The Holy Spirit, His Ministries, and His Gifts

We live in a season of critical spiritual challenges with increasing amounts of darkness, deception, destruction, and death. As Christians, we naturally expect this from the world, but not from within the church. Lacking a biblically solid understanding of the Holy Spirit’s Person, ministries, and gifts to believers has produced an increasing amount of false powers, dubious prophecies, unclear signs, and unreceived miracles, all originating from the god of this world, Lucifer. Masquerading as an angel of light, thousands of Christians have been imperiled and harmed.

It is not my intent to undeservedly criticize certain groups of believers, but all believers need to understand and be discerning about false works and workers among the true with respect to the Holy Spirit that harm and hinder the works of God in the world. There are many believers who do not speak at all about the Holy Spirit. There are also many who overemphasize the Spirit over the Lord Jesus. Both represent the extremes and potentially foster divisive spiritual confusion that should not be there. Balance and a personal Berean spirit (Acts 17:11) to search and evaluate the scriptures are needed.

I concur with Dr. John MacArthur’s assessments in his presentation entitled The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit found here or here that “the Holy Spirit is the most forgotten, most misrepresented, most dishonored, most grieved, most abused, and most blasphemed” member of the Trinity. There are believers who “feel they have a free license to abuse the Holy Spirit and blaspheme His holy name by attributing to Him words He didn’t say, deeds He didn’t do, and experiences that He didn’t produce.” The assessments are indeed true in some churches, but not all churches in which spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit are operating as scripturally described. In his book Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship, Dr. MacArthur asserts narrowly and categorically, and unfairly in my opinion, that “Pentecostals and Charismatics elevate religious experience over biblical truth. Though many of them pay lip service to the authority of God’s Word, in practice they deny it... I believe it is the elevation of experience over the authority of Scripture that grieves and demeans the Holy Spirit most of all.” The same can also be said about many other denominations of believers, within specific churches, or within specific church associations. Even in Gerard Laudat’s rebuttal Strange Fire Indeed: A Response to John MacArthur’s Strange Fire to Dr. MacArthur’s book, there are some misunderstandings about spiritual gifts (he does not address abuses), there are also abuses and misunderstandings about strict cessationism (the belief that some spiritual gifts ceased to be manifested by the 3^rd century AD as the canon of scripture was “closed” and as the church “matured”), and willingness to furnish credibility to operation of spiritual gifts within the church. He mentions Gordon Fey most prominently.

It is important, then, that each believer possess a fuller understanding of the Holy Spirit, His ministries, and His gifts. Doing so will enrich one’s daily walk with the Lord, and service within the world which competes for worldview and witness.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS MINISTRIES

The Person of the Holy Spirit 

Understanding that the Holy Spirit is not a mystical, metaphysical, or impersonal moving force is of prime importance. He is not like the “force” of Star Wars fame which reportedly is in, around, and part of all physical elements. He is not a mere presence, feeling, or impression. He is a Person, and specifically a divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity, co-equal with God (Acts 5:3-5) the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. He is as worthy of worship and reverential fear as the Father and the Son. We do not worship three Gods, as Muslims claim, but are three in one in essence and unity. We do not worship a modal God, meaning that we have one God with three modes which He changes as needed. The members of the Trinity are distinct, and yet one in cooperation and unity. The Holy Spirit was present and participating in creation (Gen. 1:2), is active in re‑creation in individual believers (salvation, sanctification, and glorification), affirmation of Jesus’ ministry (Jn. 1:32-34) and, as we will see later, has some surprising redemptive activities in future world events.

The Character of the Holy Spirit

 One of the most notable characteristics of the Holy Spirit is that even though He is very powerful, He is also gentle and humble. Because God has given us free will and the ability to accept or reject Him, the Holy Spirit does not force Himself on people. His passion, will and influence can be quenched (1 Thess. 5:19). The word for “quench” (Gr. sbennymi) means to put out, extinguish, or suppress. He shares emotional responses like the other members of the Trinity (compassion, patience, etc.). In that regard, He can also be grieved (Eph. 4:30). We will come back to that verse in a while. Because of His humility, the Holy Spirit always refers worship and praise to the Father and the Son (Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:13-14). Even though the Holy Spirit is expressly humble, blasphemy against Him is unforgiveable (Matt. 12:31-32). Many have considered, preached, and taught over the years what constitutes the “unpardonable sin,” but Jesus clearly defines what it is: attributing to Satan the works of the Holy Spirit. The opposite is also blasphemous, i.e. attributing to the Holy Spirit what is scripturally the works of Satan and darkness. Whatever works the Holy Spirit produces, they can always be confirmed by the Word without contradiction. Any manifestations or efforts to change, supersede, or reinterpret the Word is dangerous, and not of God.

There are many manifestations that can occur as a result of counterfeit, demonic spirits that are falsely presumed to be manifestations of the Holy Spirit. One example is called a Kundalini spirit (Hindu, eastern religious origin) and another is called a Shakti spirit (“divine feminine energy” shaking, goddess, diva, yoga, eastern religious origin). Both are demonic in origin, and should be renounced and resisted in prayer.

There are also many mystical divination practices that have gained popularity within the past few years that are forbidden and demonic. They have deluded believers into thinking that they are using these “supplemental” practices for “God’s glory,” “guidance,” and “anointing.” Here are just a few examples: “Christian” tarot cards, “emptying” or “listening” meditation (channeling), yoga, seances, labyrinths, enneagrams, and “grave soaking.”

The Bible instructs believers to “test the spirits” (1 Jn. 4:2-8) to see if they are of God. During the First Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards noticed significant ecstatic (emotional) and behavioral manifestations that occurred during several revivals he preached in, and observed under other ministers. It was assumed that these were the result of moves of the Holy Spirit, but Jonathan prepared a sermon entitled Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God to scripturally examine the phenomena and confirm if a work was indeed a true work of the Holy Spirit. Here are his five spiritual tests:

•  Does the work exalt the true Christ?
• Does it oppose worldliness?
• Does it point people to the scriptures?
• Does it elevate the truth?Does it produce love for God and others?

If a work failed any of these tests, then the work can be deemed to not be a work of the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

From a general “10,000 foot view,” the Holy Spirit has five general functions for believers. First, He is responsible for drawing sinners (Jn. 6:44) to Christ for salvation. He convicts them of their desperate, sinful condition before God; He convinces them of their need for the Savior; He brings them in contrition and brokenness to call upon Christ to be saved; He regenerates sinners to become a “new man” (or woman) in Christ; He indwells and seals new believers and confesses them and advocates for them before God. Second, from that point the Holy Spirit acts as the believer’s guide and ever-present companion. Third, the Holy Spirit enables believers to obey and persevere in obedience to God. Fourth, the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to become more like Jesus in lifelong sanctification and journey of holiness. Fifth, the Holy Spirit fills the believer with supernatural power and provides spiritual gifts for work and witness (Acts 1:8).  

What the Holy Spirit Does in the Lives of Believers

I’m sure that if you personally searched the scriptures thoroughly, you could identify more activities that the Holy Spirit does in the lives of believers than the nine fold actions I will list and discuss here.

• He regenerates (Ro. 8:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:17) – or re-creates to provide eternal life from death, creating the “new man” (or woman) in Christ. When all things become (Gr. ginomai) new, the new person has a life with new characteristics, behaviors, and understanding that follows, or comes to pass as a result of what the Holy Spirit has created within a believer. It is a great blessing to know that when the Holy Spirit dwells (Gr. oikeo) in a believer, he takes up permanent residence to dwell as one’s home, making it ready for permanent inhabitation.

• He seals (Eph. 4:30) – or asserts ownership and preservation of the believer with God’s authority as with a signet seal (Gr. sphragizo) stamped on a vessel to attested what God has done. Consider also, in Eph. 1:13-14, that the Holy Spirit seals the believer in a two-way promise (Gr. epangelia): the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit as announced as pledged, and that the believer is announced as pledged before God! The Holy Spirit, then, resides within the believer as earnest (Gr. arrabon) for final redemption to come in eternity. He is the first installment paid as a pledge that the rest of the redemptive purchase will follow.

• He abides (Jn. 14:16-17) – The Holy Spirit abides (Gr. meno) or dwells continually as an enduring eternal presence. He is ever-present within us, our “earthly tabernacle” (2 Cord. 5:1). Unlike how He operated under the Old Covenant where the He came upon people temporarily for special purpose or anointing and then departed, under the New Covenant, and because of Jesus’ all-sufficient one time sacrifice, the Holy Spirit abides and resides continually within the believer.

• He guides (Jn. 16:13; Acts 16:6) – when the Holy Spirit guides (Gr. hodegeo), He shows or teaches the way a believer should think, act, and direct their lives to please and serve the Lord Jesus. He also protectively warns or hinders believers from doing dangerous or ungodly things, or also things that are not yet to be done in His timing.

• He equips (1 Cor. 12, 14) – I will discuss spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit further in the next section.

• He helps (Jn. 16:6-7) – or is known as the Comforter (Gr. parakletos). The Holy Spirit, as the believer’s ever-present companion, is One who not only stands alongside the believer helping as an advocate and intercessor before God, but also helps the believer during this mortal life in this world, helping the believer to boldly stand against evil.

• He teaches (1 Jn. 2:27) – even though believers have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) because the Father reveals it them, it is through the anointing of the Holy Spirit that believers receive it. Believers receive the Holy Spirit’s teaching through revelation and application of the Word, and obedience to Christ.

• He intercedes (Ro. 8:26-27) – with groanings (Gr. stenagmos) in prayer the believer is so burdened and distracted that the Holy Spirit takes and bears the burden in the believer’s behalf to the Father. The burden is not knowing how to pray (as in method), rather it is advocating for what is to be prayed (as in substance). God certainly knows what will be prayed before it is even uttered.

• He assures (Ro. 8:14) – Being led (Gr. ago) by the Holy Spirit, also meaning being carried or borne, is an evidence of sonship, or spiritual adoption. This is much deeper and more fundamental than a superficial tendency, influence, or assent. The Holy Spirit’s leading in a believer’s life is to be of supreme priority. Those whose life fruits do not possess this enduring life quality cannot truly make this claim.

Without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is greatly active in the believer’s life, but He is also at work in our fallen world to lead it to Jesus and His redemptive mission. Just as believers are to be in the world, but not of the world (1 Jn. 2:16-17), He is also. As fallen as our world currently is due to the curse of sin, and even with redemption possible, it is vaguely conceivable how rich God’s grace and mercy are in restraining evil. Both Jeremiah Johnston’s Unimaginable: What Our World Would Look Like Without Christianity and Jeff Kinley’s As It Was in the Days of Noah give us reason to ponder what a world without the continual restraining presence of the Holy Spirit in the church would be like.

What the Holy Spirit Does in the World

• He reproves - the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16:7-11) meaning that He convicts consciences of sin, admonishes what is right, corrects what is wrong, and convinces that judgment of sin will follow. This is a continual process for believers, but is also applied incidentally to unbelievers to attempt to draw them to salvation.

• He glorifies – or points to Jesus, and does not speak of Himself (Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:14). It is interesting that any reference to world religions apart than Christianity meet little resistance or offense, but any mention or reference to the name or ministry of Jesus typically produces some level of objection or offense. In glorifying or speaking of Jesus, the Holy Spirit reproves the world, and points to the only means of redemption.

• He searches (1 Cor. 2:10) – or diligently searches or closely investigates all things - including all motives, intents, agendas, and behaviors for opportunities to reveal God’s redemptive purposes. Nothing is hidden from Him or escapes His gaze.

• He restrains (2 Thess. 2:6-7) – as alluded to earlier the Holy Spirit’s presence, active and working within the body of Christ presently on the earth, has a restraining effect on the totality of evil in the world. There is an imminent day when Christ will come for His bride (the believing dead will be resurrected, and the living believers raptured). After that future event, the world will enter a seven-year time of tribulation before Christ returns to earth to set up His millennial reign. Satan knows his time will be limited before his ultimate judgment. Since Christ came, we have all lived in times when His redemptive work has been resisted with an antichrist spirit (1 Jn. 2:18) of which there have been many. Satan has prepared an Antichrist candidate in every generation since who has attempted to oppose Christ and destroy the church. The final Antichrist, however, is not a spirit, but a satanically-indwelt person who will arise after the church has been resurrected and raptured. Believers may have ideas about who this person might be, but the church will not know because his identity has been restrained by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in the Future

• The Holy Spirit in the Resurrection and Rapture to Come – Some might be surprised to learn the role the Holy Spirit has in the resurrection of the believing dead and rapture of living believers. We know that the Father determines when the Son will come for His bride (Matt. 24:36; Mk. 13:32). Believers may have an idea about the season in which it is most imminent, but no one knows the specific day or hour (1 Thess. 5:1-6). The Son is sent by the Father to get His Bride (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The Holy Spirit is the One who resurrects the dead to life and rapture/translate living believers (Ro. 8:11; Rev. 11:11-12).

• The Holy Spirit in the Tribulation Period – As described earlier, the Holy Spirit’s presence in the body of Christ on earth is presently restraining the identity of the final Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:6-8). Once the church is removed, the Holy Spirit is, in effect, taken out of the way (but not altogether removed from the earth) to permit the Antichrist to be revealed. Knowing that salvation is not possible without the agency and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, He will still be present during the Tribulation as evidenced by the great number of people who will become believers (Zech. 13:8-9; Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 6:9; Rev. 7:14-17; Rev. 13:8). The Bible also speaks of a time during the Tribulation that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on Israel after the Gog-Magog war (Ezek. 39:29; Joel 2:28-32) for the purpose of preparing Israel to intensely look for her long-awaited Messiah.

• The Holy Spirit in and After the Millennial Kingdom – Although there will be many people born in flesh during the Millennium (with greater longevity from living in a curse-suspended 1000-year period), each must still choose salvation through faith in Jesus, and with the agency and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. To test those on the earth during the Millennium, Satan will be released for a short time from the Bottomless Pit for his last deception of mankind before the eternal state is inaugurated. The final judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:7-15) during which all whose names do not appear in the Book of Life – and whose lives do not have the Holy Spirit’s regenerative work – will be resurrected and cast into the Lake of Fire (Hell). 

What Walking in the Spirit Means for Believers

Believers are described as “walking in the Spirit” when the Holy Spirit sanctifies (being set apart in holiness for God’s service) their lives, fills and empowers believers with gifts for service (1 Cor. 12,14), and manifests the Holy Spirit’s presence by producing spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23). The sanctification process includes a continual molding or forming believers into the image of Jesus and becoming more like Him day by day (Ro. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10). Believers are admonished to be filled (Gr. pleroo) with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) implying that there are always “hollow” places or empty “spaces” in believers’ lives that need submission or repentance for the Holy Spirit’s filling vessels to the full.  

The Holy Spirit is definitely One who lavishes His gifts upon believers. As we will see, there are correct and incorrect motivations and purposes for the gifts. The church in Corinth had several problems with respect to spiritual gifts as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S GIFTS

About Spiritual Gifts

The apostle Paul begins by telling the church at Corinth to not be ignorant (Gr. agneo) of spiritual gifts, meaning to be neither ignoring or unaware of them (1 Cor. 12:1). There are a number of churches today that have so ignored or deemphasized spiritual gifts that they are operating predominantly in the flesh, have become worldly, compromised and devoid of spiritual power. Leonard Ravenhill says in Why Revival Tarries, “The church that is man-managed instead of God-governed is doomed to failure. A ministry that is college-trained but not Spirit-filled works no miracles.” (p. 100) It is imperative that the church be God-governed, Spirit-filled, and flesh-crucified if it is to be the house God blesses and uses to His glory.

There are different gifts (Gr. charisma) from the same Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4). They all originate from Him, and are distributed by Him as He wills not necessarily as a believer prefers or desires. We will specifically enumerate and discuss the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.

There are different ministries (Gr. diakonia) from the same Lord (1 Cor. 12:5). This is the same root word from which we get the word “deacon,” who are Spirit-filled individuals who are to scripturally serve and minister to the church body. Notice that the choice of ministry is to also be distributed by the Holy Spirit, also not necessarily as a believer prefers or desires, or even where there is a vacancy that needs a volunteer. People are to be Spirit-led to their ministry assignments which means selection of ministry must be subject to prayer and preparation.

There are different operations (Gr. energema), workings from the same God at work (1 Cor. 12:6). The root word here means “energy” or “ability” that the Holy Spirit supplies to accomplish the work through the believer He has chosen to do it.     

Even though every believer has the potential to be given any of the gifts, the evidence of being given all of the gifts is rare (1 Cor. 12:29-30). Although I can attest to scriptural evidence of believers speaking in tongues as initial evidence of baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:1-7), I cannot say that all have the gifts of tongues or interpretation of tongues. I know this statement may estrange or offend some believers, but I am referring strictly to scriptural evidence which is more authoritative than experiential evidence that contradicts scriptural support.

In R.A. Torrey’s The Baptism With the Holy Spirit, Torrey advocates Spirit baptism as an available secondary empowerment after salvation in which a believer may receive additional power from Holy Spirit for testimony and service. He states that, “baptism with the Holy Spirit is granted to those who truly repent, identify themselves with Jesus Christ in true surrender, and take Christ at His word.” He teaches that one “filling” of the Holy Spirit is most often not sufficient for a lifetime, but may require several fillings of the Holy Spirit as needs and circumstances arise. He does not connect Spirit baptism with an initial evidence of tongues or prophesying with the experience.   

Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

There are four main purposes of spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit in the church. Gifts are exercised and vary as needed in the body life of the church. 

• To edify - build up, or benefit (1 Cor. 12:7; 1 Cor. 14:3, 12, 26)

• To unify (1 Cor. 12:12-27)

•  To exhort - admonish, encourage, strengthen, or establish in faith (1 Cor. 14:3)

• To comfort -soothe (1 Cor. 14:3)

Types of Spiritual Gifts

There are eleven specified spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, but there are many other

unspecified gifts of the Spirit given as He wills and as needs arise

• “Revelatory” Gifts – used to reveal God’s wisdom and discernment to believers

            Word of knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8)

             Gift of discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10)

             Word of wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8)

• “Power” Gifts – used to impart God’s power and ministry to believers

            Gift of healing (1 Cor. 12:9)

            Gift of miracles (1 Cor. 12:10)

            Gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:9) 

Sign” Gifts – used to validate God’s Word and presence to believers

            Gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 14:27-33)

            Gift of tongues (1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 14:27-33)

            Gift of interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 14:27-33)

Additional gifts of helps and governments (administration) (1 Cor. 12:28) – used to enable believers to minister in order (1 Cor. 14:40) and unity in the church

The most excellent gift is to love (Gr. agape) one another in Christ (1 Cor. 13:13). Love of the brethren is a sure test of living in and according to the light (1Jn. 2:9-11). It is in this environment that the ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit flow without hindrance.

Do you desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit and used for God’s glory? Leonard Ravenhill says this about being filled and used by the Holy Spirit:

“The first essential for the coming of the Holy Ghost into a heart today is that the heart should be cleansed from sin, for the Holy Spirit does not fill an unclean heart. What God has cleansed, He then fills. Finally, whom God fills, He uses. A holy life is the authentic sign of being filled with the Spirit.”