The Holy Spirit (Part 5) – Functions of the Holy Spirit (Part C)

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The Holy Spirit (Part 5) – Functions of the Holy Spirit (Part C)

1. Baptism with the Holy Ghost
   1. John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Ghost (Mat 3:11).
   2. Being baptized with the Holy Ghost is not the same as being baptized by the Holy Ghost.
   3. When one is baptized by one Spirit, it is the Spirit that is performing the baptism.
   4. When one is baptized with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit is the element that is used to baptize a person, just as water was the element that John was baptizing with (Mar 1:8).
   5. This is what happened on the day of Pentecost when the church was filled with the Holy Ghost (Act 1:4-5 c/w Act 2:1-4).
   6. The baptism with the Holy Ghost likewise happened to the first Gentile converts, showing that God had given the same gift to them as He had to the Jews (Act 10:44-46 c/w Act 11:15-17).

2. Bears witness that we are the children of God (Rom 8:16).
   1. He does so by giving us a desire for God our Father which demonstrates that we are children of God (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6).
   2. He does so by giving us the ability to believe and profess that Jesus is the Lord which demonstrates that we are children of God (1Co 12:3 c/w 1Jo 5:1).
3. Bearing fruit in Christians’ lives.
   1. The Holy Spirit produces fruit in Christians’ lives such as:
      1. love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal 5:22-23).
      2. goodness and righteousness and truth (Eph 5:9).
   2. These things, including faith, are the fruit of the Spirit, not the things which a man does to become indwelt by the Spirit.
   3. God enables His children through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to walk in the good works for which He created them (Eph 2:10; Eze 36:27).
4. Comforting Christians
   1. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter (Joh 14:16-17, 26).
      1. Comforter n. – 1. a. One who or that which comforts or consoles. b. Theol. A title of the Holy Spirit.
      2. Comfort v. – 1. trans. To strengthen (morally or spiritually); to encourage, hearten, inspirit, incite.
      3. Comfort n. – 1. a. Strengthening; encouragement, incitement; aid, succour, support, countenance. b. One who or that which strengthens or supports; a supporter, a source of strength.
      4. Console v. – 1. trans. To comfort in mental distress or ‘to free from the sense of misery’ (J.).
   2. The Holy Ghost comforts Christians (Act 9:31).
   3. Being God, the Holy Spirit comforts us (Psa 71:21; Psa 86:17; Isa 49:13; Isa 51:12; 2Co 1:3).
   4. The Holy Spirit comforts us as we think on God’s help and mercy towards us (Psa 94:17-19).
   5. The Holy Spirit comforts us when we are cast down (2Co 7:6).
   6. The Holy Spirit comforts us through the scriptures (Psa 119:50, 52, 76, 82; Rom 15:4; 1Th 4:18).
   7. The Holy Spirit comforts us through the preaching of the gospel (Isa 40:1-2 c/w 1Pe 1:12; Isa 61:1-3 c/w Luk 4:18-19).
   8. The Holy Spirit comforts us by teaching us the truth of God (Joh 14:26).
   9. The Holy Spirit comforts us by testifying to us of Jesus Christ (Joh 15:26).
   10. The Holy Spirit comforts church members by knitting our hearts together in love and giving us the full assurance of understanding the truth of God (Col 2:2).

5. Making intercession for us (Rom 8:26-27).
   1. Intercession n. – 1. The action of interceding or pleading on behalf of (rarely against) another; entreaty, solicitation, or prayer for another; mediation.
   2. When we don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit entreats the Father on our behalf according to His will.