"The Holy Spirit"

  We are presently in a study of the Holy Spirit. In the process I have books (and articles) that have been given to me over the years that brethren have written about the Holy Spirit. We seem to be afraid (and I am speaking to those who know what I am talking about) to speak much about Him. One Sunday morning in years gone by, I was teaching on the Holy Spirit and as soon as our worship as a body concluded, a brother came directly to me and stated: "You didn't read that book I gave you written by...did you?" I asked why he asked me that? He continued, "Because if you had read his information, you wouldn't have preached what you preached!" Looking directly in his eyes I stated, "I read the book you gave me and there was only one thing that I agreed with. At the end of the book he placed what others have said about his writings and one fellow stated how he loved this author as a brother and respected him but didn't agree with his findings on the Holy Spirit." Nothing more was said. Sometimes we think that because some like a certain book that we are to allow that book to be the truth in all things. I have heard over the years elderships hold to books more closely than THE BOOK because they are fearful they won't understand something right but they trust the author of a man's book.

  We need not be afraid! A study of the Holy Spirit is so vital and so important. The Holy Spirit is God! The Holy Spirit is powerful! The Holy Spirit lives in and works in His children! The Holy Spirit lives in the church! The Holy Spirit IS NOT a feeling! The Holy Spirit was given as a promise to each person when they were united with Jesus in baptism. The promise of the Spirit sealed us as a pledge of the inheritance we have coming (Eph. 1:13-14). We need not be afraid of Him and His work. We need not to allow what the religious world has done to the teachings of the Spirit to affect our study and hearts. We need to trust God in His revealing to us the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

  I want to encourage you to set aside your book(s) and start learning from Scripture the Holy Spirit. Get a good concordance and take your time. You will be amazed at what you will learn. Seeking the truth from a sincere heart of faith will not lead you down a path of misconceptions. Trust God! The first thing you will find will be found in Gen. 1:1. The name "God" is plural and in Gen. 1:2 you find His Spirit moving over this formless, void and darkness awaiting to bring order and it happened. That was the Holy Spirit at work. From there the work of the Spirit becomes very evident in man's history. Just a final note: pay attention to the Spirit "upon" or "with" as that is not the same as "dwells in". This is a great study! May God enrich our lives and help us in our seeking His truth.