Chapter 4

The Holy Spirit

            The Holy Spirit is not some inanimate creation of God that floats about the universe doing whatever God dictates. He is God. However, He is the instrument through which God accomplishes His will in the universe. Without Him, nothing would happen in our lives despite all that Jesus bought and paid for. We would not see our destiny come to fruition. Now let’s look at some of the ways we discover and obtain our destiny through Him.

At Work in Salvation:

            Gift:

            Given without measure:  

Luke 11:13
13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

John 3:34
34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

            First notice that the Holy Spirit is a gift. We don’t have to earn His presence in our lives. If earthly fathers give good gifts, then surely our Heavenly Father gives the good gift of the Holy Spirit. Second, notice that we have to ask. Now some believe that we receive the Holy Spirit at rebirth, and others that we must have a second experience (the Baptism in the Holy Spirit) in order to have the indwelling of the Spirit. Remember, we’re not going to argue over this. We are assuming that we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, whether it happens the moment we are born again or during a later experience. Of course in the first instance, there is usually not an asking for the Holy Spirit to be given. It is assumed that He comes in at rebirth.

            Finally, notice that we don’t just get a little dab of the Holy Spirit. He is given without measure. We have all of Him that we will ever need.

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "For I have given you more than any earthly treasure. I have given you of My Spirit. It is He who will bring you into all the truth. This is the truth that will set you free … not the truth of the world, but My truth. You cannot survive without this truth. You cannot succeed without My Spirit. For it is He who will bring justice upon the earth and no one can escape His wrath. He is the one who will show you the way to go. He is the one who will be with you in all circumstances. He will guide you into the path of light for My name sake. Do not refuse Him. Do not refuse to follow His guidance. I could have left you alone, but I desired that you experience My presence through His indwelling. You cannot fail as long as you obey Him.”

            41. I have been given the Holy Spirit without measure as a gift. I wasn’t given just a little “dab”; I received Him in full. Because He was a gift, I did not have to do anything to earn this privilege.