Our Best C.E.O.
This past Sunday we highlighted two overarching ministries of the Holy Spirit in our study on Sound Doctrine. He is the Chief Executive and Chief Enabler of our Christian life. One of the points we stressed is making sure we do not over-emphasize the Holy Spirit (as our charismatic brothers and sisters tend to do) nor under-emphasize His ministry (as cessationists can tend to do). We are totally dependent in every way upon the Presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
As we continue to grow in our understanding and application of the Spirit’s ministry, we want to make sure we are responsive to the eight commands given about how we relate to the Holy Spirit:
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). Sin grieves the Holy Spirit who has been given the ministry of sanctification (being set apart from sin) in our life.
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess.5:19). Avoid throwing cold water on His energetic work in your life by neglecting or resisting His conviction, His leading, His prompting, and His reminders of truths you need to live by as a Christ follower.
“With all prayer and petition, pray at all times, in the Spirit…” (Eph.6:18; Jude 20). This is not a call to speak in some unknown prayer language, but a call to pray in line with the Spirit’s will. It is a synonym for praying in the name of Jesus Christ or praying in the will of God. It is seeking God’s way in all that we pray for.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation (excess), but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). This is a present-tense passive imperative meaning. This means it’s a moment-by-moment step of obedience by which we allow the Holy Spirit to have full control in every area of life. By contrast, God tells us not to let the liquid “spirits” intoxicate us, but to keep letting the “Spirit” influence our entire lives.
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). To walk by the Spirit is to keep in step with the Spirit, which means you understand and honor His will and way as revealed in the Word He inspired (2 Peter 1: 20–21).
“And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). God has given us all the equipment we need to defend ourselves against “the schemes of the devil” (v. 11). We use God’s Word to ward off Satan’s sinister attacks just like Jesus did (three times He said to Satan, “It is written” when resisting his temptations).
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10–11). The Holy Spirit has given each one of us ministry gifts by which we are able to build up one another (1 Cor. 12:1–31)
“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). The Holy Spirit baptizes every believer into “one body” (1 Cor. 12:13), so we are positionally one in Christ and one with each other. Now we are commanded to “preserve” that unity by working hard to walk in peace with one another, addressing any conflicts with humility, grace, and love.
The Excellent Reads (below) this week provide some additional help in understanding how the Holy Spirit works in our lives as believers.
Pastor Jeff