While studying the first letter of John, we see a message to the family of believers who are being overwhelmed by heresy….people who used to be part of the family but have turned away and are now preaching a different Gospel, one that is anti-Christ. John emphasizes God’s love, our love for Him, and our love for each other. He also introduces some of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, highlighting how essential He is for us to stand firm and understand who we are and what we believe. I want to explore a few passages about the Holy Spirit more deeply because we need Him more active in our lives if we want to see our families and communities transformed and filled with hope. Let’s review a few things.
1 John 2:26,27
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
This passage emphasizes that part of the Holy Spirit’s role, the anointing, is to seal your understanding of who Jesus is. Many were being swayed by believing intentional lies about Jesus. John states that the Holy Spirit in you keeps you committed to the truth of knowing exactly who Jesus is. So, when these cults try to “teach” you a different way, the Holy Spirit will remind you of the truth.
1 John 3:9 (One of the more trying passages)
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
The word used for sin in Greek here is never about breaking the law of Moses but has a different meaning; it refers to rebellion against the truth of the Gospel, much like Lucifer did against God’s sovereignty. John’s use of the word ‘seed’ points back to the Holy Spirit’s birthing of true believers. Because of His seed in us, we cannot rebel against the truth of God and fall into heresy or a false Gospel. Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to keep the life of truth in us!
1 John 3:24-4:6 emphasizes that the Spirit verifies Jesus. One of the teachings promoted by the cult leaders was that Jesus did not come as a real flesh-and-blood human. They believed it couldn’t be because all flesh is evil, so he was only here as a spirit. So John writes…
1 John 4:2,3
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.
The Holy Spirit’s role is always to honor and prove the Father and the Son, and He does this every day in our lives. John emphasizes this further in 1 John 5, where he discusses the Spirit, the water, and the blood. I want you to remember this as we begin our journey into the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. Everything we discuss about Him will be in the context of confirming and glorifying the Father and the Son.
Let’s explore a few other ways the Holy Spirit accomplishes this through passages in the Gospels and other New Testament books.
Our walk with Christ began with the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us part of His job is to draw the world to him.
John 16:8
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
The Holy Spirit draws us and the world to the Father and the Son, reminding us of our need for a savior. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit we would not recognize our need for a savior and apart from our being filled with and allowing the Holy Spirit to move through us most would not come to Christ.
Once we have come to Christ, God’s promises are guaranteed or sealed by the Holy Spirit, so we can have the assurance of our salvation and inheritance
Ephesians 1:13,14
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Because the Holy Spirit is here on earth with us, He seals us so that the spiritual realm recognizes us as children of God. Every angel, power, and principality of both the Lord and the evil one recognizes that we are God’s sons and daughters. He gives us the right to stand on and believe all the promises of God.
Romans 8:11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
The Holy Spirit, in His sealing of us, transfers us from the power of death ruling this world to the power of life. We are no longer eternally corrupted but are brought to new life regardless of what these bodies do. We have eternal life because He has given us eternal life! We have no fear of death, as He has sealed us with His promise of eternal life.
The Holy Spirit enables us to reflect Jesus in everything we do, and we are transformed by the Holy Spirit working through us.
Galatians 5:22,23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Just like a tree bears fruit because it is firmly rooted in good soil, it naturally does so! The Holy Spirit living through us causes us to live transformed lives, moving from the hopelessness of the world to the life God designed us to live. 2 Corinthians 3:18 also refers to the transformed life because of the Holy Spirit in us.
The Holy Spirit is always with us, helping us become more like Jesus, not only in character but also in the impact we have in life.
John 14: 16,17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
The phrase ‘another Helper’ refers to someone exactly like Jesus, sharing the same essence. The Holy Spirit and Jesus are one; they have different roles. His role is to be with us here on earth, and he lives within us. He is to guide us in becoming who the Father designed us to be.
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Because He lives in us, He reminds us of who we were designed to be and helps us fulfill our purpose while living each day and overcoming challenges. He does this by teaching us through everyday life. He illuminates God’s Word for us and enables us to see others through the Lord’s eyes. Paul also tells us that the Holy Spirit even prays for us.
Romans 8:26,27
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Wow! God prays for us because He knows exactly what’s in our hearts so we can walk in victory and freedom every day!
The last thing I want to mention today, although there is so much more the Holy Spirit does, is that He empowers us. He provides us with everything we need to bring hope, love, and joy to a very broken world, as well as to live in that way ourselves.
1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
1 Corinthians 12 and 14, Paul shares with us how we as a body of believers ought to function, expecting that the gifts of the Spirit are alive in us. What is interesting, according to Paul’s letters to this church, is that the Corinthian church was not made up of perfect people but of people who had issues to deal with, and God empowered them to bless themselves and others.
Paul explains in these chapters that there are different kinds of gifts, services (ministries), and activities (effects), but they all come from the same Spirit, Lord, and God. The types of gifts Paul lists include wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, faith, healing, miracles, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. All of these gifts are given to build up the body and reach the world.
We will examine them more closely. It’s important to understand that some people don’t believe the Holy Spirit moves this way today because they think these gifts were only for the apostles. However, as shown in First Corinthians chapters 12 and 14, it was the entire church using these gifts because they were essential to reach a broken world.
I believe they are still vital today because we continue to face a broken world. Our challenges call for them to be used with love, integrity, and understanding of the father’s heart. We will examine all of this in the coming weeks.