The Blessed Person and Work of God the Holy Spirit
Prepared for February 25, 2011
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit simply means that the Holy Spirit dwells within the believer. He lives within the believer. The believer’s heart is His home, where He lives.
1. How do I know if the Holy Spirit lives in me?
The answer is found in Romans 8:9–“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the ______________ of God ____________ in you. Now if any man have not the ______________ of Christ, he is none of His.” If a person does not have the Holy Spirit, then he is not His.
He does not belong to Christ. He is not a Christian. If I am a saved person, then I have the Holy Spirit. How do I know? I know so because God says so. All who believe on Christ have received the Spirit (John 7:39). Paul said, “The Holy Spirit _________________ in us” (2 Timothy 1:14) and this is true of every blood-bought child of God.
According to God’s definition ( 1Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9; John 7:39; etc.), a Christian is one who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and thus has received the Spirit. There is no such thing as a person who is justified by faith but who has not received the Spirit.
The fact that the believer in Christ has received the Spirit and enjoys His indwelling presence is not based on some subjective and questionable experience. It is based upon the plain statements of the Word of God.
Have you received the Spirit? Let’s go back to the basic question, “Have you received the Spirit?” What is the Bible’s answer?
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we learn that the Corinthians, even the carnal Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:1-3), had the Holy Spirit in them: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which [who] is in you, which ye have of [from] God, and ye are not your own?” How could the Holy Spirit have been in them? How did they receive Him? Did they receive the Spirit the moment they believed in Christ?
John 7:38-39 is a key passage. Notice carefully what it says about receiving the Spirit. Those who believe are those who receive. If you have believed on Christ then you have received the Spirit.
There is no such thing as a believer who has not received the Spirit. Thus, the key question is not, “Have you received the Spirit?” but it is “Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ?” (see John 1:12). If you have received Christ, then you have the Spirit. There is no such thing as a believer in Christ who does not have the Spirit dwelling within.
2. The Uniqueness of the Indwelling of the Spirit
In Old Testament times the Holy Spirit would occasionally come upon men to enable them and empower them for certain tasks. Here are some examples:
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Judges 3:10–“And the Spirit of the LORD ___________ ___________ him ( Othniel, Israel’s judge), and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.”
This judge was empowered by the Spirit of God to win military victories.
Judges 6:34–“But the ________________ of the LORD __________ _________ Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.” The Spirit of God enabled Gideon and his men to gain the victory over the Midianites. Judges 11:29–“Then the Spirit of the __________ came ________ Jephthah…” Again, the Spirit of God enabled Jephthah, another judge of Israel, to conquer the Ammonites. Judges 14:6–“And the Spirit of the LORD __________ mightily ___________ _______, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.” Samson’s amazing strength did not come from himself or from body building exercises, but it came from the Spirit of God being upon him. In this case Samson tore a lion with his bare hands. Judges 14:19–“And the ____________ of the __________ came upon him (Samson), and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.” Here is another example of Samson’s feats of strength, enabled by the Spirit of God. Judges 15:14–“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD _________ _____________ upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.” At least three times we are told that the Spirit of God came upon Samson. This implies that the Spirit’s coming upon him was repetitive and not permanent. He came upon Samson, and at a later time He came upon him again, as God deemed necessary. Also, when Samson’s hair was cut and he lost his strength, this was an indication that the Spirit of God was not upon him at that time. His power was in the Spirit of God, not in his hair. The hair was merely symbolic. 1 Samuel 10:10–“And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the ______________ of God _________ upon him, and he prophesied among them.” Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel (1 Sam. 10:1). As Israel’s king, the Holy Spirit came upon him in a special way. See also 1 Samuel 11:6. Later, however, due to Saul’s disobedience (1 Samuel 15), the Spirit of God left him. 1 Samuel 16:14–“But the ______________ of the LORD __________________ from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” This prayer should never be prayed by a believer living today. In Old Testament times the Holy Spirit would come upon men for certain purposes, but He could also depart from men and leave them. Today the Holy Spirit can be grieved (saddened by our sin), but He will never leave: “And ____________________ not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye are _________________ unto the day of redemption” ( Eph. 4:30). Jesus promised His disciples that after Pentecost (the day the Holy Spirit came to live in His believers), the Holy Spirit would A_____________ with them forever (see John 14:16), and that He would be in them (John 14:17). It would be a permanent indwelling! |
John 14:16-20 is a key passage in showing the uniqueness of the Spirit’s ministry in our day. In verse 16 we learn that the Spirit’s coming would be permanent, not intermittent. He would not come and then leave, and then come again and then leave again. No, when He came, He would abide with them __________________ (verse 16).
In John 14:17 we have a description of the Spirit’s ministry before Pentecost and after Pentecost:
| The Spirit’s Ministry Before Pentecost | The Spirit’s Ministry After Pentecost |
| “He dwelleth ________ ________” (John 14:17) The Holy Spirit was dwelling (living) with the disciples. He was with them. They were enjoying His wonderful presence. He was not absent from their lives. The living God was with them. | “and shall be _____ ________” (John 14:17) This phrase indicates a change in the Spirit’s ministry. He was with them, but at Pentecost (“at that day”–verse 20) He would be in them. He would be in His people in a very unique way. |
Not only would the Holy Spirit be in them on that day, but Jesus Christ would be in them also (see John 14:20): “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me and I ____ _______.”
The Spirit of God makes this relationship possible. Compare John 6:56. This relationship is illustrated by the Vine and the branch relationship (John 15:1-6).
The Lord Jesus is the Vine (verse 1) and His believers are the branches (verse 5). We are in Him and He is in us. The branch is in the Vine, connected to Him in a very wonderful way. Also the life of the Vine flows in and through each branch.
In John 17:23 and John 17:26 we learn of this unique relationship with the Lord Jesus in His believers in a unique way. “I in them.”
In Colossians 1:26 Paul speaks of a M_______________ which had been hidden for ages. Neither Abraham, David, Isaiah or Daniel knew anything about this mystery.
Not even John the Baptist knew of this mystery. It was a secret locked up in the loving heart of God and not made known until God wanted to make it known.
Is God making known this mystery now to His people (Col. 1:26)? _______ In verse 27, Paul reveals what this mystery is. It is something very glorious because he speaks of “the ________________ of this mystery” (verse 27).
It is also something very precious because he speaks of “the ____________ of the glory of this mystery” (verse 27). He then identifies this mystery as “C________________ in ________, the hope of glory” (verse 27).
The word “you” is in the plural. Christ is in His people. God is indwelling, not a temple made with stones, but a body of believers. He also indwells each believer’s body individually ( 1 Cor. 6:19). My heart is Christ’s home!
| We never read about Old Testament believers being indwelt by the Spirit of God. However, in the coming kingdom age, under the provisions of the new covenant, God’s people are promised a very unique relationship with the Spirit of God, something which Old Testament Jews never had: “And I will put my _________________ within _______” (Ezekiel 36:27). “And shall put my ___________________ in you” (Ezekiel 36:14). Compare Ezekiel 39:29 and Isaiah 44:3. |
To be continued >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lesson 5 Part 2 –The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Prepared for March 4, 2011
The Ministry of Fruitful Fellowship 
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