Works and Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Well, greetings again. I guess you would call this sermon a follow-up of Pentecost. Works and Fruits of the Holy Spirit would be the title. Works and Fruit of the Holy Spirit. People do a lot of talking about the Holy Spirit. This past week we had air conditioner to go out, and the repairman came out, spent several days. It should have taken seven hours, but it took about seven days. But anyhow, the repairman there, he used to attend the worldwide Church of God. It still does. Now it's called CGI, Church of God, Communion, something like that. Anyhow, he said, you know I ask people, how do you know you have the Holy Spirit? And some get mad, and you get all kinds of answers. And I said, well, of course, John could tell you pretty much how you would know, and he dropped the conversation. Maybe we'll get to that later. But what do you know about the Holy Spirit? What do you understand about the Holy Spirit? Let's note what the Holy Spirit is. John chapter 4 and verse 24. John 4 and verse 24. What is the Holy Spirit? In John 4 and verse 24, God is Spirit. I mean, it's as plain as God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. When it says God is Spirit, that means that is His essence.

You use essence instead of substance, because God, of course, is invisible with regard to a human being. We would say that the substance of a human being, instead of the word essence, the substance of a human being is flesh. We are flesh and blood. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Through the years in the Church, we've sort of had a robotic kind of utterance concerning what the Holy Spirit is through the years by saying the Holy Spirit is the power of God. The Holy Spirit irradiates the power of God. The Holy Spirit is His essence, and through it He does works of power.

The Holy Spirit is His essence, and through it He does works of power. He sends forth His Spirit, And through his Spirit, he does the work. Now look at Zechariah 4 and verse 6. And it will say this, in essence, what I've just said very clearly. Zechariah 4 and verse 6.

Zechariah, Haggai, Malachi, Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 6.

By hands of Zerubbabel, have laid the fountain, I'm reading 9-6. Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the eternal host.

So the Holy Spirit is God's essence, and through his Spirit, he does works of power. The word power is associated with the Holy Spirit because it is through God's Spirit. He does works of power. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. If you turn now to John 15, John 15 verse 26. Along about 1000 AD, there was a schism in what we call the Catholic Church. There was an Eastern Church. One time it had its headquarters at Antioch, and then it moved to Constantinople, and then there was the Church at Rome. In circle 1000 AD, what is called the Eastern Church, the one at Constantinople, and the Western Church, the one at Rome, they split over the issue of the procession of the Holy Spirit. Where, what is the procession? Where does the Holy Spirit proceed from? The Church at Rome, the Western Church, argued that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and that the Father is eternally generating the Holy Spirit.

And it is through the Father and the Son that the Holy Spirit is being eternally generated. Whereas the Eastern Church, the Constantinople, which became the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Russian Orthodox Church is a carbon copy of the Greek Orthodox Church, but the answer to the procession, the Holy Spirit, is clearly given here in John 1526. But when the comforter, the paracleteus, some call it paracleteus, when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father. Notice it says, whom I will send unto you from the Father. In John 1426, it clearly says that the comforter is the Holy Spirit. We'll read that verse later, but you might want to jot 1426. They are beside it in the margin. The comforter is the Holy Spirit, whom I will send from the Father. Even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, it shall testify. Bear witness, record of me. Holy things have God's active presence in them or on them. For example, when Moses saw the burning bush and the angel, the angel of God's presence appeared there. Well, actually, he didn't see him, but he called Moses out of the burning bush. And he said, take off your shoes, Moses, because the ground upon which you stand is holy ground. Why did he say that? Because God's presence is holy. We call the saints holy because God's Spirit is in them. So, holy things have God's active presence either within them or upon them. The Holy Spirit is shed on us through Christ.

So, look now at John 14, back a page or so. Remember, it says in 15, that Christ says there that I will send the Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father. So, in John 14 and verse 15, John 14, 15, if you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and He will give you another comforter. Of course, Jesus Christ in person was a comforter when He was there, that He may abide with you forever. And, of course, the reason the translators put Heave as the pronoun for comforter because comforter is masculine in the Greek. We generally say it because Holy Spirit is not a person. Even the Spirit of Truth, Talmuma, which is neuter, whom the world cannot receive because it sees Him not. Neither knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. So, God and Christ comes to us and lives in us through the Holy Spirit. Now, look at verse 23. Verse 23.

Jesus answered and said unto them, if Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we, we, too, both, we will come unto him and make our abode with him. So, we have the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Father dwelling in us. Now, verse 24.

He that loves me not keeps not my sayings, and the world which you hear is not mine, but the Father which sent me. These things have us spoken unto you because these things have us spoken unto you being yet present with you, but the comforter which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. See, in 26 Christ said He would send it here. The Father sends it. They work hand and glove together. He shall teach you all things.

Recently, I gave a sermon title. Is the Holy Spirit teaching you? The way the Holy Spirit teaches you, if you get this Bible and you begin to study and meditate and pray over it, and then God will begin to bring things to your mind and to your remembrance.

I've talked to other elders when I start developing a sermon. You start with an idea and you turn to a scripture and maybe you write a thought down, and then it's just like, here's another thought comes and another thought and the Holy Spirit leads you and guides you in the Word of God. It shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I've said unto you. It won't bring things to your remembrance that you haven't put in there. Maybe more about that a little bit later. Now, continuing with the Holy Spirit is shed on us through Christ. Look at Acts chapter 2. This is the latter part of Peter's inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost. Next, toward the end of the sermon, in Acts 2, we'll begin in verse 32.

Acts 2 and verse 32.

This Jesus, as God raised up, whereof you are all witnesses. Of course, the Father was the one who raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, being the right hand of God, exalted, Revelation 3, 21, says that Christ sits on the right hand of the Father and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has shed forth this which you now see and hear. So Christ plays a role in the Holy Spirit being sent to us. Now, Titus chapter 3. Exactly how Christ does that, or even the Father, since the Holy Spirit is invisible, but in Titus we notice that also the Holy Spirit is shed on us through Christ. In Titus chapter 3 and verse 4.

Titus 3 verse 4.

But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So the Father and Jesus Christ working in concert sheds the Holy Spirit. Of course, the Father is the one who begets us with the Holy Spirit. The Bible states that there is one Spirit. Turn to Ephesians chapter 1. What do I mean by that? The same Spirit that is in Christ is in God is in us. The same Spirit that is in God is in Christ is in us. There is one Spirit, just like all human beings are in a sense of one flesh. In Acts 17 it says that everyone is of one blood. Or you could say everyone is of one flesh in the human realm. In Ephesians chapter 4 in verse 1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body, one Spirit. There is one body, one Spirit. Same Spirit that is in God is in Christ is in us. Even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Some may, when they see that one baptism, see the context here and the subject is the Holy Spirit.

It is after baptism that we receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible speaks of the baptism by fire, which we don't want. If you do not make it into God's kingdom, then you are burned up in the baptism of fire. John the Baptist talked about the baptism of fire in Matthew 3. Then there is the baptism by water, which man can do. Every person that I baptize, I tell them, I can baptize you in water, but only God can baptize you with the Holy Spirit. There is one baptism into the body of Christ, one Spirit. So, in that sense, one baptism into the body of Christ. One Lord, faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in you all. Now quickly back to 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12. We follow up with that, which essentially says what I've just said. In 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12. 1 Corinthians 12 is perhaps the greatest unity chapter in the whole Bible. Once again, we are unified with God and Christ through the Holy Spirit.

In John 12 verse 12.

For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. See, the great rhetorical question of 1 Corinthians is, is Christ divided? That's back in chapter 1 verse 13.

For by one Spirit, for by one Spirit, are we all baptized into one body? Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Thus, we can safely conclude that the same Spirit that is in God and in Christ is in us. The Holy Spirit is the active power and presence of God. The active, I would put presence first, the active presence and power of God. It is through the Holy Spirit, God's essence, that He does works of power. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand spiritual knowledge. Remember the title of the sermon is Works and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. So let's look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2. We'll start with verse 9.

1 Corinthians 2.9. But as it is written, I am not seen or ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, but things which God has prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things jay, the deep things of God. See, in the coming presidential election, I guess we should keep politics out of sermons, but just to reiterate the time, the sign, and cry for this nation, that we are becoming and have basically become a totally secular nation, denying God. And one of the ironies of this is being done in the name of love. If you really, God loves everybody. See, we're all children of God by birth, but we are not all children of God in spiritual sense. Hold your place right there. Hold your place right there. Let's look quickly at John, the Gospel of John, chapter 1.

John 1.10. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, by Jesus Christ. The Father created all things through Christ, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. See, we're all sons of God, children of God, by creation. We're not all sons of God, daughters of God, in the spiritual sense. Now you look at verse 13. Which were born not of blood, or begotten by just blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. So, just to say, okay, we're all children of God. Yes, by birth, but in the spiritual sense, you have to believe on Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ, be baptized, receive the laying on of hands.

So we continue now back to 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 11. For what man knows the things of man save the spirit which is in him, even as the things of God knows no man but the Spirit of God.

It is through the Spirit of God, it's through revelation. There are three basic ways according to what scientists would tell us that you can receive knowledge. One is empiricism, knowledge is received through the five senses. Then the other one is experiential through experience. Of course, experience is a hard teacher. It gives the test first and lesson afterwards. And then the what is called the human reasoning and the scientific method.

And the world now rejects revelation.

But spiritual things are revealed. So one of the great works of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of the truth. Now let's notice this word conviction back in John 16.

A member of the title of the sermon, works and fruit of the Holy Spirit. In John 16, how do we come to sit where we sit on a Sabbath morning, whereas the people out on I-59 and 84 east or west are going their way doing their thing. John 16, John 16, verse 7.

But because I have said these things unto you, I'm reading 6, you sorrow, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away. If I go not away, the comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you. And we have talked about how that the Holy Spirit has shed on us through Christ. And of course, the prerequisite to receiving the Holy Spirit is repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, laying on of hands.

And when it has come, it will reprove the world. When it has come, it will reprove the world. That word reprove is an imported word in Greek. It is a lento, E-L-E-N-C-H-O. And that N has a sort of a G sound, a lento.

And it means convict. What is conviction? Conviction means that when you hear something, read something, it makes an imprint, an impact on your mind, your thinking, and you come to believe it. And when it comes to spiritual things, you notice what it does. It will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. What is sin? Sin, the transgression of the law. Righteousness. All your commandments are righteousness. And then judgment. We know that judgment is now on the house of God. Now, the Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the Word of God.

Turn back and look at John 6, 63. We'll probably quote this a couple more times. I use this in almost, or quote this, I don't use it per se, in almost every sermon. John 6, 63.

It is the Spirit that makes alive.

Quickens is the old English word for makes alive. It is the Spirit that makes alive the flesh prophets nothing the words that I speak unto you. They are spirit, and they are life.

They are spirit, and they are life. Now look at Romans 10.

One of the reasons why Christ raised up the church. Remember the last two verses in Matthew says, Go you forth into all the world, disciple all nations, teach them to observe all things, watch whoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age. So it is the Spirit of God and the Word of God, as we'll read here, working in concert that convicts.

See, the Word has to be preached, and that's one of the main things with regard to the church. In the plaque that I didn't notice here, whether or not we put on the podium of preparing a people and the public proclamation preaching the Word.

In Romans 10, verse 14, How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard?

So it is necessary that the Word be preached, and how shall they hear without a preacher?

So whatever form it came to you, how you came to sit here this morning, it might have been a relative, you might have been the radio, it might have been television, it might have been print media, it might have been a family member, it might have been a neighbor. However, you initially came in contact with the truth that eventually led to your conviction because you began to read and study the Bible, and you were convicted of the truth, and you had a felt need that you needed to do something about it. And how shall they preach, except they be sent, as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things? But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord, who has believed our report?

Some people do not respond to hearing the gospel. Of course, we always talk about the element of God has to call you.

One of the first things that the United Church of God did back when it began in 1995 was to prepare an article. Pretty sure it's still on the web page.

It's titled, God is Calling Children. Or it may be titled, Is God Calling Children? Or are our children being called?

But God can put the gospel out there to you as we might say on a silver platter. All you have to do is reach out, sort of like being in the Garden of Eden in the Tree of Life.

Of course, humankind has decided to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil instead of the Tree of Life.

They have not all obeyed the gospel.

Then look at 17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing how? By the Word of God. And the Word of God working in concert with the Spirit of God convicts you and lays upon your mind the need to do something about it. But of course, it is possible to quench the Spirit.

Now back to John 16, another work of the Holy Spirit, which we've already touched on to some degree, is what the Holy Spirit will do to us in our mind and in our spirit.

John 16, beginning in verse 12, the Holy Spirit will show you things to come. It won't show you things to come unless you read and study the Bible. One of the reasons why programs of Beyond Today that deal with prophecy or life after death, that kind of thing, about the future, is people want to know that it's like a knowledge trip. And a good sermon title is, Are You On A Conversion Trip or a Knowledge Trip? A lot of people are on a knowledge trip.

Knowledge, Paul writes, Knowledge puffs up, charity edifies. In John 16, verse 12, I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. John 16, 13, Howbeit, when in the Spirit of Truth is come, it will guide you into all truth, it shall not speak of itself, whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it speak.

So what is the Spirit hear? The truth. What is the truth? John 17, 17. Sanctify them through your word. Your word is truth.

So once again, the truth of God, the Spirit of God and the Word of God, working in concert.

It shall not speak of itself, whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it speak, for it will show you things to come. It shall glorify me, for he shall receive a mind, and they shall show it unto you, all things that the Father has, are mine. Therefore said I, that he will take of mine, and shall show it unto you. A little while, and you shall not see me, and again, a little while, and you shall see me, because I go to the Father. You see him in the spiritual sense, the Holy Spirit has sent to us, shed abroad in our hearts.

So we see here that the Holy Spirit reveals things, it teaches things, it brings things to mind. It imparts life. Look at John 7. It's amazing, the Gospel of John. If you had only one Gospel, which one would you choose? To me, it would be a hard decision between Matthew and John, but the things of God and his nature and the Holy Spirit, you might have to choose John. And John 7, in verse 37. Now, what do we say this work is? Imparting life. And John 7, in verse 37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believes on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. See, oil can symbolize the Holy Spirit, water can symbolize the Holy Spirit, but this he spoke of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, but that Jesus was not yet glorified.

Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. For the Holy Spirit can and does impart spiritual life to you.

Notice 2 Corinthians 3, verse 6. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 6. This just states it as clearly as I guess you can state it.

2 Corinthians 3, verse 6.

Who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The Holy Spirit is a gift.

One of your questions that you had. So we go to look at that. The Holy Spirit is a gift. Acts 2.

Of course, those gifts are described in 1 Corinthians 12. But here we want Acts 2.

The Day of Pentecost and what transpired is recorded here. 1 Corinthians 12. And here came a sound of a mighty rushing wind, clothing tongues of fire upon their head. They began to speak other languages. They heard them in their own language. Some said they were drunken. Peter stood up and said they were not drunken. But this is what is spoken of by the prophet Joel.

And the people there at that time were convicted. They were convicted by the Spirit and Word of God that Peter preached. And toward the end of that, you look at verse 37, Acts 2.37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart. And they sat under Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren. What shall we do? I mean, we've just heard the truth. We are convicted. We want to know what we need to do. And Peter said, Repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That wasn't an inclusive everything. You have to repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ and receive the laying on of hands. But you notice, it is a gift. But there are conditions. It is a gift, but there are conditions. The conditions are, of course, you have to hear it, as they did.

And you have to repent, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

Be baptized, receive the laying on of hands. So what we have just noted are some of the awesome and wonderful enabling powers of the Holy Spirit.

Now I ask you this question.

Have you ever just sat and meditated on the fact that you have the very essence of God dwelling in you? Just think about that for a second or two. I have the very essence of God and Christ in me.

And through the Holy Spirit, you can do works of power.

So I wonder how much we ever think on how sobering and awesome at the same time this really is. In many ways, the Holy Spirit conforms to the laws of biology. One of the great laws of biology is use of disuse. And the old saying is, if you don't use it, you lose it. If you don't use it, you lose it.

If you want to strengthen a muscle, then you have to actually use it. If you want to strengthen a muscle, then you have to exercise a muscle. And in fact, to really gain strength and muscle mass, you have to overload the muscle to build, to increase the girth and strength of a muscle.

And somewhat in like manner, you have to exercise the Spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 19, 1 Thessalonians 5, 19, one of the shortest verses in the Bible, it says, quench not the Spirit.

How do you quench the Spirit? There are two main ways.

By failing to renew the inward man on a daily basis.

By failing to renew the inward man on a daily basis.

By failing to do this, it leads to the second main way that you quench the Holy Spirit. It is through disobedience.

Through disobedience, God gives his Spirit to those who obey him. When we resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we are quenching the Spirit. Not renewing the inward man on a daily basis. You begin to get lax with many things, probably the Sabbath, and eventually it doesn't matter anymore. You quench the Holy Spirit, and you are conscious and seared.

So how is the inward man renewed?

Of course, there's nothing what you have heard from the beginning. You've heard it over and over for years in the Church of God. I guess because of the simplicity is one of the reasons why people don't take heed.

Reading and studying the words of sincerity and truth. Matthew 4-4. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word it proceeds out of the mouth of God.

So we take in physical foods with physical nourishment, and we like to have our three meals a day.

So we're not taking in of the spiritual nourishment, the Word of God. We begin to die spiritually. Remember, I've quoted John 663 already. I'll quote it again. It is the Spirit that quickens and makes life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak, they are spirit and they are life. So that inward man has to be renewed daily. Look at 2 Corinthians 4.

And verse 16.

For which cause we think not, but through, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. And if the inward man is not nourished, it will begin to die.

The next way, and not necessarily more important, praying and beseeching God to give you the Holy Spirit. Praying and beseeching God to give you the Holy Spirit. Let's look at Luke 11 and verse 9. Luke 11 and verse 9.

On a daily basis, are you crying out to God, give me your Holy Spirit, and not only give me your Holy Spirit just in a general way, of course that is necessary, but also in a specific way, give me the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are necessary for me to fulfill what you call me to do. Luke 11 and verse 9.

And I say unto you, ask and it shall be given you. Ask. Seek and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you, for every one that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will you give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will you give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, shall you give him a scorpion?

You then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children. How much more, how much more, shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? So all of our prayers should have that element in it. Father, please give me your spirit and give me specifically the gifts necessary for me to fulfill what you have called me to do. We all have various talents and abilities. Everybody has some ability. Everybody has some gift. And God wants us to use it to glorify Him.

And then thirdly, obedience. I've already quoted Acts 5.32. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him. The five foolish virgins. What do you think they failed? The five foolish virgins were not renewing the inward man on a daily basis, and their lamps were going out. And when the bridegroom knocked on the door, it was too late. Oh, they went to those, the five wives, and says, give me of your oil.

And the five wives says, I can't give it to you. You have to go get it yourself. They went to buy. See the oil in the lamps as an individual and personal matter. Nobody can give it for you. You have to seek it, ask, find it for yourself. So once again, after you are begotten of God's Spirit, you must still decide whether you will be submissive to the Holy Spirit. You must yield to the Spirit and Word of God.

I know so many people, some very close, have said, yeah, I've repented of my sins. I've exercised faith in Christ. Yes, I've been baptized. Yes, I've received the laying on of hands. But they have gone their own way. They have gone their own way and plunged back into the world. Now, are they stealing, lying, committing adultery, and all of those kind of? No, not necessarily. But they've stopped attending church, stopped fellowshiping, doing their own thing, their own pleasure, on the Sabbath. And finally, their lamps go out and they grow cold. They don't even know which day is a holy day. And the Sabbath is just like any other day.

So even though you have gone through that, you still have to make a decision whether or not you're going to obey. Another thing about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can be personified by Christ. Like Christ in you is the same as saying the Holy Spirit is in you. And even though the Holy Spirit can be personified, like we might say the ship, she obviously doesn't make the Holy Spirit a person.

The Holy Spirit is divine. It is of God. It is the essence of God. I know I've said that about 10 times. But let's focus on it is of God. And it is the essence of God for just a minute. Since it is the essence of God, and it is of God, it is under His direction. Let's look at some verses, verifying what I've just said there.

In Genesis 1 and verse 2, And the earth was without form and void, to you both you. Darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of God, the spirit of God, moved upon the face of the waters. Now look at Psalm 104 verse 30.

Psalm 104 and verse 30. The Psalms are so important. The Psalms contain so much prophecy and so much about daily living. Psalm 104 and verse 30. You send forth your spirit. You send forth your spirit. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

God sent it forth. The Holy Spirit is not out freelancing on its own. You send forth your spirit. They are created. You renew us the face of the earth. Mr. Armstrong used to thunder this verse time after time after time. Now look at James chapter 5. Not chapter 5. Chapter 1. And James...

Yeah, I guess it is 5. Because not I'll find it. James, the first of the general epistles, one of the greatest books, is chapter 1. Chapter 1 verse 17. And James chapter 1 and verse 17. Now what are we talking about? We're talking about the Spirit of God. It is of God. It is His essence. It is not out freelancing on its own. It is under His control and direction. James 1.17. Every good gift, every perfect gift is from above. Comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no verableness, neither shadow or turning, of His own will. Beget He us with the word of truth, of His own will. He was directed by one Spirit. Are we all baptized into one body? Who begets us? The Father of lights.

Hereby we cry, Abba, Father.

So, as we have noted, the Holy Spirit is under the direction of God. It is of God. The key we want to understand is, this, of course, what I'm doing with regard to emphasizing this to you, it combats the the notion of the Trinity that the Holy Spirit is a person, and the Holy Spirit is out, I call it, freelancing on its own. So, once again, the key, the Holy Spirit, is of God. It is of Christ. A substance or essence cannot be of and yet separate and distinct.

You are of the flesh.

One cannot say Jesus Christ or God of the Holy Spirit, but you can say that the Holy Spirit of God is of the Holy Spirit. I'm sorry, I said it backwards. You can say the Spirit of God, not that God is of the Holy Spirit, because that would make the Holy Spirit equal to God. God's essence, it is of Him. He sends it forth. It is under His direction.

Now, let's go to 2 Corinthians 3.17.

1 Corinthians, I mean 2 Corinthians, sorry, 2 Corinthians 3.17. We see here the Holy Spirit personified, and then we see it is also a part of what we need to be doing as well.

In 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 17. Now, the Lord is that Spirit.

It is of the Holy Spirit, it is of God, it is of Christ. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, His essence, there is liberty.

But we all, with open face, beholding as it a glass, like a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now, what does it mean by that? If this is a mirror, and I'm looking into here, I see a reflection of myself. When we look into the perfect law of liberty, we are seeing a reflection of God. And where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. Then in turn, we're supposed to reflect back that Spirit of God to the world.

You are a light set upon a hill. A person lights a candle stick, you don't put it under a bushel, but you let it shine. From the Garden of Eden to the present day, God exhorts us to look to Him for the knowledge of good and evil. The Holy Spirit provides us with a new mind. It is the mind of the Spirit. It is a spiritual mind.

And we really need to understand this mind. If we go back to Romans chapter 7, Paul talks about the warfare that is going on.

Between the things of the flesh and the things of the spiritual mind.

Verse 23 says, I see another law in my members. This is Romans 7.23. Romans 7.23. What are we talking about? We're talking about the warfare between the fleshly mind and the physical mind. And it has to do also what we've already mentioned. That is, that even after you receive the Holy Spirit, you can quench it. And you can disobey, you can go your own way. So you have to make the decision to act upon the conviction.

I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. I thank God through our Lord Jesus, or through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God. See this new mind, the mind of the Spirit, but with the flesh, the law of sin. See, the Holy Spirit provides you with a new knowing within, a new sense of what's right and what's wrong. The mind of the Spirit is a new mind, and it has to rule over the old mind. There should be no chapter break here. One of the most encouraging verses in the whole Bible is this Romans 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

You see, the old mind is going to war. The old mind is going to try to get up out of that watery grave. But on the other hand, the new mind is supposed to keep that old man under the water, crucified with Christ, risen to newness of life. There is now no condemnation to those which were in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of the life in Christ, Jesus, I'm sorry, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death. You can be free from the law of sin and death by ruling over the fleshly mind. Very few people really understand this and can explain it the way it should be explained. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, the weakness was the fact that the fleshly mind gave in to the pulls of the flesh.

God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. How did he condemn sin in the flesh? Because he perfectly obeyed the law. He said earlier in Romans 7, look at Romans 7, 14, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

The law is spiritual. You go back to verse 12, for the law is holy. It has God's active presence in it. And the commandment holy and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? No. No, the wages of sin is death. The law was given to sustain life. It doesn't give life, but it helps to sustain because of wages of sin. But sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good. So you break the law, the wages of sin is death. That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sin. The law is spiritual. Now back to Romans 8 and verse 4. See, Jesus Christ came and even living in the flesh, He showed the righteousness of the law by keeping it. For the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And if you want to be spiritually minded, you have to renew the inward man every day.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Verse 13.

For if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

And one of the absolute keys back to the air conditioner repairman. First John chapter 2.

I asked people, he said, how do you know if you have God's Spirit?

After the debacle and split in 1995, worldwide church united was formed.

I had taught hundreds, yet even thousands of students, and some of them stayed with worldwide. And they would write me, oh Dr. Ward, we're doing this or that. And I would reply, and I said, what about First John? Hopefully I said First John. First John chapter 2.

Here's how you can know. First John chapter 2. My little children, these things write I unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate. And that word advocate is the paracletos or paracletos that is translated comforter in other places that we have read today. With the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. So you see a place here where the Holy Spirit is personified by Christ. And He, or it is a propitulation for our sins. Christ paid the penalty for our sins, and not only for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we know, hereby we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. So if you're out doing your own thing on the Sabbath and having a jolly day old time, we know that you are quenching the Spirit and on the way to your lamp going out. He that says I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But whoso keeps His word in it verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are of Him. Now you can read all of 1st John and you'll see several places where it says, hereby we know. So brethren, we have this precious gift within us, the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have talked about the conditions for receiving the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 15 it talks about Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branches. We are to bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit, if you'll turn to Galatians 6, is identified in Galatians chapter 6. The first three of the fruits here in Galatians chapter 5, I said 6. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Those things basically have to do with what's going on in your mind and in your spirit.

Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Long suffering, being patient, gentleness, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such. There is no law. So we have been called to bear the fruit that is listed here. We have within us the great power of the very essence of God, the Spirit of God. We have covered here today many of the works of the Holy Spirit. How do you quench the Spirit? How do you renew the Spirit? And so here we are in 2019 in a world that desperately needs God and Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The world is fearful. It's anxious. On the other hand, it's apathetic. So we could ask ourselves, are you lukewarm? Are you indifferent?

If so, then you can turn all of this around by crying out to God, repenting and turning to Him with your whole heart.

Are you? Am I hungering and thirsting after righteousness? Praying, studying, obeying, fasting, meditating, seeking God with our whole hearts.

God wants us to bear the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace. These three spring from within us, but it is through the Word of God that allows us to bear these fruits. These first three, to a large degree, reflect our state of mind. The last six are focused more toward God and neighbor.

All of these, you can understand the works of God. You can understand that which is within you.

You can understand what is necessary to sustain the spiritual life. All of this and much more can be yours through the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit.

So seek Him while He may be found. There is coming a time in which there will be a famine of the Word. They will run hither, to and fro, and not find it. So while He is near, call upon Him. Knock and He will open. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, it says in Revelation 3. Any man open, I will come unto Him and step with Him. So, brethren, I hope these things will be helpful to you as you continue on your path toward the kingdom of God. We are, once again, living in very trebleous times. If we're going to survive, we're going to have to renew the inward man and do the things that we have talked about here today. So it's been a pleasure to be here with you. I hope it's not 10 years before I can come back again.