Praise the Lord…the Spirit
The Holy Spirit of God is the third person of the Trinity. He is the Lord, the giver of life (1 Cor 15:45). He is sent from the Father and the Son (Jn 14:26; 15:26), as it pertains to the salvation of God’s chosen people. He causes the elect of God to be born again of God (Jn 3:6; 1 Pet 1:3). He makes them alive in Christ (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; 1 Pet 3:18).
The Holy Spirit fills men of God and sends them to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their appointed places (Rom 10:15). He causes men to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, so they might proclaim Him (Col 1:28). The Spirit is their Guide and their Teacher. He guides them into all truth, the truth that is Jesus Christ and Him crucified (Jn 14:6).
The Holy Spirit conceived the Christ-child in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He is the Spirit who anointed Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry. He is the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.
The Holy Spirit was at work at creation (Gen 1:2). He has been at work in the world ever since. Following the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Spirit came to abide in God’s elect people from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Acts 1:8; Rev 5:9).
Filling the preacher of the Gospel, the Spirit brings the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor 1:24) to the event, whereby, men hear the Word of God, that is, the voice of Christ, and they receive the grace of faith, according to election (Rom 10:14–17; Eph 2:8–9). Not all people are elect, so not all, at the preaching of the Word, receive the regeneration by the Holy Spirit. This is the very reason they do not possess faith.
Regeneration is when the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, indwelling them, and making the Gospel call to repent and believe…effectual. Simply put, God makes it all happen. Without the Holy Spirit, a man may hear preaching his whole life, but he will never repent and believe in Christ. Apart from the Spirit of Christ, he can do nothing, especially believe.
When regeneration occurs, the life of God becomes a permanent reality in the soul of man. In other words, a new life is created. This is a spiritual life, alive to the things of God.
The permanent presence of the indwelling Spirit is called, “eternal life.” This is the indestructible life of Christ, in the Spirit, in the believer. The union between Christ, in the Spirit, and those who receive His gracious presence, is bound for eternity. This is the assurance of salvation for the man who hears and believes the Word of God, who says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5).”
The reason the Spirit-filled man believes the Word of God is simple; when he was baptized by the Spirit, he was given faith to believe. Faith is a gift of God (Phil 1:29), not a work of man, to be self-generated. Faith comes from grace, and grace comes from God (Rom 10:17; Eph 2:8–9). Thus, the man, void of the Spirit, is void of faith in Christ. You will know the spiritual man, the man of faith, who was saved by the indwelling Spirit, because he is the one who calls upon the name of the Lord (Joel 2:32). Men, void of the Spirit, do not call upon the Lord because they are not spiritual, and spiritual things are not understood by them (1 Cor 2:14).
The Holy Spirit, the Lord, knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19), and He opens their hearts to respond to the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 16:14), at the appointed time, for those who are ordained to eternal life (Acts 13:48), according to God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). Those He foreknew, in eternity past, are those He predestined to election unto salvation (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4–5).
The Holy Spirit is the perseverance of the saints. His permanent abode in the souls of God’s elect, regenerate people guarantees their safe passage to glory, albeit, through the troubles of this life and through death of the body. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, a very present help in times of need. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. He is Christ in us, the hope of glory.
As you contemplate the glorious riches of Christ, today, and the inheritance reserved for us in heaven, remember the pledge, the token, gifted to you. He is the indescribable gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ. Worship Christ, today, in Spirit and in truth because that is exactly who is in you, willing and doing His good pleasure, which, of course, is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord…the Spirit!
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
August 22, 2021
