The Power of the Holy Spirit

 

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Do you believe that Jesus died so that you might be saved? If your answer is yes, then my next question is - How do you know you are saved?

The bible says in Romans 5 vs 8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Remember Ephesians 2 vs 8, which we referenced here. It says we have been saved by grace through faith. Therefore, this implies that we not only believe that Jesus died for us and have faith in Him, but we also know that we have been saved from eternal destruction.

Again, how do you know you have been truly made right with God? 1 Corinthians 1 vs 30 - “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.”

Romans 8 vs 15 – 16 says “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”

Verse 16 confirms that it is the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) that affirms our identity as God’s children.

Now that God has identified us as His own, His Spirit dwells in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 1 vs 22 – “and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” We reviewed the promise of the Holy Spirit by Jesus here.

This promised Holy Spirit first came upon the believers in Acts 2. In Acts 1 vs 8, we see that the Holy Spirit is synonymous with the power of God. Jesus speaking to His disciples said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” It was by this same Spirit that Jesus was able to complete His assignment, including the numerous miracles He performed. Acts 10 vs 38 says – “how 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”.

It was also by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was raised from the dead. Romans 8 vs 11 – “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” This means that the same Spirit that was in Jesus is in us. 

It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we have life. Since we believed in Jesus and became saved through faith, it is by this same faith that we also receive true life through the Holy Spirit. Romans 1 vs 18 – “It is through faith that a righteous person has life”.

It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can live a transformed life, a life pleasing to God - free from sin. It is by His power that we are transformed into the image of Christ. He helps us to get rid of those character traits and behaviors that are not pleasing to God. 2 Corinthians 3 vs 18 says “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

Ephesians 4 vs 22 - 23 – “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”

By reason of this transformation, we begin to bear fruit. When you see an apple, you know it came from an apple tree, right? In the same vein, as a Christian the fruits we show must be reflective of the tree we grow from. Jesus said in John 15 vs 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Galatians 5 vs 22 mentions the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

This work of transformation only happens when we yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God – Romans 8 vs 14. As we yield to the Spirit, the flesh (desires of the unspiritual man) is subdued.

Galatians 5 vs 16 - 17, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

It is by this same power we can stand against principalities and powers of darkness. 

Ephesians 1 vs 19 – 21 - 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

In John 4 vs 14, Jesus said to the woman at the well “ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Similarly, Jesus is calling us to drink from the fountain that never runs dry. This living water is the Holy Spirit. As we come to Him in humility daily to draw from this fountain, He refreshes us to the point where we begin to overflow. Also, the presence of God becomes so tangible to the point where other people can sense the difference in us. John 7 vs 38 - 39 says “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)”

Therefore, let us come to God boldly, with confidence and ask Him to fill us anew with the power of His Spirit. And as He fills us continuously, may we begin to reflect His glorious image in every area of our lives in Jesus name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwu9zWGrI2A

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more posts.

God bless you!😊

Mayowa O.