The ministries of Jesus and the Holy Spirit are closely related, each one serving an individual purpose while complimenting the other. Although the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one in the trinity, they each have different roles that they play. The Holy Spirit plays an active part in our lives, as does Jesus. The role of the Spirit changed with Jesus. When Jesus died and rose from the cross, He opened up a new doorway for us, a new opportunity for us to experience the Holy Spirit. The Spirit became active and real to us in a way that He never could before.
Today, our lives are focused on Jesus, focused on His love and sacrifice. His present ministry is seen through His believers. We are His lights in this present dark world. Our comforter, teacher, and guide, the Holy Spirit is all these things and more. The Spirit convicts men of their sin and brings them new life. Before examining His ministry, we must first learn to view the Spirit as a person rather than a power. He has a mind, will, and emotions. In I Corinthians 2:10, the Bible states that the Spirit “…searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
For someone to search and explore another’s thoughts, he must himself possess a mind. Jesus says that the Spirit will come to convict mankind of sin (John 16:8). This demonstrates His will. Acts 15:28 says, “…for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit…” Therefore He has the capability to determine between good and bad. He has a will and emotions. Now that we have established the Spirit as a person, how does He play a personal role in our lives and what is His role in the Trinity? When we are faced with trials and disappointments, the Spirit is our comforter.
Acts 9:31 says, “…and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. ” In John 14:16, Jesus says this, “I will pray to the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. ” He is our comfort in the hard times. Jesus also refers to Him as our Helper. In John 14:26 Jesus says, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you. ” Another role that He plays in our lives is that of a teacher.
In I Corinthians 2:12, it says “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. ” The Spirit provides bountiful wisdom and blessings when He enters our lives! Another aspect of His ministry is guiding. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ” (John 16:13). He guides and leads us down the path that God has chosen for us.
The Spirit also indwells and anoints individuals to perform God’s work. I John 2:20 says, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things. ” He gives us wisdom to know all things. We receive life through his indwelling. Romans 8:11 reads, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. ” According to Micah 3:8, we also receive power by the Spirit. Along with the anointing comes a Revealer.
John 16:13 says, “ Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will shew you things to come. ” All of these are important roles that the Spirit plays in us. Where does the Spirit fit into the trinity? According to Edward Palmer, the Trinity operates “from the Father, through the Son, to the Holy Spirit. ” He has a perfecting and finishing work. Each member of the trinity plays a different part in every function that they perform. Let’s examine creation for example.
The Spirit gave life to God’s creation. God created the heavens and the earth, but “…the earth was without form…” according to Genesis 1:2. Then “… the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ” (Genesis 1:2b) In Psalms 33:6 it says that the heavens were made and the Lord breathed out upon them. The Spirit is in essence the breath of God. Job 26:13 says, “By His Spirit, He adorned the heavens…” Man received life from the Spirit according to Job 33:4; “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. ” God created, and the Holy Spirit perfected. What role does the Spirit play in salvation?
He is responsible for the conviction of sin in mankind. In the book of John, Jesus speaks about the Spirit and He says, “… when He has come, He will convict the world of sin…” The Spirit is also responsible for giving new life, and for the regeneration of the old man. Jesus stated in John 3:5, “Most assuredly I say unto you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ” In Titus 3:5 it says, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. ”
The Holy Spirit is a vital part of the trinity and our lives. He is our peace in times of trouble and our teacher in times of need. Not a super power, but a person. A loving and compassionate person. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. ” (Luke 19:10) The Ministry of Jesus, while very broad, can be summed up into three main areas: preaching, teaching, and healing. Matthew 4:23 says, “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease among the people.
Jesus’ preaching was a very large aspect of His ministry. In Mark 1:38 Jesus says this, “Let us go unto the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth. ” He taught about repentance and about the kingdom of God. He says in Matthew 3:2, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand! ” Jesus’ purpose in preaching was to bring sinners into the kingdom of God. While preaching is the beginning of a new life, it must be complimented with teaching. What is the difference between preaching and teaching? Preaching brings you to Christ; teaching helps you grow.
After the sinner has realized his sinfulness and repented, he must be led and nurtured in the ways of God. This is where Jesus’ teaching ministry comes into play. He did much of His teaching through parables. Chapter thirteen of Matthew contains parables such as the parable of the sower, the parable of the wheat and tares, and the parable of the mustard seed. Jesus’ parables were designed to take a concept that the sinners might not understand and put it into terms that they would. Many valuable lessons can be learned from these simple stories.
Jesus also teaches through His actions. Take for example, the fig tree incident. Mark 11:12 tells the story of how Christ was walking with His disciples one morning and was hungry. He came upon a fig tree, but found that it had no figs on it. Jesus cursed the tree and said that no one would ever eat from it again. The next morning, they passed by the same tree and found it to be dried up and dead. The disciples were amazed! Jesus simply said, “Have faith in God. ” (Mark 11:22) He used this as an example of what the power of God can do if we only have faith in Him.
Jesus teaches us of love and compassion. In Matthew 5: 43, He tells us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. ” He teaches of the new commandments in John 13:34. “ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you. ” The final component of Jesus’ ministry was that of healing. People’s lives were directly affected and changed through His miracles. The number of individuals healed by Jesus’ ministry are innumerable. In John chapter nine, Jesus gives eyesight to a man that was born blind. In Matthew 9:32, a mute man receives a voice.
Matthew 4:24 says, “Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. ” His healing ministry not only included healing the physically sick, but the spiritually sick. He cast out demons in Mark chapter five. Jesus encountered a violent man who no one had been able to contain. He was crying out and cutting himself with stones. Jesus ordered the unclean spirits to come out of him and then He cast them into swine and they ran into the sea and drowned.
Jesus’ ministry should be an example to us all. We should strive to be Christ-like in everything we do. When Jesus left He said this to His disciples, “…In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. ” (Mark 16:15) We are His present day disciples. He has empowered us to do his work and continue His ministry here on earth. The Ministry of the Spirit in Christ The Spirit played a different role before the coming of Jesus.
Jesus said in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ” In Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit was able to come to us and fill our lives. The Spirit was not present in all flesh in the old covenant. It wasn’t until Jesus died on the cross and was glorified that the Spirit was poured out on all flesh. In John 7:39, “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Christ had not yet died for our sins, and thus the Spirit could not occupy our hearts because He could not be in the presence of sin. The blood of Christ made it possible for the Spirit to indwell us. Although the Spirit could not indwell all, there are instances in the Old Testament when He anointed and indwelled certain individuals. In I Samuel 10:10, Saul experiences the anointing of the Spirit; “When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. ” Later in Chapter sixteen, it says that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.
Samson also had an indwelling of the Spirit. Judges 13:25 says, “ And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him…” The Spirit later departs from him as well; in chapter sixteen it reads, “…But he did not know that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him. ” Isaiah says that, “the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me…” (Isaiah 61:1). We see that that Spirit of God was upon certain individuals to accomplish His work, but did not necessarily remain in them and was not present in all creatures. The Spirit was present in Christ from the moment He was conceived.
Incarnation is the eternal God present in our flesh and bones; the Spirit made this possible. The angel Gabriel, tells Mary of the Holy Spirit’s anointing in Luke 1:26, “…the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also the Holy One Who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ” The Spirit’s act of conceiving was necessary for Jesus to remain sinless. The Spirit was given fully to Christ; John the Baptist says, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:34). Isaiah predicted the Spirit’s presence upon Jesus long before His birth. “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of His roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him. ” (Isaiah 11:1). The Spirit was indeed fully present in Christ and played an important role in His ministry. Jesus performed His works with the aide of the Holy Spirit. He says in Matthew 12, “And if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God…” Paul talks about how Jesus was anointed with the Spirit and performed His work through the Spirit.
Acts 10:38 reads, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ” Through this we see that the Spirit played an important part in Christ’s earthly ministry. The Spirit also contributed to Christ’s death and resurrection. It was because of the Spirit that Christ was able to present Himself a pure and sinless sacrifice. In Hebrews 9:14 it says, “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God…
The Spirit glorifies Christ in His resurrection according to Romans 8: 11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. ” The Holy Spirit takes on a whole new position in our lives after Christ is risen from the dead. Jesus said before He died, “I will pray to My Father and He will give you another Helper that He may abide in you forever. The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:12). Jesus said that the Spirit would come to us and remain in us FOREVER. Meaning, He will not depart from us like He did in the Old Testament. In the New Testament the Spirit is no longer limited to certain individuals, but is available to all. In Joel 2:28 God talks about what is to come; He says, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh…” Jesus says that the Spirit will take what is His and declare it to us (John 16:14). In Matthew when Jesus sends out His disciples, He says that the Spirit of God will speak IN them.
Because Christ shed His blood and became a sacrifice for our sins, we are now able to receive the Holy Spirit and He can work through us. The Present Ministry of Jesus Christ Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, ruling over the earth and the heavens. Ephesians 1:20-24 talks about how God has placed Jesus at His right hand and “put all things under His feet. ” Jesus’ current ministry is in Heaven. He is our advocate to the Father. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Our eternal life and salvation is assured only through the blood of Christ. Jesus is now living in us and it is our responsibility to carry out His ministry on earth. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He left us with this message, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:18). We can continue Christ’s ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing.
He has given us the power and authority to do so! The Spirit has impacted my life in so many ways. I was raised in a strong Christian home and God had always been a part of my life. I never questioned His existence or His power. He has always been so real to me. Growing up, I had a pretty close relationship with Him. When I entered high school, my relationship with God hit a stand still. At least this is what I thought, but the Bible tells us that if we are not moving forward we are moving backwards and this is exactly what happened.
I spent less and less time with Him and although He was still very real to me, our friendship diminished and He was no longer a part of my life. His Spirit was still with me and I heard that voice telling me that what I was doing was wrong, but I learned to shut it out. God seemed so far away, so distant. There was a time when I could talk with Him for hours, now I couldn’t find the words to pray for five minutes, and I usually didn’t even try. I continued on this path all through high school; I was enjoying my life. I thought I had everything in the world going for me. I loved my school, my friends, volleyball; everything was great.
As I approached the close of my junior year and my father receives orders (he’s in the air force) to move to the other side of the country. Move my senior year? I don’t think so. I told my parents there was no way that I was going; they would have to leave without me. Well, five months later, I’m driving across country to my new home in Washington DC. My parents enrolled me in a small Christian school, which triggered a period of total rebellion in my life, not only against my parents, but against God. Something inside me told me that God wanted me there, and I hated Him for it. How could He take me away from everything that I loved?
It says in Isaiah 55:8, “For My thought are not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways,” “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My thoughts higher then your thoughts. ” It took me a whole year to realize that God actually did know what He was doing. Every day I would wake up and ask God, why am I here? Why did you bring me here? I waited everyday for an answer. I could find nothing positive about where I was. The year flew by and before I knew it I had graduated. By this time, I had made my recruiting trips and I had to make a decision on where to attend college.
I had my choice of several big division one school, but even through all of my rebellion, I could hear God tell me He wanted me at ORU. So, the summer comes to a close. My church was attending a youth conference the week before I was scheduled to be at school, and the Spirit said, Lindsey, you need to go. I didn’t want to! I didn’t want to change my ways; I was happy just the way I was. But deep down inside, I knew that I needed to change, and it was for this reason that I listened to Him. The conference was six days. We had three to four speakers a day, each with a different message.
The first day the Lord broke me a little. The second day a little more. The third, even a little more. By the last day, I was in tears. God’s presence was so powerful and so evident. He showed me areas in my life that I needed to fix, specific areas that were keeping me from a relationship with Him. I argued with Him the whole week. I said God, I don’t want to change!! I don’t want to let go of those things! I remember sitting there in one of the services, I had been crying the whole time, and He said to me, “Lindsey, let go, I want to use you. ” And I said, “No, I don’t want to.
About half way through the week, I woke up and I had this song stuck in my head. “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. ” I woke up every morning singing this song. I left straight from conference to come to ORU. I was still very fickle and there were so many things that I still had to repent of. Slowly but surely, the Spirit broke me down. I was able to release so many things, and worship Him like never before. There are still things that I need to let go of, some areas where He needs to break me. I fight with my inward self everyday. His ministry in my life right now is mostly that of a comfort and a guide.
Satan has been attacking me from all angles possible, but God has shown me how to cast my cares upon Him and let His Spirit be my comfort. I know that my future is in His hands and that He is going to use me in some mighty ways! In conclusion, the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways! Sometimes we don’t agree with Him and that is when we have to submit ourselves to His authority and just do what He says. Without the love of Christ and His Spirit, we are lost. He has a ministry in each of our lives and a ministry to the world. Once we learn to grow from Him, then we can help others and continue His work in the world.