The Efficacy and Essentiality of the Holy Spirit
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12 (KJV)
“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” 1 John 4:13 (KJV)
Efficacy: for producing a desired result or effect; the ability to accomplish or do something.
There are a considerable degree of misconceptions as well as some flat-out falsehoods about the identity, ministry and work of the Holy Spirit. Some see the Holy Spirit as a mystical and impersonal force. This position about the Holy Spirit reminds me of a character in one of the Star Wars movies; Rogue One -A Star Wars Story. In Rogue One there was a monk named Chirrut Îmwe (played by Donnie Yen) who had aligned himself with the rebel forces. Whenever he would find himself in dire straits or difficult and dangerous situations, he chanted his so-called mantra in order to secure his focus and position himself in a place of calm: “I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.”
For the family of faith, the Holy Spirit is not a Force but one of three Persons in the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, God the Hoy Spirit). The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person that enjoys a mind, emotions, and a will. The Word of God emphatically declares that the Holy Spirit is God.
“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.’” Acts 5:3-4 (KJV)
In this passage Peter confronts Ananias as to why he deliberately lied to the Holy Spirit and definitively declares to him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He enjoys eternal endowments of God. For example, His omnipresence (presence everywhere ) is obvious.
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” Psalm 139:7-8 (KJV)
We also can see the characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s omniscience (all-knowing) in Scripture.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 (KJV)
The Holy Scriptures state that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He can be quenched (suppressed or stifled) (1Thessalonians 5:19). The Spirit also intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27).
So if you may it a regular practice to make the Holy Spirit sad and suppress His influence, you will not be a successful or Spirit-filled Christian. This kind of practice does not make perfect!
Join me again next time as we give more consideration to the efficacy and essentiality of the Holy Spirit.
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR