God the Holy Spirit pt.3

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT-PT.3

Job 26: Zech 4:1-6

Ephesians 6:10-18

This third part of our study involving God the Holy Spirit is concerned with His work as "Life Giver" and we will begin our study in John 6:63 & II Corinthians 3:1-6. The Word of God reveals to us that the initial act or operation of God the Holy Spirit upon the believer is the "Quickening" or "Making Alive" the spirit of that believer. The age of a person or the number of years he has been in the earth is of no account as to how long he lives, for man truly is never alive until God the Holy Spirit awakens the dead spirit in the man and makes him alive in Christ. That day is when the individual really begins to live, the day his spirit is quickened by God the Holy Spirit who now indwells him and guides him in all of his activities. I Peter 1-22-23..the Holy Spirit causes man to obtain a purified soul which effectually helps him to express love for the brethren. It is the same as experiencing a new birth, one that is not touched with the seed of corruption. Now there is a resemblance between the natural birth and the spiritual birth of man...for the natural birth was ordained merely to resemble the spiritual birth. The beginning of life in a human being does not begin with nor is it caused by natural birth. The life of an infant does not begin at birth, for that infant had life in the womb, however that act which we know as birth did elevate or bring about a change in that life. The quickening work of God the Holy Spirit can be compared with that process of life in the womb to actual birth; the Holy Spirit quickens and makes alive that spirit essence in man that had been dormant or dead to righteousness and makes it alive in Christ through regeneration.

James 1:18, I Peter 1:23 and John 1:12-13...These related scriptures do not refer to the original communication of life to the soul; they do however refer to the fact that the believer has been spiritually been made alive by the work of the Holy Spirit and is now able to know, love and follow the will of God for his life. The living spirit implanted in us by the indwelling Holy Spirit pre-supposes a principle of Grace which is know in control of our lives. John 1:15-17 , Speaking of Jesus, "John bare witness of him, and cried saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace, For the law was given by Moses, but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ". Jesus Christ, the mediator of the New Covenant is said to have appeared "Full of Grace". Why? Full of Grace so that we, you and I, may receive out of or from His fulness, "Grace for Grace". So what do we say then? ''God the Holy Spirit is also known to us by this as the 'Spirit of Grace' for he confers upon us the Grace of Jesus Christ.''

In His many works ... Enlightening, Teaching, Convicting, Life Giving, Sanctifying and others, God the Holy Spirit uses the Word and/or other instruments at His disposal to accomplish the ends to His means. Not so however in the initial work of quickening. Here, He operates first hand on the soul of man with excellent and far reaching results .. II Cor 5:17-18 and Eph 2:10. How grand and breath-taking, first we see a new creation or new creature and then while still clothed in the mystery of His works which eyes cannot see, this new creature is stirred to move and move in a direction it had never considered. Faith and all the Graces are placed in the life of the creature and old things are gone. Sin and the stain of violence are cleansed away and are replaced with a caring heart a trusting soul and a loving spirit. The work was not from the outside in making it a cosmetic thing, it was from the inside out making it a spiritual work of reality. This initial work has been an operation of Spirit on spirit or the internal doctoring of the human being by the Divine Being. No one or no thing can ever come between God the Holy Spirit and the soul and spirit that He has made alive or caused to be "Born Again/Born from Above". It is like when God gave life to Adam-man. Two things were involved, the dust of the ground and the breath of God which brought life to that dust...Genesis 2:7. Divine omnipotence and dead matter were brought into direct contact, and the Spirit of God gave life to the spirit of man! Likewise in regeneration there are two factors involved, the human soul that is completely lacking in spiritual life and the Holy Spirit who quickens that soul and makes it alive. John 20:22...Jesus breathed on His Disciples and said to them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost".

God the Holy Spirit is the author of all life in creation and looking about at the state of man in his humanity we must say that in procreation, there are those who will never receive life....and we mean that life which comes to the elect through Divine working. The quickening or life that is brought by God the Holy Spirit is not given because man at long last has perceived truth. Man does not experience regeneration and the new birth because he has believed in Christ first, he believes in Christ because he is first made alive by the working of the Holy Spirit. Adam-man was an inanimate object made of the dust of the earth and would have remained little else in the plan of God until such time as the living spirit was breathed into his nostrils and he became a living soul. Adam-man was the only one of all the created beings who has received that life force from God the Holy Spirit. Do we dare think that we have the ability to love God and Christ because that is what we desire? Scripture says different, in I John 4:19..."We love Him because, He first loved us"! Man does not have the knowledge, desire or ability to interject himself into anything that is of God. The Word of God tells us that it is God Who calls or draws man to Jesus...John 6:44.. and that it is the Spirit that quickeneth or makes alive/gives life .. John 6:62-63, Rom 8:11, II Cor 3:6 and I Peter 3:18. One of the greatest looks at the majesty of God the Holy Spirit is found in Ezekiel 36:24-28. God has a plan that is applied in a set pattern; He takes you from among the heathen (not necessarily in the physical sense) and cleanses you and gives you a new heart and makes your spirit come alive. You have a new regenerated nature and your desire is to walk in God's law Word and give a conscious heeding to his will for your life.

God the Holy Spirit is vastly dishonored in todays religious institutions, particularly where the work of the new birth is concerned. Most modern day pastors follow the same basic agenda; "I" will preach the word in power and purity as "I" understand it, and that will be sufficient with scripture to bring light into the darkness that "I" may save souls. The Holy Spirit is ignored by almost all who rely on "I"..."I" will preach the word, "I" will point you toward the way of salvation, "I" will make it impossible for you to remain in your sins, "I" will preach you right up to the gates of hell and then "I" will snatch you away with singed coat tails. They must have a vision problem because the "I" is always in the way of things. How vain are the preachers of the modern church era and how well they fit the mold of the false teachers and prophets spoken of in II Peter 2:1-22. These would speak for doctrine the traditions of the learned elders. Jesus Christ, the great High Priest of all time and eternity preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God more faithfully and with more power and purity for some 3 & 1/2 years, than all others combined...yet few were saved. Matthew 13:1-9...this parable of the sower should serve to remind the pastors of the world church system that the matter of sowing of seed is not difficult. It is what is sown, who is doing the sowing and where the seed falls..."True Biblical doctrine is a must when it comes to what is being sown...If the one sowing is not one who is called of God and is merely holding forth as one doing a job his effort is in vain...If that which is sown falls on the ears of those whom God has not called and upon whom the Holy Spirit is not working, it is of no use whatsoever. My friend it is all a part of God's decree of Unconditional Election...The elect pastor, the Divinely inspired Word of God having been given to that pastor and the predestined hearer of the word ...and it is God the Holy Spirit working in all three cases, on the giver, the word and the hearer. Here is the "catch-22" of todays church...they preach the gospel to all and offer Christ crucified to all despite of what is said in Hebrews 4: 1 - 3. The Word does not profit any soul spiritually until that soul is united with Faith...and some who are under the hearing of the word do not have that faith and never will have that faith because they were never called!! What do these do, what is their lot after having heard the gospel and been in the church all of their lives and then leaving these teaching behind. Read once again II Peter 2:20-22. Their end is pitiful, much unlike the end of those written of in Romans 10:13-18. The elect Israelites will attain salvation when they call upon the name of Yahweh their God...yet they can't call upon him until they believe in him and they can't believe in him until they have heard...And beloved vs-14 says that they cannot hear without a Preacher, while vs-15 tells us that the preacher can't bring the word except he be sent, "WHO SENDS THE PREACHER"? It is not the Lutheran Synod, nor is it the Papacy nor the American or the Southern Baptists. GOD the Holy Spirit sends that Preacher directly to those of the Elect of God in Christ Whom God calls..John6:44 and Acts 1:8. On the Day of Pentecost the Church received authority to evangelize the House of Jacob .. the Israelite people scattered abroad and living locally, and this was done thru the quickening work and indwelling authority of God the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:22-23 & Mark 7:20-23...What is being said here is not really concerned with the human eye but is rather concerned with the state of the human mind and the heart of the individual. It is a good and true saying that the eye is the window of your soul and these evils spoken of in Matthew and Mark cause the eye to take on an appearance of evil and of being diseased. In all truth as we read of these various sins in Mark 7, we know that these evils of adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness originate in the heart and mind of man. And as the Word says, having come from the heart of man, these sins defile him. Yes, these sins have caused the eye to take on an appearance of being diseased and the only way to heal that is to remove the cataracts from the window of the soul by having a heart transplant done with Divine Surgery. We read of Divine heart surgery in Acts 16:14; The last part of that verse says that Lydia attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul...and that is good. However, right before that we read that her heart was opened by the Lord, and we need to understand that this is God the Holy Spirit here who has quickened Lydia and made her soul alive so that she may be made receptive to Christ. If we really read the scripture we will find that God the Holy Spirit is the greatest Open Heart Surgeon who has ever lived. We want to read Jer 24:7, Lamentations :16 & Ezekiel 36:25-27...these verses of scripture would have no meaning if saving knowledge or Union and Communion had come upon us previous to having been quickened by God the Holy Spirit.

One of the great truths of the Godhead that we must understand is that "Every Divine operation applied in the act of Salvation follows the same path...John 5:21, John6:62-65, II Cor 3:3-8. The pattern or procedure is the same, Divine operation begins with the father, follows through the Son and is acted upon or executed by God the Holy Spirit. The first thing felt or known by the individual is the act of quickening or being made alive in his spirit. By this first known or felt supernatural act, God the Holy Spirit moves us from the realm of the spiritually dead to that of being truly alive, and places us on the firm ground made possible in the resurrection of Christ Jesus. We are not created anew as some would have you believe, rather we are made "Like New" and appear as a new creation would appear. This initial act of Divine workmanship places us under the "blood cover" of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant...II Cor 5:16-17 & Ephesians 2:1-10. Don't forget, we have found that salvation travels a path established of and by the Father. We have previously stated that not one of the sons of Adams race may of his own volition partake of God's Grace. We cannot of our own choice lay claim to the blood cover of Jesus Christ, nor can we place or stake a claim on God the Holy Spirit for His work because we desire it, because in all truth as sinners we don't!! The work of the Holy Spirit, the blood cover of Jesus and the election of the Father are not things that are sought after by man, they are though given to us as unmerited/undeserved favor and an act of God's Amazing Grace. However fearful of his future and terrified of his final doom man becomes, he has no real desire of his own to submit to God's Will and repent of his sins.

The Holy Spirit quickens and makes alive (breathes into) those whom he wills...John 3:8. Yet He does not work without motive and beyond reason...nor does He work at the will of man. Hear this and understand "There is nothing that forces God the Holy Spirit to work in man, he is not obligated nor is he influenced, for if He so desired..."He could leave us all with a stony heart and a dead soul and spirit. If this were done we would all perish in our sins and be eternally separated from Yahweh God. We know that God has not worked in this manner, that none should be saved, and this brings us to two questions!

(1) Who or how many will or shall be accounted for?

(2) Will some not be accounted for?

The answers to these two questions has been so twisted and camouflaged by the modern church that the mind of the average church member is in a state of confusion and is unable to arrive upon a true statement of fact. The church says that salvation/ redemption from sin, is for any one who asks or for, "whosoever will". The Word of God says this to you who would have an ear to hear; "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory"...Romans 9:22-23 and, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved"...Eph 1:5-6. Whosoever wants to choose God can't, it would be a form of anarchy if a vessel fitted for destruction could of his own, reach out and take or, partake of redemption from sin. II Tim 2:19 says that ..."The Lord knoweth them that are his" and we know that in order for this to be true, He knows also them that are not his. In the act of quickening or making alive one and not another; or the bringing of some into eternal life and the passing over of others who will be left spiritually dead and in sin, scripture tells us "He will have mercy on those upon whom he will have mercy". Before we would place demands on God we must understand his will and word for us...Heb 2:10, John 10:25-29, Romans 9:18-23. Those who will be counted are his sheep...those not counted are the goats, Matt 25:32-46. Some are sheep and some are goats, some are vessels of mercy and some vessels of destruction and if we read Matt 22.4 and Luke 14:17 we find that some are bidden to come. The thing that goes here with out saying is that if some are bidden to come..."some" are not; It is God the Holy Spirit who quickens one and slays the other...Blessed be the name of the Lord!

The effect upon man of the quickening work performed by God the Holy Spirit on the spirit of man is instantaneous for it is a Divine act. The soul of man which is dead to righteousness from birth is now alive in an instant, with all due credit being given to the Holy Spirit. The individual still possesses the sin nature only the heart is no longer sympathetic with that old nature for now an imperishable seed of holiness has been implanted. When something this beautiful happens to the individual it is hardly perceived by the world because it lies outside of the realm of human consciousness. When the Holy Spirit works on us we do, in an instant, become aware of the seed germ of sin which is in us and are made aware of the ways to guard against it.

Many peculiar things happen when the Holy Spirit has quickened one of God's Elect and his life is turned around 180% from where it was headed. One of the most perplexing is the statement that in 99% of the cases goes something like this: Well, old Bob/Mary got religion...he/she must have found Jesus. We can always be secure in this, it was Jesus Christ who did the finding because it was we who were lost, not him...and it is Christ who first rejoices when this lost sheep is found . . Luke 15:3-7. Yet, we are not to glory in the flesh at our new life away from the snares of the world. We did not pay the price, we were bought with the price that no man will ever equal .. I Cor 6:19-20. As part of the old life and old world we had no power to relinquish or let go of sin until the Holy Ghost acted on us. Why?? Simple, that world and that life which we so dearly loved would not nor would it allow us, to acknowledge that sin is sin! In that old world and in that old carnal self we were happy to ridicule righteousness for that was something which we could not comprehend nor apprehend. What are we to understand from this? "Righteous living and sinful living are diametrically opposed thus the spirit of good and the spirit of evil cannot co-exist. Now that we have been made alive in the Holy Spirit and he now tabernacles with us we find that we have acquired a new outlook on life. We find ourselves with new ways and new friends and new ideas in which to experience a new life...Titus 3:3-7. This new life that is now ours is the same in all to whom it is given. The first principle of Grace planted in the heart is as a seed. It contains all of the graces which appear in the fruits, effects, acts and exercises of it. Each one who is now indwelled by the Holy Spirit experiences the same change in that the image of God is stamped upon his soul. All who are quickened of the Holy Spirit now become a new creature in Christ Jesus and possess all the necessities of the new man. We will discover in time that in the counsel of his own will and by Divine Decree Yahweh will strengthen the faith given to us.

When God the Holy Spirit savingly convinces and convicts one of sin that soul is quickly brought to a point of despair and then to self surrender. It is said by many that when God the Holy Spirit performs his work in the unsaved sinner...makes alive and quickens our old dead souls, self runs out the door. When the Holy Spirit pricks our hearts, self cries out in pain "What shall we do"? ...Acts 2:37! Our answer is found in verses 38-40..."Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost .. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call....Save yourselves from this untoward generation". Peter is preaching the word and the Holy Spirit will act on even as many as the Lord shall call! (you are witness here to God's decree of unconditional election, as many as shall be called...meaning not all are called). Acts chapter 9 is amazing display of the work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation as we see the man Saul who persecuted the church with violence is called and responds to the Lord. Also we can again see Election at work for those with Paul even though they heard a voice, they were not included. ...9:1-9!

Again in Acts 16:25-33 we are witness to one in deep despair as was Paul. Only this time it is the jailer, the one who is to watch over them and keep them confined who is made benefactor of God's great truth. It is God the holy Spirit who breaks down rebellion in the heart of man, causes that human pride to be crushed. The soul of man surrenders to the wish and desire of God the Holy Spirit and the will of the Father and now the new man may rightfully pray "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name". At last we can begin to know that divine affection and love of Yahweh God as He meant for us to know. It is true that in our life as a non-spiritual being we can know human love...but only he who has experienced Joy Divine thru the quickening work of the Holy Spirit may taste of Divine Love...Romans 5:5-8. From the eternal Spring of Divine Love flows forth Godly sorrow for sinners .. I John 4:19. We as believers must never beat a man over the head with his sins in an attempt to aid his course toward salvation. We can preach the word and offer up prayers for sinners but it is, the Holy Spirit who will convict of sin and steer the path for each man...for he is the master of the vessel.

Matthew 6:24...Simple wisdom spoken by Christ Jesus....you serve God, you obey his law...you serve man, you obey his law. Okay, I hear you...What do I do? When the laws of man step in to supercede the Laws of God...they are not legitimate laws and they should be challenged and not honored. I am in agreement with Romans 13 and the civil rule as set down by God. The only time that civil rule is in absolute disagreement with the believer is when mans law attempts to usurp GOD and Christ, as in Acts 5:25-29. Obey God and not man. except as in Ex 1:17 when the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh as did the mother of Moses Ex 2:3. Mary and Joseph paid heed to the words of the angel of God and fled Jerusalem with the Christ child to prevent his murder at the hands of Herod. It becomes more difficult for the Christian to understand civil authorities for so many of them are in rebellion and then we have the problem of race. It is not expected by Yahweh God that his people be ruled over by the "Beasts of the field or the Living Creature". We are warned about alien rulers in scripture yet we invite the alien in among us and set him up in political office to rule over us .. SHAME!! Yes the alien and the heathen is among us. He may be invited into our church congregations our societies and assemblies, he may even be so bold as to enter the circle of those who gather at the communion table of God. But he will not and cannot share in that promise of God which is reserved to his very elect. And why can't he? Not being called and of the elect of God in Christ his soul is one that is corporeal and was created in time to live in time and die in time and never know that promise of eternal life...to this we apply Luke 13:27-28.

In closing this study we give a prayer of thanks and of love to Yahweh our God and the Holy Spirit and the Lord God Jesus Christ for the gift of life and that we acknowledge that Spirit of God as life giver who bestows upon us that Crowning mercy of God in Christ Jesus.

Dear God, and shall thy Spirit rest, In such a heart as mine

Unworthy, yet dwelling a glorious guest, Favor astonishing Divine.

Pastor Rick Giesenschlag

Christ's Church Militant