The ministries of the Holy Spirit
• The Savior was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 2:11
We continue our study on the ministries of the Holy Spirit. Please enjoy and share it with others!
A. HIS MINISTRY CONCERNING THE DEVIL
The Holy Spirit now acts as a divine dam, holding back and limiting the full power of Satan and of sin.
- As stated by Isaiah
From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory. For He will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. – Isaiah 59:19
- As stated by Paul
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Thessalonians 2:7-14.
B. HIS MINISTRY CONCERNING THE SAVIOUR
From his bodily conception to his final ascension, the Lord Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit.
1. The Saviour was begotten by the Holy Spirit.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. – Luke 1:35.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. – Matthew 1:18-20
2. The Saviour was anointed by the Holy Spirit.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. – Matthew 3:16.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, – Luke 4:18
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. – Acts 10:38
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” – Hebrews 1:9.
3. The Saviour was sealed by the Holy Spirit
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” – John 6:27.
The seal here demonstrated the Son’s identification with both Father and Spirit. It also spoke of his genuineness, value, and authority.
4. The Saviour was led by the Holy Spirit.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. – Matthew 4:1
5. The Saviour was empowered by the Holy Spirit.
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Matthew 12:28
According to Philippians 2:5-8, Christ abstained from using, in an independent way, His divine attributes (His omnipresence, omniscience, etc.) while on earth, but chose rather to depend completely upon the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance.
6. The Saviour was filled by the Holy Spirit
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. – John 3:34
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, – Luke 4:1.
The words ‘filled’ and ‘full’ refer simply to control. Thus, the Saviour was totally controlled by the Holy Spirit while on this earth.
7. The Saviour sorrowed in the Holy Spirit
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. – John 11:33
8. The Saviour rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. – Luke 10:21
9. The Saviour offered Himself at Calvary through the Holy Spirit
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[a] so that we may serve the living God! – Hebrews 9:14
10. The Saviour was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit
And who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 1:4
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. – 1 Peter 3:18
11. The Saviour commanded His disciples after His resurrection through the Holy Spirit
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. – Acts 1:2.
- The Saviour will someday return and raise the dead in Christ
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because ofhis Spirit who lives in you. – Romans 8:11.
The point of this particular section of our study should be painfully obvious. If the sinless Son of God found it necessary to depend totally upon the Holy Spirit to form every word and guide every step, how much more is this absolutely vital for us.
Culled from Willmington’s Guide to the Bible
Stay blessed!
By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author
For further enquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0268130615 or 0243588467
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightgh.org
