a salvation .... Words cannot express so many times, in both our joys AND trials, and we thank you for your intercession for us, we need you in so many ways.
Thats just one more aspect of your abounding love and grace, that you not only would pay our way into your Kingdom, but you, the King of Glory, would intercede for us along the way and assure us that we will arrive safely home.

Praise you, Jesus, and thank you for Menno and the encouragement he's giving us here with his testimony of faithfulness, also jsimms, Lord, bless him and thank you for him as well.

Please bless both these men, your sons, our brothers here, Lord.
And bless Lämm and Romanos richly, and this site, help us to honor you through it. Please, please, please, Lord, bless my special friend, with your love and safekeeping and encouragement, Jesus, help us both, grant us love and wisdom.

And please Lord, bless each and every one who comes to this website, both members and visitors, with your awesome love and salvation in the wonderful name of Jesus. We give you the thanks and praise and glory, Lord, we love you, thank you for first loving us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.