Welcome to the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Monday, September 14th. Today we begin a study of the person and work of the Spirit of God. Discover foundational truths in this first message of the series, Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is full of awesome promises. And when you and I go through difficulty and hardship and pain, there's nothing more anchoring.
To our lives, and to be able to come to some very clear promise in the Word of God. Yeah. A very clear promise in scripture. that's oftentimes deals with exactly what we are having to deal with. And so when that happens, Then the promise becomes like an anchor.
It makes us courageous and bold to be able to face whatever we are facing in life. It is one of those promises. that is just overflowing with the benefits of God that He's given to us. And so this is the first message in a series entitled, living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the Holy Spirit is a subject that many people have lots of confusion about. and you've heard all kind of things about the Holy Spirit. I want to make it very clear. What the Word of God says specifically and clearly about. how the believer is to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
So let's look at it for a moment. Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a person. He is not a thing and he is not a it. He is a person.
Let's look at the scripture for example. 1 Corinthians, the scripture talks about the Holy Spirit knowing. The scripture speaks in the 1 Corinthians again, the 12th chapter, speaks of the Holy Spirit willing. He gives the spiritual gifts to whomsoever he will, he chooses, he makes a decision. And in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30, he talks about, do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Well, the only way you can grieve somebody is they have feelings.
So the Holy Spirit is a person. He has feelings, he has a will, and listen, he has knowledge.
So the Holy Spirit is not a something. He is somebody. The first time that I ever really realized that and learned that, I'd only been in seminary a couple of weeks. And I was seated at the table with a group of students, and I didn't know any of them. None of us know each other.
And I said something, we're talking about the Holy Spirit. And I said something about the Holy Spirit it. Fellow sitting across the table to me, he said, he didn't say a word at the point. He said, Charles, would you come by my room after dinner? I said, Sure.
I didn't know him, so he tell me where he was down in the hall from where I lived. And um I walked in the room and I was very intimidated because he had books. He was a doctoral student. He had books from the bottom of the wall to the top. The only thing you could see, a couple of windows, and then the door.
Everything else was covered with books.
So I felt very intimidated.
So he pulled out a Greek Bible, laid it in front of me. I said, I've only been here two weeks. He said, that's okay. And um He said, I heard you talk about the Holy Spirit at dinner tonight, and you called him an it. I said, Well, I did because that's what the Bible says.
Me telling this guy that. I said, and I, you know, me, I turned him to Romans 8 and just showed him. It said it. He said, Well, let's look at this. Then he took me through the New Testament.
Every reference to the Holy Spirit to show me that He's not a it, he's a somebody. Do you think I ever forgot it? No, I never forgot it. And thank God he showed me that. Then my mind began to be open.
I began to see we're talking about somebody. We're not talking about, you see, the problem is that most people don't talk about the power of the Spirit. You know what? They're not interested in Him, they're interested in what He has to offer. The power of the Holy Spirit.
I want the power of the Spirit. And I heard a fella one day on the television talking about, listen, about the unction of the Spirit. They had a double unction of the Spirit.
So wait a minute now. Does that mean that God only gave you half of it the first time? The first time you had this so-called unction, you only got half, now He's giving you a double portion.
So because what He gave you first wasn't enough, is that what you're telling me? Because there's no such thing as a double auction of anything, not in the spiritual realm. If God gives you something, He's going to give you enough of it.
So, we're talking about a person. We're talking about a person who lives in each one of us, as Jesus made it very clear when he said, for example, he'll be in you, with you, and upon you. He says, clothed, for example, with power from on high.
So all the evidence makes it very clear that the Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity.
So remember this. Wherever you are, whatever you're facing in life, here's who you have on the inside of you. Once you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the Bible says He came to indwell you. Romans chapter 8: If He's not indwelling you, you're not a believer. He's not indwelling you, not a Christian.
Somebody said, Well, I don't believe all that stuff. I want to tell you, my opinion, according to the scripture, the Spirit of God doesn't indwell you, you're not one of His.
Now if you've trusted him as your savior, he's there to guide you, lead you, help you, strengthen you, enable you in every aspect of your life. That's who the Holy Spirit is. He is a person of the Trinity. Have you got it? Say amen?
All right, now listen to this. Here's the second thing I want you to know about him, and that's this. The Holy Spirit, listen, the Holy Spirit is God's seal of ownership on you. He's God's seal of ownership on you. Turn, if you will, to Ephesians chapter 1.
And let's look, if you will, at just a couple of verses here. He's God's seal of ownership. Because listen, once you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are owned by God.
Somebody says, well, listen, I'm my own person. If you're a Christian, no, you're not. He says, listen, you've been purchased with a price. You've been bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. You are not your own.
You don't have the right to do as you please, when you please, how you please, to whom you please. You belong to God.
Now, listen to what he says in Ephesians chapter 1. And let's look, if you will, as we said in verse 13 here. Notice what he says. He says, In him that is in Christ. Also, after listening, to the message of truth.
What's that? The gospel of your salvation. Having also believed, you are sealed in Him, that is, In Christ, to be a part of Him, He and you, with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge. Of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory.
Now, what's all that means? It means simply this. When you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, that's what he said. After listening, you believed. You are sealed.
You are sealed in the person of Christ. That is, you are sealed as a child of God to the moment God takes you home. You're not sealed to your sin, sealed till you make a mistake, sealed to you this, sealed to you that, sealed unto the day of redemption till God takes you home.
Now It's very evident. Listen. Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a portion of the Trinity. He is God the Spirit, like God the Son, God the Father.
When He comes into your life, He seals you forever as a child of God. Listen, He's omnipotent. He sealed you, he says, unto the day of redemption. That is, he's sealing you. Listen, your inheritance is sealed.
He says, He's sealing you for that moment when he takes you home to be with him. Child of God. That's part of who the Holy Spirit is.
So when somebody says, well, you know, I just, you know, I believe in some things in the Bible, but all this stuff about the Holy Spirit that I don't really understand, I don't believe in all that.
Well, you know what? Here's what you say. You don't believe in the Trinity who lives within you, who has sealed you as a child of God unto the day of redemption. If He hadn't sealed you, you could be saved today and lost tomorrow. forever and ever a child of God.
That's part of who he is. But listen, he's more than that. And if you'll think about what Jesus said, for example, he said that the Holy Spirit is our helper. If you go back to John 14, 15, and how many times does he speak of him of being our helper? He says, for example, in the 14th chapter of John, verse 16, I'll ask the Father, he'll give you another helper.
that he may be with you forever. 26th verse. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He'll teach you all things, bring all things to your remembrance. And on and on He goes about the Helper. Think about this.
What does that mean? This is why you can't ignore him. Because the Father sent him to do what? He called him our helper. How many of you have ever needed help?
Absolutely.
Well, what did you do? Tell your friends, call the doctor. Go to the bank. Or Did you cry out to the Holy Spirit who is within you to help you? Help me at this point.
There are times when nobody can help you and me. but him. There are times when we're in circumstances nobody's help will work. There are times when we hurt so badly, nobody else can help us. There are times when the sorrow is so deep and so overwhelming, no one can drag us out of that but Him.
He is our helper.
Now When does he help us? Anytime, every time you and I are willing to call on him. If I am not aware of who he is, if I'm not aware that I have living on the inside of me an omnipotent, omniscient helper, he knows all the circumstances of what I need. He knows all the circumstances of where I am, and he knows exactly what it'll take to help me at that moment. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live without him.
For the simple reason, listen, you're not going to make it.
Now you may make it in the eyes of the world. But you're gonna die. You're not indwelled by the Holy Spirit, you're not going to heaven. He says, Only if we're indwelled by Him. That's the promise of the Father.
He sent Him to indwell us, to give us absolute assurance that no matter what happens, and here He is our helper. And the Holy Spirit is your helper if you will call on him. If you don't like what's going on, call on somebody who can change it. He may change you before he changes the circumstance, but he will get busy working on you. That's part of his work.
That's part of his work. Then, for example, he said he'll not only help us, but he'll guide us. Every single one of us needs guidance. He said that when he comes, listen, he will guide us into all truth. And the 13th verse, but when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
He'll not speak on his own initiative, he won't talk about himself. Whatever he hears from the Father, from Jesus, he will speak and he will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify me. he will take from me and disclose it to you. He's our God.
For example, more than likely tomorrow. Or maybe before this day is over, you're going to need a sense of direction about something. What you should say to this person, what decision you should make. We all need guidance.
Well, we have the guide within us.
Well, listen, watch this. We have a divine compass within us. We have a divine director within us. He's the Holy Spirit. One of his responsibilities is to guide us into all truth.
What's the truth about this situation? And sometimes you and I have to make decisions in circumstances. We don't know all the facts. Watch this. We don't know all the facts.
Most of the time, we don't know all the facts. But we know somebody who does, and that's the Holy Spirit.
Now, watch this.
Sometimes he's going to tell you to do something that you're going to think, that couldn't be God. There's no way that could be God. Remember, who knows all the facts and you don't. When the Spirit of God gives you direction, it'll always be the right direction, the right time, the right thing, no matter what. Because he's omniscient.
He knows when we need direction, and He knows which direction we need to move in. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding in all your ways. Listen, acknowledge Him. He says, He'll guide you.
He'll make your path straight. The work of the Holy Spirit. He said, I will teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with my eye. How does that matter? Because that's the work of the Holy Spirit living within us.
All these verses, these promises that you and I claim, listen, the Father sits in heaven, reigning upon his authority. The Lord Jesus sitting at the right hand, making intercession for us, doing his work. The Holy Spirit living within us, doing what? Enabling us, empowering us to live out this godly life that he wants us to live.
So, he certainly wants to guide us to make the right decisions in life, whatever that might be.
Now, there are a lot of other things, for example, we could say, but certainly he is, listen, he, one of his responsibilities, is to be our teacher.
Now, watch this carefully. I'm not the teacher, I'm a mouthpiece. I'm a mouthpiece. The Holy Spirit is the teacher. And so he said, he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance.
For example. Let's say that I preach this message, and all of you listen carefully, so you get it all.
Now. Let's say that I take the first row here, preach this message, and I say, starting on this end, tell me what you heard today. I guarantee you, everybody on the front row and every row is going to hear something a little different. And here's the reason. Because the Spirit of God takes the Word of God and interprets it to the heart of the hearer on the basis of what they need to hear.
and what they can understand. I'll give you an example of that.
Sometimes I've preached, and somebody will come to me, and they'll say, Oh, Dr. Stanley, that was such a fantastic sermon. I was so blessed. I mean, God spoke to my heart. I just love you.
I'll say what? What did he say to you? This is the truth, so help me. They'll tell me something that's fantastic that I never said. In fact, I wish I had.
Let's put it that way. I wish I'd said that. You know who that is? That's the Holy Spirit. I'm the mouthpiece.
The Spirit is the teacher. You have inside of you the one to teach you the truth.
Now, let me say this. If you start coming up with something that contradicts the word, you're not listening to the Holy Spirit. You're just coming up with your own stuff. And so the Spirit of God, listen, the Holy Spirit will never teach you something that is a contradiction to the Word of God.
Now there are interpretations of the word. I understand that. Interpretations of the scripture, but he's not going to interpret it and contradict himself. Therefore, Even though you and I have the teacher within us, We are still open to be taught. Listen, we're open to hear the truth of the gospel.
Now, how much do you want to learn? How much do you want to know? That is up to you. Because if you ask the Spirit of God to teach you the truth, Lord, not to let me hear what this man's saying, but I want you to teach me what it is you're saying to me, Lord. And so, all of us need the Word of God.
I need it. I love opening the Word of God to see what He's going to say to me. I'm always learning something new. And if you think you have arrived that you know it all, then you know what? You are totally deceived.
Until Jesus comes, and if He doesn't come for a thousand years, every time we open this book, we'll see something we've never seen because the mind of God is infinite. And listen, our circumstances change. Things change in our life. And so what does he do? He interprets the word of God according to what you and I need.
Now that doesn't mean that he's going to give somebody a misinterpretation, but it means that when you hear the truth, you will hear what the Spirit of God wants you to hear.
Now, if you have your blindness down on, or you have your wall up, and you've already decided before you get here that don't get into that subject. I don't want to hear about that subject. Don't tell me anything about that. You know what? Then you just walk away deceived.
Watch this carefully. You want to open your heart to the truth of God's Word. You better be careful who you listen to. Because there are people who will tell you things that absolutely is not true of the Word of God. And that's how you get deception, division, and all the rest.
Now Let me just mention one other thing here that tells us who the Holy Spirit is and what He's up to in our life, and that's this. and that is that he's the source of our spiritual power.
Now what is the power of the Holy Spirit? It is God's power. It is God's energy. And listen, God's energy and God's authority.
So, how would we define it? We would say that the power of the Holy Spirit is God's divine energy and authority. Listen. Energy and authority released in the life of the believer for the purpose of godly living and fruitful service. And it's a simple definition, but I think it's a good definition.
It is God's divine energy and authority. Divine energy and authority released in the life of the believer for what purpose? Not for boasting, but for what purpose? Godly living and fruitful service. The power of the Holy Spirit.
Living in this power. And what we're going to be talking about is living in this power, living in the authority. And the energy and the wisdom and the guidance and And the strength. and the help of the Holy Spirit. The awesome promise of God.
The promise of the Father, Jesus said.
So I simply ask you this question. What about your Christian life? Do you know do a little bit more mumbling and grumbling than you do praising God? Do you have needs and you wonder why God doesn't meet them? Do you wonder why your life's not fruitful?
Why there's no peace and love and joy in your life. when that's all the work of the Holy Spirit. It's not what we work up. It's what He releases within us. When we say, for example, He releases His energy and His authority, there's so much involved in that.
His peace, His joy, His goodness, His self-control. It is God working in every single one of us every day, and He will work. Listen. He will release in you. all that is needed in proportion to your release to Him.
The full surrender of your life. Yeah. Thank you for listening to The Promise of the Father. For more inspirational messages like this one, visit our online 24-7 station. And if you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley or InTouch Ministries, stop by intouch.org.
This podcast is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.
