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The Wonderful, Powerful Gift of God's Holy Spirit
Sermon by John O. ReidIn 31 AD, after His crucifixion, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed on them, declaring, Receive you the Holy Spirit. He presented it as a gift from their Father, instructing them to wait in Jerusalem to receive it. With the receiving of God's Spirit comes the responsibility to live in a manner that reflects light to the world, a duty so vital that Jesus Christ will save the world because of His chosen ones. God's people are to fully utilize this Spirit that is given to them. At Pentecost, as the disciples assembled in unity, a mighty wind sound filled the house without any movement of air, and flames like divided tongues of fire rested on each of them, yet no heat was felt. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and the power of God manifested in an awesome miracle as they began to speak in unfamiliar languages. This Spirit enabled every man present to understand the message in his own language and dialect, showcasing the wonderful works of God. This event marked the introduction of God's Holy Spirit to the world, making it available to mankind upon being called by God the Father. God's Holy Spirit is the power of God in action, inspiring and accomplishing feats through individuals. It filled men with superhuman strength and great courage, enabling impossible deeds, as seen in the mighty men of David and numerous biblical miracles like the parting of the Red Sea and water from a stone. This Spirit continues to intervene in behalf of God's people, revealing its many facets throughout history. The Holy Spirit serves to teach and remind God's people of Jesus Christ's obedience, faith, and righteous character, impressing His commandments on their minds to prompt obedience. It bears witness to the way Christ lived, amplifying the laws of God, His love for others, and the truth of God's Kingdom. It guides into all truth, freeing from the lies and superstitions of the world, and shapes the will of those taught by communicating righteous knowledge. God's Spirit also convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, bringing an acute sense of guilt and awareness that cannot be ignored. It reveals the necessity of righteous living under God's laws, showing that Jesus overcame satan and that sin will be condemned. Through this Spirit, God aims to save mankind, demonstrating His determination to restore harmony. As the power that holds the universe together, God's Holy Spirit guides and operates His church, endowing gifts to all members for stability and encouragement. Yet, with this gift comes the command to overcome, as it is possible to quench the Spirit by valuing worldly attractions over obedience to God. The Spirit provides the power to resist sin and develop godly character, essential for becoming sons of God and heirs in wisdom, ability, and right judgment. God's intent in giving His Spirit is to seal His people with the promise of inheritance as members of the God family, marking them as genuine and approved. This Holy Spirit is a down payment of that inheritance, inspiring hope and obedience, urging a deep appreciation for this gift and a desire for it to be increased within, to ultimately be changed into Spirit as part of God's family.
The Holy Spirit
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsThe Spirit of God is a vital force that enables us to comprehend God's way of life and transforms us into the image of Christ. It is through the Spirit within us that we become children of God and receive the promise of eternal life. When the Holy Spirit works in us, our lives bear the fruit of the Spirit, reflecting elements of God's own character and demonstrating our growth into Christ's likeness. The Holy Spirit is not a person but the power of God, the essence of His mind and love. It emanates from Him, being poured out, breathed, used to fill, and to anoint. God grants His Spirit only to those who have repented, been baptized, and obey His commandments. Through the intervention of the Spirit, God calls us to understand the truth, opening our minds to the mysteries vital to our salvation by divine revelation. Beyond this, the Spirit of God imparts wisdom and understanding, teaches His way of life, comforts, and helps us, even aiding in our prayers when we cannot express ourselves. By giving His Spirit to those He calls, God shapes traits in them that produce the fruit of the Spirit, by which a person is known through their actions and works. Though not offered to all since Adam's rejection, God will provide everyone the opportunity to receive His Spirit in the World Tomorrow after Christ's return. The Holy Spirit delivers us from death and leads us to the gift of eternal life, a gift from God that we neither inherit at birth nor can earn. Once regenerated by the Spirit from the Father, we must continually be led by it, bearing spiritual fruit throughout our lives. If we produce the fruit of the Spirit, exhibiting a sound mind, we know it is working within us, empowering us to comprehend spiritual matters, produce conversion, and gain the strength, will, and faith to overcome our sins.
A Primer On Spirit
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The Spirit of God is a profound and mysterious force, central to understanding His nature and His interaction with humanity. Unlike material things that we can perceive through our senses, spirit is invisible and immaterial, yet its effects are evident in the world and within us. In the beginning, as described in Genesis 1:2, it was the thought processes emerging from the mind of God, His Spirit, that hovered over the face of the earth, planning and preparing for creation without any material form. The term "spirit," represented by the Hebrew word "ruach" and the Greek word "pneuma," suggests a movement of air, an invisible force or power that motivates action or inaction. This invisible power, though unseen, manifests in ways that can be witnessed externally through human senses and discerned internally through thought processes. God's Spirit is distinct in its holiness, embodying purity, righteousness, and love, setting it apart from all other spiritual influences. God Himself is composed of spirit, immaterial and invisible, yet possessing form and shape, as humans are made in His image. His Spirit, often referred to as the Holy Spirit, is the essence of His mind, thoughts, words, character, and attitude, emanating from Him to influence and empower those who allow it. This Spirit imparts life, particularly eternal life, as Jesus Christ conveyed through His teachings, emphasizing that His words are spirit, carrying the power to inspire and lead to salvation. The Spirit of God also serves as a spiritual link between Him and humanity, enabling a connection that transcends the material. It is an immaterial quality that empowers the human intellect and facilitates communication within the mind, allowing humans to think, plan, and worship their Creator in ways that set them apart from animals. This God-given spirit in man provides the potential to reflect His image even before conversion, fostering thoughts and aspirations aligned with His nature. In contrast to other spiritual influences that may lead to evil, God's Holy Spirit always liberates, produces life on the divine level, and shares in His goodness. It never enslaves or destroys but builds up with purity and love. To grow in the quantity and quality of this Spirit, one must spend time with God, immersing in His word and prayer, thereby imbibing the essence of His mind and ensuring that the spiritual influence remains good and holy.
The Trinity and the Holy Spirit (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The Father and the Son are two separate personalities, with the Father having pre-eminence. The Bible contains no evidence of a third person in the God family.
Grieving the Holy Spirit
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJust as our human spirit can be grieved, God is grieved by willful sinful behavior—sullying, suppressing, or stifling the Spirit that identifies us as His.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's Spirit is the essence of His mind rather than a third person. With this Spirit, God opens our minds, dwells in us, and transfers His nature to us.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughBeing 'in Christ' does not refer to location, but instead our 'concern with' or 'involvement with' Him—and He with us.
What the Holy Spirit Does
Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Holy Spirit always inspires loving, wise, sound-minded actions according to God's will. This helps us discern true guidance from other spirits.
What the Holy Spirit Does (2005)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod's Spirit will never prod us to do anything that is not godly love, and because it a spirit of a sound mind, it will never motivate us to do crazy things.
What Does God Really Want? (Part 6)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod provides the gift before it is actually needed so that when it is needed, everything is prepared for the person to do as he has been commissioned to do.
Jesus on the Holy Spirit
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus taught about the Holy Spirit's function to carry out God's work, including inspiring one to speak the words of God and to resist the power of Satan.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Seven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Holy Spirit is never venerated as a separate being. Our hope is the indwelling of Christ, used interchangeably with 'Spirit of God' and 'Spirit of Truth.'
Sight to the Blind
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus' mission was to recover both physical and spiritual sight to the blind, liberating them from those false beliefs that had previously imprisoned them.
Sin (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThough influenced by Satan and the world, sin is still a personal choice. Christ's sacrifice and God's Spirit provide our only defense against its pulls.
The Pattern of Creation
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mike FordGod has a pattern that we can use for planet formation, a skill He will teach us after we assume a glorified spirit body following our resurrection.
Defining Logos (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Greek word 'logos' has been negatively loaded with unbiblical meanings. Its basic meaning is 'word' or 'saying,' yet it is really more complex.
Immutable Scientific Laws
Sermon by Martin G. Collins'God' and 'science' are assumed to be mutually exclusive or contradictory. But true science substantiates the awesome complexity of God's handiwork.
Why We Do Not Vote
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughChristians have been called out of this world's politics, voting included. As ambassadors of Christ, we cannot participate in the politics of another country.