HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU
MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: IMPACT AND EFFECT
CASE IN POINT: PETER (Acts 2)
"..........being full of the Holy Ghost........, and was led by the Spirit .......... returned in the power of the Spirit ......... the Spirit of the LORD is upon me, ........... his word was with power ........... and the power of the LORD was present to heal them." (Luke 4:1, 18, 32. Luke 5:17)
".......... and the Spirit of the LORD came upon him from that day forward ............ prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him." (I Samuel 16:13, 18)
Peter indeed exploded to the glory of the LORD on the day of Pentecost. When he received the Holy Spirit of the Living God, his life was changed. His heart was renewed, he received a new personality, his ministry took a vibrant turn, and the people of God were immensely impacted and blessed. The rest is history (Acts 2:1-47). The LORD JESUS said in the scriptures, "It is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing." (John 6:63). The three and half years prior to the day of Pentecost that he had spent with the LORD JESUS, he was being moulded into shape. The LORD brought him out of nothing and moulded or fashioned a great instrument in the hand of God out of him. He called Peter, raised him, developed him spiritually until he conformed to the image of the man of God that Jehovah wants him to be. Peter was endowed with leadership qualities, oratory skills, determination, zeal, etc. But, just like man prior to the moment God breathed life into him, Peter is more or less like a statue. He is limited. He can not operate, succeed or prevail beyond a particular circumference in life - just like a chained dog. Simply put, he was as free as a bird - in a cage! How pathetic. His potentials as a warrior for Christ, and as an instrument in the hand of God was somehow stunted and retarded. Hence, broadening his horizon in life in whatever area of human endeavour he found himself was out of question.
One can almost hear someone hinting him: "Peter, you are zealous; you are serious; you are determined; you are ambitious for the work of God. However, you lack the Spirit that quickens and give life. You need to be broken, so you can spread out your wings like an eagle and soar high in the height and realm that the LORD wants you to operate. You need the breath of the Most High God Jehovah that will send spirit, life and charge into you. You need the Spirit that can make you live and stand on your feet like the man of God you are moulded to be. No wonder you boasted never to deny Jesus - this is zeal, seriousness and exuberance. Yet, you denied him not once, or twice, but thrice (Luke 22:54 - 62)! See what I mean Peter. But Peter the turning point in your life is here! "But you shall receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8). In other words, when the Spirit of the LORD descends upon you, you cease being limited and start being limitless. You are no longer tied down, you now break forth like calves in the stall, and you spring forward (Malachi 4:2). Whatever area of human endeavour you find yourself, you will discover you are more than up to the task as you get things done in line with the will of the LORD, to the glory of God, and for the edification of the body of Christ. You are designed and built from a scrap metal into a nice, beautiful, elegant, golden vehicle. A delight to behold. But you can not operate at level of excellence and efficiency that the LORD God Almighty design and build you to operate unless you receive a charge from the Holy Spirit battery. Your potential, ability and capability as a human being will not go far. You need a replacement. A new heart. A new battery to give you the Spirit - charge and get you activated for exploits in the name of the LORD. That charge came on the day of Pentecost. You received a new and fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. Even the unbelievers perceive something new about the anointing, though they mistook it for a "new wine." They thought "they were filled with new wine" (Acts 2:13). Wow! Peter! That day you did the spectacular. You preached the first sermon in the church with such boldness, power, zeal, strength, knowledge, wisdom, in demonstration of the spirit of excellence, like a learned fellow. You spoke convincingly with excellent oratory skills as well as captivating and anointed words of God. Thousands were there to listen. Three thousands gave their life to Christ. Wow! And to think all this took place without afore preparation. Of real and of truth, you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you through His Spirit in you (Philippians 4:13). The difference between the post - anointed Peter and pre - anointed Peter is there and it is clear for all to see. There is surely a big difference between your old being and your new being. The old is gone. Yeah, the old is gone. The new is here. And He (the Holy Spirit) is here to stay."
FURTHERMORE,
Fellow child of God, the role and ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life and ministry as a child of God can neither be overemphasized nor underestimated. The Spirit of God makes the difference there and makes the difference clear. The exploits are not the same at all. For the people who know their God shall stand firm, they shall prove strong and take action, they shall do exploits. (Daniel 11:32).
As you read further, you will get to know more about the Holy Spirit, His ministry, impact and effect.
In terms of being the Spirit of truth, Comforter, who teaches, enhances memory of gospel truth, testifies of Jesus and glorifies Him. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers]. (Acts 9:31 Amplified - AMP)
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby). to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but youHim because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you ........ the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. (John 14:16, 17, 26 AMP)
But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor - Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes fro the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me. But you will testify also and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (John 15:26, 27 AMP)
But I tell you truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor - Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you ....... I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father - the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. He will glorify and honour Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you. (John 16:7, 12 - 15 AMP)
In terms of being the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the LORD, excellent sense of judgment, gracious and effective words. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him - The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and strength, The Spirit of knowledge and of the [reverential and obedient] fear of the Lord - And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make decisions by what His ears hear; But with righteousness and justice He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the downtrodden of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His lips He shall slay the wicked. And righteousness will be the belt around His loins, And faithfulness the belt around His waist. (Isaiah 11:2 - 5 AMP)
But they were not able to successfully withstand and cope with the wisdom and intelligence [and the power and inspiration] of the Spirit by whom he was speaking. (Acts 6:10 AMP)
There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him ...... It was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, the ability to interpret dreams, clarify riddles, and solve complex problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called and he will give the interpretation ......... I have heard of you, that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. (Daniel 5:11, 12, 14 AMP)
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole team. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. (Daniel 6:3, 4 King James Version - KJV)
Eventually, Daniel appeared before me. (He is called Belteshazzar, in accordance with the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is within him.). I told him my dream; Belteshazzar, chief of the diviners, since I know that the spirit the holy gods is within you, and no mystery too difficult for you, explain to me the vision of my dream that I saw, along with its interpretation ........ This is dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning, since none of the advisors in my kingdom can tell me its interpretation. but you are able to do so because the spirit of the holy gods is in you. (Daniel 4:8, 9, 18 International Standard Version - ISV)
And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom and skill, with intelligence and understanding, and with knowledge in all [areas of] craftsmanship ....... He has filled them with skill to do the work of an engraver, of a designer, and of an embroider, in blue, purple, and scarlet fabric, and in fine linen, and of a weaver; makers of every work and embroiders of [excellent] designs. (Exodus 35:31, 35 AMP)
Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skilled person in whom the LORD has put ability and understanding to know how to do all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall work according to all that the LORD has commanded. (Exodus 36:1 AMP)
And that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already within in brief. By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it had now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit (Ephesians 3:3 - 5 AMP)
[I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]. And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very centre and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God's people), and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength. (Ephesians 1:17 - 19 AMP)
In terms of strength (physical or spiritual), vigour and bravery. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
The Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he tore the lion apart as one tears apart a young goat, and he had nothing at all in his hand; ..... (Judges 14:6 AMP)
So Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches and turning the foxes tail to tail. he put a torch between each pair of tails (Judges 15:4 AMP)
In terms of fruitfulness, abundance and restoration. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not suffer again the disgrace of famine among the nations ...... The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by ...... 'This land that was deserted and desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.' (Ezekiel 36:26 - 30, 34, 35 AMP)
In terms of counter-attack on enemy forces on your behalf. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19 King James Version - KJV)
In terms of ensuring the fulfilment of God's promises of greatness, enrichment, achievement and success. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace, unto it. (Zechariah 4:6 - 7 KJV)
As for the promise [covenant] which I made with you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit stands [firm and immovable] and continues with you; do not fear! ....... 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and in this place I shall give [the ultimate] peace and prosperity,' declares the LORD of hosts." (Haggai 2:5, 9 AMP)
Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:13 - 14 North American Standard Bible - NASB)
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations ...... The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by They will say, 'This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.' (Ezekiel 36:26 - 30, 34 - 35 NASB)
In terms of inspiration of words as well as being articulate and eloquent. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
When they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be worried about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 12:11 - 12 NASB)
In terms of boldness in doing the will of God. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people ......... Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus ......... And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:8, 13, 31 NASB)
In terms of fulfillment of God's purpose, mission, tasks ordained by God, restoration or remedy to circumstances. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, to proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favourable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: to give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up and restore the former desolations; and they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations (deserted settlements) of many generations. Strangers will stand and feed your flock, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. But you shall be called the priests of the LORD; people will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and you will boas of their riches. (Isaiah 61:1 - 6 AMP)
In terms of following Jehovah God and His word and will fully (even if others are unwilling or finding it difficult to). The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
Will by no means see the land which I swore to [give to] their fathers; nor will any who treated me disrespectfully and rejected Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. (Numbers 14: 23 - 24 AMP)
In terms of controlling the mood or behavioural pattern. In other words, being in the right mood to make the right move at the right time. The following scriptures provide helpful insights:
The Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became extremely angry. He took a team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen." Then fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out [united] as one man [with one purpose]. (I Sam 11:6 - 7 AMP)
Create time to go through these scriptures. And pray about them relative to your self and personal ministry as a child of God. It's worth praying about. Believe me. Ask God to fill you with His Spirit. Even after filling you with His Spirit, on consistent basis, ask for a new and fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. Continue to live a Spirit - filled, Spirit-full, Spirit-inspired, Spirit-led life. Remember, "for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). "Quench not the Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30). He thrives best in your life when you do not go outside the boundaries of the will of God. Christ is always willing to give you the Holy Spirit. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost", said He in John 20:22. Ask and you shall receive, He said (Luke 11:13; Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 16:24).
Take the first step by giving your life to Christ. Accept and acknowledge Him as your LORD and personal Saviour in your heart, and confess the same with your mouth. That is when you are born of the Spirit, and are born again. Then desire and ask Him for the Holy Spirit and, get filled with the Spirit of the LORD! Consistently and continually ask for a new and fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit and be full of, and be inspired and led by the Holy Spirit every moment of your life. What a difference this will bring to your life and ministry as a child of God.
May the good LORD continue to assist you to live a Spirit-led and Spirit-filled life.
..........not by power nor by might, but by My spirit,' says the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
IN JESUS' NAME.
Yours
Adekunle O. Majek'
H I A F E M
Of impact, quality and excellence
That's the Spirit!
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