The Gift Of The Holy Spirit

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:38 'Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'

Titus 3:5,6 ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is essential to the work of salvation. He washes, renews, and regenerates us at the time of our New Birth, and he continues to work in us forever. We are infused with new life when the Holy Spirit regenerates us at the time of our new birth. The Greek word that is translated as 'regeneration' in Titus 3:5, means 'new birth, re- production, re-creation.' By the agency of the Holy Spirit, we are restored to the likeness and image of God; re-created from the ashes of the old, corrupted life which we inherited from fallen Adam (our progenitor), And born into the family of Jesus (our re- generator), who is the 'New Adam'; the beginning of a new order of creation!

Notice also, that the Holy Spirit is called a 'gift'! It is given freely, not earned or necessarily deserved. The grace of God has made a way for us to enjoy His presence in all our circumstances, in spite of all our shortcomings and failures.

During our time in these physical bodies, in these earthly circumstances, and for the eternity that follows. He has said “ I will never leave you or forsake you. Lo I am with you until the end of the age.” “ I will not leave you orphans, I will send you a comforter.”

Eph. 1:13,14 'In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit seals us at our new birth, marking us forever as a child of God, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, and called into his service. According to 'Strong's Concordance', the Greek word that is translated 'sealed' (sphragizo) means “to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation.” This word is also found in old Greek manuscripts with reference to the tattoo or brand stamped upon slaves; they were marked with the signet or mark of the new owner at the time of purchase. The mark is permanent and it signifies ownership; we are the property of our redeemer who has purchased us with his precious blood and has given us a new heart and a new spirit.

Paul calls it “the spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance...” earnest means 'a down payment with a promise of full payment at a future time. In other words, The Holy Spirit is given at the time of the new birth, and guarantees that we will one day possess all the promises and benefits of salvation, including a resurrected body and a place in heaven, where there will be no more tears, and no memory of sorrow. (Rev. 21:4)

The Holy Spirit teaches us, comforts us, reveals Jesus to us, and shows us who we are in Christ. The love of God is poured into our hearts by the presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5), and we are able, by His grace, to treat people the way we would want to be treated; with respect, compassion, and with forgiveness.

The fruits of the Holy Spirit, (Gal. 5:22) are those characteristics of God himself, which make it possible for us to be a blessing to those around us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control take root in our regenerated spirits, and begin to transform us, as we yield to Him.

Keep in mind that all these wonderful benefits, given to us through the Holy Spirit, are the result of God's grace! His undeserved and un-earned favor has made provision for us. He has given us all that we will need, in order to please Him, and to be a blessing to others. We can't earn the benefits of the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence, nor can we generate true, unselfish love, by our own efforts; we can only trust our heavenly father to continue and complete the wonderful work of transformation that He has begun in us. There is no risk in trusting someone who never lies, and has the power to keep his promises! He is faithful and true, and his word always comes to pass!

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work:

Php. 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [complete] it until the day of Jesus Christ.

We are made “temples of the Holy spirit” when we are born again. (see 1Cor. 3:16 and 6:19) Christ himself lives in us through the agency of his abiding Spirit, and He gives us gifts and abilities well beyond our natural endowments. He will manifest himself in supernatural ways when we trust him and learn to yield to his Presence within us. There is a divine plan for each one of us, and God has sent his Spirit to fulfill his will in all our lives. His grace will see to it that we are transformed into the new creation we were meant to become in Him!

Praise God! The plan is his, and the power is His! We only need to lean on Him and trust in His faithfulness and the power of His grace. The Holy Spirit will lead us, keep us in his will, and give us the love and wisdom we need, to be a blessing to the lost and dying world around us!

©2010 Rev. Charles J. Loubert