We can reach perfect salvation only when we are born again in the name of Jesus Christ who saved us from sins and become sanctified and justified in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:11).
To help people accept Jesus Christ and be born again as God's children, to move their hearts and help them repent, and to help them love God; they are the fundamental works of the Holy Spirit and His major duties. Let's delve into the ministry of the Holy Spirit in four aspects.
1. Gifts
The gifts of the Holy Spirit refer to special works manifested by the Holy Spirit in God's love. Various things that God gives to His beloved children in His grace all can be said 'gifts'. Thus, they entail salvation, healing, and answers that are commonly given to believers. But there are also other gifts of the Holy Spirit individually given to people.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the effecting of miracles, prophecy, the distinguishing of spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. God who precisely knows each person's heart, vessel, and inner heart gives each person the gifts in His will.
The greatest gift is love as said in 1 Corinthians 13. God urges us to pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1). It's because to the extent that we receive more spiritual gifts we can be more powerful and more deeply communicate with God.
God wants us to use the gifts for the kingdom of God. Thus, God's children should not avoid gifts but desire the greater gifts as said in 1 Corinthians 12:31. If you are a pastor, you should teach your flock the truth in a right way, show the works of the Holy Spirit, and let them experience the evidence of the living God.
2. Realization
God the Creator's giving His only begotten Son for sinners, it is unimaginably great love. If one realizes how high, great, and deep His love is, he cannot but love God ardently.
It is not difficult to cast off sins that God hates and please Him with life and heart as long as the Holy Spirit helps us. We will be able to obey anything with faith though it is something hard to obey and we will try our best to reveal only the glory of God.
However, many believers live without the assurance of salvation. Or many others think they received salvation and go to church on Sunday, but they do not know what sin and righteousness are and how judgment will come upon them since they haven't yet received the Holy Spirit.
Jesus clearly said only when we are born again of water and the Holy Spirit (John 3:5) and do the will of God (Matthew 7:21) can we enter Heaven. God also sent the Helper the Holy Spirit so that we can understand what sin, righteousness, and judgment are (John 16:8) and we can avoid the judgment of Hell.
Thus, God's children who received the Holy Spirit should fight against sins to the point of shedding blood (Hebrews 12:4), abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), and take hold of Heaven by force by doing righteousness.
3. The Holy Spirit's voice, urging, and guidance
If we are inspired and influenced by the Holy Spirit, we will experience the work of the Spirit who searches all things, even the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). We can demolish the camp of Satan, prophesy the future things, and receive deep revelation of the spiritual world.
But since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the truth (1 John 5:7), He works to the extent that we accomplish the truth in our hearts. If we acknowledge God in every circumstance, pray, and commit everything to God with faith, we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit even doing trivial matters and receive His urging and guidance.
If we are shown the way clearly in the help of the Holy Spirit, we can receive blessings in businesses or workplaces easily and give glory to God. He also lets us remember what we have to say when we preach the gospel to others or counsel others.
The Helper the Holy Spirit teaches us nicely like a private tutor so that we can understand better and obey the Word of God. The Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts tells us what we are to say and do specifically and reminds us of the truth.
The urging of the Holy Spirit means that the Holy Spirit moves our hearts to do something. If we are strongly urged to fast and pray for some period, it is the urging of the Spirit. If we obey and pray with our heart and devotion, we can be led by the Holy Spirit.
4. Strength to pray
Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we don't feel tired even when we pray after we worked too much. Drowsiness or idle thoughts can't approach us and we can pray with faith and joy. The Holy Spirit also reminds us of prayer titles that we miss.
The Holy Spirit knows our every need and fills it up. He also helps our weakness and intercedes for us in the will of God (Romans 8:26-27). When our hearts are united as one with the Holy Spirit, we can offer up God-pleasing prayer.
Depending on how much we pray in the Holy Spirit, the amount of our prayer actually offered up to God is different, so God's answer and blessing will also be different. We shouldn't pray as we think or in our frameworks. Rather we should pray in the Holy Spirit. Then, God causes all things to work together for good so that we can receive His answer in the easiest way.
To pray in the Holy Spirit, it is important to pray with dedication from the bottom of the heart. We should offer up truthful prayer earnestly every moment, but we first should ask for spiritual strength to overcome the world, to pray fervently, to defeat Satan, and to live in the Word of God.
Next, it is important to arm ourselves with the Word of God. When we make the Word of God our bread of life, we can receive clear and detailed urging of the Holy Spirit.
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