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PULPIT TODAY SERMONS
THE HOLY SPIRIT: WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE DOES
John 14:15-18
Robert D. Pace
Do you love God? I mean do you passionately and wholeheartedly love Him? Jesus said there is a simple test that determines whether you love Him. In verse 15 of our text Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commands.” In other words, the degree of our love for God is measured by our obedience to his Word. It cannot be said that we love God if we deny and disobey his Word; we must obey it!
On the other hand, the Bible makes it clear how God expressed his love toward mankind. And the measure of God’s love for us is measured by the gifts he’s given us. And what gift did our Heavenly Father give us? He sent us his only begotten Son who became incarnate — God, made flesh. The Bible reveals that God, through Christ Jesus, has provided us with salvation, grace, mercy, goodness, companionship, and in total, over 1500 promises. Now that is incredible love! No love matches God’s boundless love that he lavished upon us through Emmanuel, “God with us,” Jesus Christ. But there’s also another gift that God gave us that’s of incomparable value. And it’s all these gifts that testify of God‘s love toward mankind.
But Christ is no longer on Earth in his flesh. He has ascended to his Heavenly Father, where he rules from the Throne of Grace. But there’s Good News! We can still have fellowship with Christ. God, in his supreme love, has provided us with someone who makes Jesus present with us now — the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s Chief Partner in life. As we open ourselves to his presence, he can empower us to meet any challenge that we face. That’s why Jesus told the First Century Christians that nothing was more important than staying in Jerusalem until they were “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). God wants every Christian to know that he loves us so much that He’s given His Holy Spirit to dwell within us.
(Transition) But, who is the Holy Spirit and what is his purpose? Why does Christ want Christians to make room for him in their lives? That’s what I want to talk about today. As my title suggests, I want to talk about “The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does.” The first point I want to make about the Spirit of God is this: The Holy Spirit is a Person!
I. The Holy Spirit is a Person
By and large, Scripture uses more symbols to personify the Holy Spirit than are used to exemplify the Father or the Son. For example:
The dove symbolizes his provision of peace.
Fire describes his holiness and the zeal he gives us to serve the Lord..
Rain represents his refreshment.
Wind expresses his unseen strength.
Rivers symbolize his many blessings.
Oil typifies his favor.
Clothing, or a garment, represents his immediate presence.
While the Bible employs an abundance of metaphors relating to the Holy Spirit it’s important to remember that he is far greater than the symbol itself. Some people have wrongly suggested that he is an impersonal force or power. But the Holy Spirit is more than energy. The Holy Spirit is a Person! He is the Third Person of the Triune Godhead. For example:
It was the living and actual person of the Holy Spirit that overshadowed the virgin Mary when she conceived our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It wasn’t energy or dynamism. That doesn’t even make sense!
It wasn’t a charge of heavenly power that anointed Jesus to heal the sick, circumvent nature, and raise the dead. It was God the Holy Spirit who lived in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Holy Spirit, as a Person and not a mere force, spoke to Old Testament Prophets and New Testament Apostles to write the Scriptures.
The Bible shows that the Holy Spirit can be lied to; he can be grieved; he can be blasphemed; Christians can fellowship with him and pray with him.
Scripture describes him as our Counselor, Helper, and Guide—all unlikely characteristics of an inanimate force or mystical energy. Yes, the Holy Spirit is deeply personal.
When Jesus described the Holy Spirit, he employed a skillful use of the Greek language. Notice his words in John 14:16: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” Note those two words: “another” and “Counselor.”
The word “Counselor” is derived from the Greek word Paraclete. When the translators of Scripture searched for the appropriate English equivalent for the word Paraclete, it perplexed them. The Greek word Paraclete has a broad and varied meaning. That meant the linguists needed to find one English word that could translate the full meaning of the Greek word Paraclete. But they couldn’t! That’s because the person Jesus promised to give Christians offered infinitely more than a one-word description could supply. When you study who the Holy Spirit is and what he does, you find that the Bible describes him as our Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Witness, Advocate, etc. The Paraclete that Jesus promised to Christians is far too wondrous than one word can describe!
I want to take a moment to showcase the magnificence of the Holy Paraclete:
(Definition) The Greek word Paraclete describes the “presence of another person or another thing.” It also describes “something that is brought beside another.” We hear the Greek prefix “para” in our English words para-chute, para-medic, para-graph, para-legal, para-phrase, or para-llel. Thus, it’s easy to understand how those words describe “things that are brought beside another.” Here is what’s interesting: When the Greeks of Christ’s day spoke of a Paraclete, it described a person who was “called in to assist another; someone that eliminated another’s inadequacies.” The Greeks applied this concept in numerous ways:
A Paraclete was a favorable witness called in before a court.
He was an advocate called in to defend someone facing serious penalty—like a lawyer.
A Paraclete was an expert counselor called in to advise someone desperately needing advice.
A Paraclete was a commander called in to infuse courage and hope within a dispirited battalion of soldiers.
A Paraclete was a conqueror called in to intervene and provide assistance for someone unequal for the task.
Do you see how wonderful the word Paraclete is? Jesus recognized the nature of this term, and that’s why he called the Holy Spirit the “Paraclete”!
The Holy Paraclete stands with us and is ready to protect our welfare.
He is our Teacher, Advocate, and Conqueror.
He is the One Who infuses courage, counsel, and supernatural power for whatever we encounter!
He is the omnipotent Companion that can be called in to eliminate our inadequacies!
No wonder the English translators found it difficult to employ the precise designation for the Blessed Paraclete. He’s indescribable! And the Holy Spirit is indescribable because he is just like Jesus! I must underscore that! Jesus and the Holy Spirit share the glorious, divine attributes of Godship. Let me show you what I mean.
In John 14:16 Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, but in 1 John 2:1 the apostle John called Jesus the Paraclete. How can both be correct? When Jesus said in John 14:16 he would provide “another Paraclete” he employed a unique word for “another.” The Greek language supplies two words for the English word “another.” The two words are heteros and allos. The word heteros “denotes a qualitative difference; another of a different kind.” For example, one type of fruit is an apple while another (heteros) is an orange. However, the word allos denotes “another of the same kind.” That is, there is no qualitative difference between the two pieces of fruit — one apple as opposed to another apple from the same tree. Thus, when Jesus said he would give us “another Paraclete” in John 14:16, he expressly employed the word allos in the Greek language, which meant the Holy Spirit would be of Christ’s exact, un-depreciated, divine nature. The Holy Spirit is a person of the same divine nature as Jesus Christ. He’s everything Jesus is, yet he is omnipresent and always with us.
(Transition) Thank God that the Holy Spirit is a person; he’s a person that “never leaves us or forsakes us.” Now I want to describe how the Paraclete helps Christians. And I want to mention five ways that he assists us. Perhaps the foremost way that the Holy Spirit helps Believers is to offer his guidance.
II. How the Holy Spirit Helps Christians
(Illustration) Before the days of modern navigation, when iron ships were relatively new, boats were equipped with two compasses. One was attached to the deck for the captain’s easy access, while the other was fastened atop the masthead where crew members could climb to inspect it. There was a reason the compasses were separated. The steel and iron on those boats occasionally interfered with the deck compass. But the masthead compass was above the metallic influences of the ship. That meant the most trusted guidance came from the compass “above.”
This is the type of direction the Holy Spirit provides! As our Heavenly Guide, he directs our course without the least interference from this lowly, wretched world. How does he do this? How does he provide guidance? I want to mention five ways the Holy Spirit directs Believers.
Five Ways the Holy Spirit Guides Believers
1. He speaks directly to us.
Abraham is a prime example of the direct influence of the Holy Spirit. Genesis 12:1 says, “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. (2) “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on Earth will be blessed through you.”
We don’t know how God spoke “directly” to Abram. Perhaps it was an audible voice, an angel, or a vision. What we do know is this: the Lord clearly communicated with Abraham, and when he spoke, Abraham obeyed.
(Emphasis) When God speaks, one ounce of obedience is better than a thousand pounds of sacrifice! You may not know the outcome, and the way may be challenging, but God always has a divine procedure to obtain His purpose. So when the Heavenly Counselor speaks, our job is to obey Him. You won’t be disappointed.
(Illustration) I remember one of many occasions when the Holy Spirit furnished me clear direction. It was the last Sunday of October in 1986. I arose early that morning to pray and prepare for my morning evangelistic message. As I prayed, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, saying, “I will show you your next pastoral assignment today.” Within an hour, the phone rang from a distant city with an invitation to “candidate” for that church. I hung up the phone and told my wife, “Well, I know where we’re going to pastor.” Four weeks later, I had completed my evangelistic itinerary and was driving a moving van toward a pastorate that I knew was a divine appointment.
(Transition) But the Lord not only speaks directly to us, secondly:
2. God leads through an impression upon our heart.
Maybe you’re thinking: God speaks to us without words; He speaks to us with an impression on our hearts? Yes, that’s exactly right. How many of you have conveyed a message to your children or your spouse without words? Or, as a teacher, you signaled a message to your students with but the lift of an eyebrow or a facial gesture. Thus, it is more than plausible for the Lord to speak to His children through an impression on their hearts.
It’s quite remarkable that the New Testament Apostles made a major church decision based on an “impression upon their hearts.” Acts 15:28 says, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials.”
Do you see what happened here? The Apostles didn’t speak with an angel who handed them instructions; the Lord didn’t descend in a cloud as he had for Moses and then write the conclusion of the matter upon a scroll. No! The Holy Spirit simply touched the hearts of the Apostles and made them feel comfortable about their decision.
Have you ever prayed about something, and without ever hearing God’s audible voice, you just felt right about taking a course of action? You felt right because during your time of prayer, the Holy Spirit, in an unexplainable way, placed a deep deposit of peace and assurance into your heart. This is how the Holy Spirit works!
(Transition) The Holy Spirit not only speaks directly to us and with impressions upon our hearts; thirdly, He uses others to speak His will to us.
3. God Leads through Others.
(Illustration) Some years back, a young man in my church was seeking employment. His skills were best suited for hospital work, and he had twice applied and been denied employment at a particular hospital in the city. As I was praying for him, I sensed that I should encourage him to reapply for employment at that same hospital. Yes, that would make three applications! After telling him what I heard from the Holy Spirit, Mike could have allowed disbelief to crush his faith, but he didn’t! He applied for employment one more time at that hospital, and to his amazement, he was hired!
The Bible says in Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Do you know what Solomon is saying here? He is saying that regardless of how smart we think we are, there are times we need to recruit advice from others as we try to determine God’s will.
I am grateful for the times the Lord has led me to make major decisions by recruiting counsel and insight from other spiritual people. It works! God directs through the wisdom and knowledge of other spiritual people.
(Transition) Fourthly, it’s important to know that:
4. The Holy Spirit directs us through anointed preaching and teaching.
Can you believe God uses preachers? The Holy Spirit often furnishes direction, guidance, and even warning when anointed preachers and teachers declare God’s Word. How often have you been seeking God’s will and, while listening to someone preach or teach, God confirmed his direction for your life? It’s happened many times.
(Illustration) During my senior year in Bible College, I committed to earnest prayer concerning God’s specific direction for my ministry. As I prayed, I felt the Lord was speaking to me to move to Florida and evangelize. Now, what young man wouldn’t want to live in Florida? But I wanted to know the Lord’s will for certain. During that season of prayer, I heard a sermon from a well-known preacher just before graduating from College. As he spoke, God’s Word pierced my heart and instantly confirmed that Florida was where I was to minister. Late that night (12:00 pm), a minister from Florida phoned me and encouraged me to move there for ministry. It was this series of events that helped me ascertain God’s Will for my life, and it wound up being the perfect place to launch into ministry.
(Transition) Fifthly, it’s important to note that:
5. The Holy Spirit directs believers through dreams and visions.
I’m sure caution needs to be exercised at this point, but caution should be exercised regardless of how Christians determine God’s direction for their lives. The fact is, throughout the Bible, God directed his people with dreams and visions.
Joseph was warned in a vision that King Herod would try to kill Jesus unless they fled to Egypt.
Paul and his companions were forbidden to minister in Bythinia and specifically directed to minister in Macedonia.
God gave Peter a vision of taking the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
So it’s easy to see that God uses dreams and visions to guide his people.
(Transition) Thirdly, the Holy Spirit not only is a person and provides guidance, he provides power.
III. The Holy Spirit Provides Power
There’s an entire sermon to be preached on this point, so I want to limit my comments. However, the main purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower Believers at every point. That’s what Jesus meant in Acts 1:8 when he said: “you shall receive power—ability, efficiency and might—when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” The Holy Spirit is our means of receiving power from God for whatever we face and whatever we do.
Think about how Christ lived on Earth. Jesus, the wholly divine Son of God, never used his inherent power to heal the sick or work wonders. The Scriptures are clear on this! When John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, and all Jesus did was done through the power of the Holy Spirit He healed, worked miracles, lived, died, and was resurrected all by the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is a reason Jesus lived that way. For Jesus to be our Example, he had to be filled with the Spirit and draw upon His power. Though he was divine, he could not use his own divine power to work miracles.
What I’m about to say might offend. Nevertheless, it needs saying: By and large, Americans have learned how to “have church.” We know how to set the stage, adjust the lights, sing the choruses, and deliver the message. While we are proficient at such activities, the problem is it’s often presented without any empowerment of the Holy Spirit! Saints of God:
When the Church gathers to worship God, sing its praises, and preach the Word, it must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit! The gifts of the Spirit must be given their rightful place. And when the service ends, worshipers should depart with the Word of God crying out from their hearts, saying: “Of a truth, God was in that place!”
But let’s personalize this: Are you, as a Christian, living out your Faith with significant evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power? If so, Praise God! If not, why not?
I want you to imagine something with me. If God somehow permitted the ancient Prophets of the Bible and the Apostles of the New Testament to return to our generation, do you think they would attempt to live without the power of the Holy Spirit? No! Then, here’s my challenge to you: Follow the example of the Apostles! Call for the Holy Spirit to fall upon you in power and use you any way he chooses. Give him all the space he wants in your life.
The Holy Spirit can divinely transform you.
He can strengthen the weak areas of your life.
He can work miracles through you.
The Holy Spirit is waiting to fill you with his power if you will “ask.” Jesus said in Luke 11:13, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Conclusion
Spirit-filled living was an expected part of the New Testament experience. That’s why you should ask your Heavenly Father to fill you with his Spirit today. I want to close by reading the Apostle’s great proclamation in Acts 2:38–39.
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
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