Thursday, June 4, 2015

More Than Any Influence

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30)

The first line of proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit is that all the distinctive characteristics of personality are ascribed to the Holy Spirit. They are knowing, feeling, and willing. Any being who knows and feels and wills is a person.

"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11). Here "knowledge" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere illumination that enlightens and strengthens our minds to see truth that we would not otherwise discover. No, the Holy Spirit is a Person who knows the things of God and reveals to us what He knows.

"All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Corinthians 12:11). Here the Holy Spirit is presented as a divine Person who gets hold of us and uses us according to His will. Yet countless sincere believers are going astray by trying to get hold of some divine power that they can use according to "their" will. What an evil thought that I might grasp divine power and use it in my foolishness and ignorance! Such is not the way. But I rejoice that there is a divine Person who can capture my heart and use me according to His infinitely wise and loving will.

"And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will" (Romans 8:27). Note here that the Greek word for "mind" comprehends all three ideas of knowledge, feelings, and will. It is the same word as "the sinful mind is hostile to God" (Romans 8:7), where the thought comprehends the whole moral and intellectual life of the flesh in hostility against God.

Every biblical reference to the Holy Spirit speaks of a divine Person who thinks, feels, and wills. May we so value His presence that we never grieve His infinite heart.

Holy Spirit, I confess that I have often failed to recognize and honor You, and I know that  I have often missed out on the work that You desire to do in and through my life. Help m to treat You as real as I would Jesus If He were beside me physically. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

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