The Spirit of God at Work in the People of God

The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure as He approached the cross. Though they enjoyed His physical presence as firsthand witnesses of His authority and power, Jesus explained that something amazing awaited them. Eternally joined in purpose and power, the Son would ask the Father to send the Spirit to fill and empower His followers. Jesus’s very person would not just stand beside them but live within them. Every believer receives the Holy Spirit when they receive Christ as Savior.1 

In fact, it is the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that makes belief possible. Wherever Jesus is exalted and people come to saving faith, the Holy Spirit is active—awakening dead hearts to come to Christ in faith.2 The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers believers to not only want to obey God but be able to do so.3 The Holy Spirit propels God’s work within believers and furthers God’s plan and purposes over all the earth. 

Without recognizing the Holy Spirit’s presence, help, and work, we miss much of God’s involvement in our lives. Unless the Holy Spirit intervenes and illuminates God’s truth, we cannot comprehend God’s Word or His ways. Until God’s Spirit awakens our hearts and minds to recognize God and His work, we futilely try to interpret the past, present, and future with a warped and limited view of reality. We need the Spirit of truth to help us understand what is real and true. 

Jesus promised not to leave His disciples as orphans. He kept His promise. Jesus came back to them just as He comes to every believer—through His indwelling Holy Spirit. If you are a believer, how often do you stop to think about how truly amazing this is? The Holy Spirit’s unlimited power resides within every single child of God. He works within each of us to remove our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh that love God more than our sinful selves.4 God’s children learn to expect His internal guidance and welcome His trustworthy conviction of specific sin. God’s children are never alone! In a world of confusion and conflict, God’s children have peace with God through Christ’s sacrifice. They also experience the peace of God as the Holy Spirit brings God’s presence into daily life—no matter what life brings.

1. Indwelling Holy Spirit: Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13
2. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ: John 15:26; 16:7-15
3. Desiring and doing God’s will: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:20-21
4. Stony hearts: Ezekiel 36:26-27


Resource: Bible Study Fellowship, People of Promise: Kingdom Divided, Lesson 21, The Gospel of John