The Holy Spirit

  1. Read the Book of Acts!
  2. The Spirit's divine nature
    1. Called God — Mk. 1:10-11; Acts 5:3-4
    2. With the Father and Son in the baptismal formula — Mt. 28:19
    3. Same characteristics of God
      1. Eternal — Heb. 9:14
      2. Everywhere present (omnipresent) — Ps. 139:7-10
      3. All-knowing (omniscient) — 1 Cor. 2:9-11
      4. Has great power (omnipotent) — Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:19
      5. Raised Christ from the dead — 1 Pet. 3:18
      6. Performs miracles — Mt. 12:28; Rom. 15:19
      7. Involved in creation — Gen. 1:2
      8. Gives spiritual life to us — Jn. 3:3-8
  3. The Spirit's personality
    1. He teaches — Jn. 14:26
    2. He hears and speaks — Jn. 16:13
    3. He testifies about Christ — Jn. 15:26
    4. He encourages — Acts 9:31
    5. He counsels — Jn. 14:16
    6. He convicts people of sin — Jn. 16:8
    7. He prays for us — Rom. 8:27
    8. He sends people out — Acts 13:4
    9. He experiences grief — Eph. 4:30
    10. He can be resisted — Acts 7:51
    11. He can be tested — Acts 5:9
  4. The Work of The Holy Spirit
    1. In the Old Testament
      1. Involved in creation — Gen. 1:2
      2. Guided God's people — Isa. 63:11-13
      3. Instructed God's people — Neh. 9:20
      4. Led God's people in the right way — Ps. 143:10
      5. Inspired God's people to do right — Ps. 51:10-12
      6. Admonished God's people — Neh. 9:30
      7. Reacted to human evil — Gen. 6:3
      8. Gave artistic ability to individuals — Ex. 31:2-3
      9. Gave his power to Israel's leaders — Jdg. 6:34; 1 Sam. 16:13; Zech. 4:6
      10. Lived among God's people — Hag. 2:5
      11. Inspired the prophets — Num. 11:29; Micah 3:8; Zech. 7:12; 2 Pet. 1:21
      12. Spoke through the psalmists — 2 Sam. 23:2; Acts 1:16, 20; Heb. 3:7-11
      13. Old Testament prophecies on the Spirit — Isa. 11:1-3; 32:15; 42:1; 44:3; 61:1-3; Ezek. 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-32
    2. In the life of Jesus Christ
      1. Jesus was conceived by the Spirit — Lk. 1:34-35
      2. He received the Spirit at his baptism — Lk. 3:21-22
      3. He was filled with the Spirit — Lk. 4:1
      4. He ministered in the power of the Spirit — Mt. 12:15-21; Lk. 4:18-21
      5. He cast out demons by the Spirit — Mt. 12:28
      6. He offered himself to God through the Spirit — Heb. 9:14
      7. He was raised by the Spirit — Rom. 8:11; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:18
      8. He promised to send the Spirit — Jn. 15:26
      9. He sent the Spirit on Pentecost — Acts 2:33
      10. The Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus — Acts 16:7; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 4:6
    3. In the church
      1. The Spirit came at Pentecost — Acts 2:1-4
      2. He dwells in the church — 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Eph. 2:22
      3. He appoints officers for the church — Acts 20:28
      4. He directs decisions of the church — Acts 15:28
      5. He chooses missionaries — Acts 13:2
      6. He sends out missionaries — Acts 13:4
      7. He directs the mission enterprise — Acts 8:29, 39; 16:6-7
    4. In individuals
      1. The Spirit dwells in us — Jn. 14:16-17; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:19
      2. He convicts us of sin — Jn. 16:7-11
      3. He gives us new life — Jn. 3:5-6; Titus 3:5
      4. He makes us realize God's love — Rom. 5:5
      5. He gives us power to witness — Acts 1:8; 6:9-10
      6. He teaches us what to say — Lk. 12:12
      7. He reveals God's secrets to us — 1 Cor. 2:10-16
      8. He brings Christ's presence to us — Jn. 14:16-18
      9. He keeps us in touch with God — Rom. 8:26; Jude 20
      10. He teaches us about Christ — Jn. 14:26; 15:26
      11. He enables us to find the truth — 1 Jn. 4:1-6
      12. He encourages us — Acts 9:31
      13. He controls us — Rom. 8:9
      14. He gives us joy and peace — Rom. 14:17
      15. He draws us into fellowship — 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1
      16. He enables us to live the Christian life — Rom. 8:5-9
      17. He works his fruit in us — Gal. 5:16-25
      18. He sanctifies us — Rom. 15:16; 2 Thess. 2:13
      19. He gives us gifts — 1 Cor. 12:4-11
      20. He gives us his sword to fight Satan — Eph. 6:17
      21. He prays for us in times of crisis — Rom. 8:26
      22. He will raise us from the dead — Rom. 8:11
  5. The Spirit in our life
    1. How to receive the Spirit
      1. We must repent of our sins — Acts 2:37-38
      2. We must believe in Jesus — Acts 11:15-17; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 3:2-3, 14; Eph. 1:13
      3. We must be baptized in Jesus' name — Acts 2:38; 19:1-6
      4. We must pray to receive him — Lk. 11:13; Acts 8:15
    2. Being filled with the Holy Spirit
      1. His filling is a gift for all believers
        1. Old Testament promise — Joel 2:28-29
        2. New Testament fulfillment — Acts 2:17-18
        3. New Testament promise to us — Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:9
      2. Persons filled with the Holy Spirit
        1. Bezalel — Ex. 31:2-5
        2. Samson — Jdg. 14:19
        3. Saul — 1 Sam. 10:10
        4. John the Baptist — Lk. 1:15
        5. Elizabeth — Lk. 1:47
        6. Zechariah — Lk. 1:67
        7. The disciples on Pentecost — Acts 2:4
        8. Peter before the Jewish Council — Acts 4:8
        9. The early Christians at prayer — Acts 4:31
        10. Paul in his preaching — Acts 13:9
        11. New Christians — Acts 13:52
      3. Persons Full of the Holy Spirit
        1. Jesus — Lk. 4:1
        2. The first deacons — Acts 6:3
        3. Stephen — Acts 6:5
        4. Barnabas — Acts 11:24
      4. The command to be filled with the Spirit
        1. To Paul at his conversion — Acts 9:17
        2. To all Christians — Eph. 5:18
    3. Being sealed with the Spirit — 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13-14