Lesson 11 Part 1
Bible Correspondence Course Lesson 11 - Part 1 Why You Need The Holy Spirit
Mankind is engaged in a frustrating search for answers to the problems of humanity. Yet the real answers have eluded this world’s greatest thinkers. Only the Creator God has the ultimate answer—if we are willing to seek and accept it! WHAT is the Holy Spirit? What does it do? Why do we need it anyway? The answers to these questions are vitally important to everyone, for the Holy Spirit is the only real, permanent and lasting answer to the problems of every human being!
Jesus said: "... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). One reason Christ came into this world was to teach humanity the true values in life—the way which would bring true happiness and joy into our lives. But more importantly, Christ came to reveal the way to receive God’s gift of eternal life. Jesus taught that unless we receive and retain the Holy Spirit, we can never hope to enter the Kingdom of God. Why?
Because it is only through God’s Spirit that we develop the lasting character of God in this life, and are resurrected to glorious eternal life at Christ’s return.
Holy Spirit Now Available
Jesus Christ came to herald the coming of the Holy Spirit—to make this precious gift freely available to every person whom God would call and who would truly repent and believe. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said," proclaimed Jesus, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive...)" (John 7:38-39).
After teaching His deciples for three and one half years, Jesus Christ prepared to offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. Soon He would be crucified and murdered by His contempraries. After three days and three nights in the tomb, He would be resurrected to sit at the right hand of His Father in heaven. His twelve apostles would then spearhead the Work He had personally begun.
These men would have to face the sobering prospect of carrying an unpopular gospel to a hostile world. They would have to contemplate years of persecution, ridicule and possibly even martyrdom. A discomforting prospect to say the least! The apostles would need strength, encouragement and wisdom. They would need love, patience and endurance to follow in Christ’s steps and carry out His commission.
Jesus Promised Special Help The apostles would also need to recall the lessons taught to them by Christ during His earthly ministry. As generally "unlearned" men, they needed wisdom to face the philosophers, scholars and intellectuals of that day. They needed faith and courage to confront the seething hostility of religious leaders who would attempt to stamp out the fledgling Work of God time after time. And Jesus knew it!
He said to them shortly before His trial and crucifixion: "I am not going to leave you alone in the world—I am coming to you" (John 14:18,Phillips trans.). Christ intended to continue to teach and support the twelve, but not in the flesh. His Father in heaven possessed a means by which the apostles would be aided miraculously in their efforts to spread the true gospel.
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit," said Jesus, "whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said unto you" (John 14:26,RSV). The word translated "counselor" in the Greek is parakletos, which in the Gospel of John has the meaning of "helper, advisor, intercessor." God’s Spirit was intended to help and support the apostles in their work. And it would remind them of the lessons they had learned from their Master—Jesus Christ. A Help and Comfort to Every Christian But Christ did not limit the help of the Holy Spirit to the apostles alone. Notice the apostle Peter’s bold promise in Acts 2:38:"... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (RSV). And as we learned in a previous lesson, only those who possess the Holy Spirit are recognized by God as being true Christians (Romans 8:9-11).
You can have the resources that will enable you to live the kind of life God intended from the beginning, and to ultimately attain eternal life. But these gifts can come only from above—from the Holy Spirit of God—not from the within or the around. The apostle James was inspired to remind us that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights ..." (James 1:17). Our Creator stands ready to impart these wonderful resources through the vehicle of His Holy Spirit—if we will only abide by the conditions outlined in His Word. The Holy Spirit is indeed the key to the spiritual blessings of God. It is the only ingredient which will enable man to fulfill his inner craving for the love, joy and peace he so desperately needs for true happiness and accomplishment in this life, and for all eternity.
Let’s begin to understand much more about why we need the Holy Spirit in our lives today.
LESSON 11 What the Holy Spirit Really Is
Spiritual qualities and entities seem so unreal to most people. And no wonder. Spiritual things are invisible, not discerned by the senses except as revealed in writing in the Bible. When we speak of the Holy Spirit, it is difficult to grasp its nature. Yet the Bible reveals a great deal about God’s Spirit. In a section of Lesson 8, we proved conclusively from our study of the scriptures that the Holy Spirit is not a "third person" of a limited "trinity." We discovered that the Spirit of God is the power and energy of the God Family, as well as the very nature, life and mind of God.
Let’s review some of those essential scriptures, and study a few new ones as we lay the foundation for understanding one of the most crucial subjects of the Bible.
1. What is the composition of God? John 4:24.But do the Father and Christ have definite form and shape? Genesis 1:26;John 14:9;Revelation 1:13-16.
COMMENT: The God Family is composed of divine, immortal spirit essence. Spirit is the very life of God. Yet the Father and the Son have definite shape. From one end of the Bible to the other we are told about the shape and the parts of each member of the God Family. The Father and the Son each have a head, hair, eyes, nose, mouth, arms, fingers, a torso, legs, feet, plus inward parts.
Man, as we know, was created in the image of God. But we are composed of temporal, corruptible matter. We do not have eternal life inherent within ourselves as does the God Family.
2. What is another great difference between God and man—what is God’s characteristic attitude and general mental makeup? Psalms 99:9.Is there anyone as "holy" as God? 1 Samuel 2:2.Would you consider man, of himself, as being "holy"? Romans 3:10-18,Romans 3:23;Romans 8:7;Jeremiah 17:9.
COMMENT: The word holy means pure of heart or free from sin. The two beings presently composing the God Family possess a sinless, "holy," spiritual attitude and mind. The Holy Spirit therefore expresses the very mind and character of God.
3. What are some other characteristic attributes of God’s Spirit? Isaiah 11:2-3.
4. Does God’s Spirit fill the entire universe? Psalms 139:7-8;Jeremiah 23:24.
COMMENT: The Holy Spirit, like matter, exists in various states. It not only composes the members of the God Family, it also flows out from them to accomplish their will.
5. Is the Holy Spirit also the power by which God—the ultimate source of all power—created all things? Jeremiah 32:17;Psalms 104:30.How did the Eternal God utilize His Spirit of power to bring His various creations into being? Psalms 148:1-5.Notice the word "commanded" in verse 5. Also read Psalms 33:6-9 and Genesis 1:1-3.
COMMENT: Even though the Father and the Son are described specially as being in definite locations with respect to each other, spirit proceeds from them and, as David said, fills the entire universe—much like air is everywhere present on earth. The Spirit actually is the instrument or vehicle by which the God family creates!
Christ—the Logos, or "Word" (John 1:1 )--"spake and it was done." It was by the Spirit of God that the creative energy of the Father and Son was transformed into the physical creation we see around us (Hebrews 11:3). And it was by His Spirit that He reformed the surface of the earth (Genesis 1:1-31).
Man has no such inherent spiritual attribute of creative power. God has purposely limited man’s creative abilities to dealing strictly with the physical world around him. And so man has learned to work with and use the physical laws which God set in motion—now to a degree seemingly bordering on the miraculous, but physical nonetheless.
God’s original purpose for putting man here on earth was to train him for rulership in the Kingdom of God. The earth is the training ground, so to speak, to prepare mankind for greater responsibilities once born into the universe-ruling Family of God—which will include use of the creative power of God!
6. Is the very creation all around us mute testimony of the miraculous creative power of God? Romans 1:20.(Also read the entire, but short, 26th chapter of Job for more vivid illustrations of God’s infinite power. You might also like to read Romans 36:22 through Romans 42:6 to see how great the power of God really is!) 7. Does God sustain, preserve and rule His vast creation? Nehemiah 9:6;Hebrews 1:2-3;Psalms 66:7.
COMMENT: God sits at the controls of the entire universe, so to speak, and He rules and sustains everything by the awesome power of His Holy Spirit! The KEY to Glorious Immortality
Man is mortal, subject to death. We do not possess eternal life and great powers inherently within ourselves. Eternal life and spiritual power are gifts of God—attributes of the Holy Spirit. Let’s notice how having the Holy Spirit within us now is the key to receiving glorious immortality at the resurrection.
1. According to the biblical account, what happened to Jesus Christ after having been dead and buried for three days? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.How did the Father raise Christ from death? Ephesians 1:19-21.(Note that verse 17 tells us it is God the Father and Christ who are being discussed here.)
COMMENT: Clearly, it was by the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit that God the Father raised Christ from death to glorious immortality, authority and power.
2. Is there any proof of Christ’s resurrection from the dead? 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.
3. Was Christ the first of many who are to be resurrected to eternal life? Acts 26:23;Colossians 1:18;1 Corinthians 15:22-23;Romans 8:29.
4. Does the Father promise true Christians that He will also raise them to immortality—to be partakers of His divine nature and power—as He did Jesus? 1 Corinthians 6:14;1 Corinthians 15:49-53;2 Peter 1:4.(We suggest that you also read 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 together with Galatians 3:29;Galatians 4:7;and Titus 3:7.) How essential is it to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us now in order to receive eternal life at the resurrection? Romans 8:9-11,Romans 8:14-17.
COMMENT: The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that God desires to elevate mortal man to the God-plane of existence—to become literal spirit-born members of His spirit-composed Family! It is also evident that only those who presently have (or did have before they died) God’s Spirit will be granted the gift of eternal life at Christ’s return. These individuals—true Christians—have been begotten by the Spirit of God and are manifesting the "fruit" (Galatians 5:22-23)of the Holy Spirit in their lives. (The "fruit of the Spirit" will be discussed later in this lesson.)
We, if we are begotten of the Father and have the Spirit of Christ, are declared to be "heirs" (future inheritors) of the divine nature—of the very mind of God, and of immortal, incorruptible, perfect, all-powerful God-life!
5. When and how quickly will a spirit-begotten person’s change to immortality take place? 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
6. What type of body did Jesus receive at the time of His resurrection? 1 Corinthians 15:44-45.Will those who are changed at the coming resurrection be given the same kind of glorious body Jesus Christ has today? Php 3:20-21;1 John 3:2?
COMMENT: They will then be given a spiritcomposed body like Christ has now. Their natural, mortal bodies will suddenly be changed to bodies of spirit, if they are yet alive at the time of the resurrection. If dead, they will be resurrected from the grave with new, spirit bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).
7. Was Jesus, with His spirit-composed body, able to suddenly appear and disappear? Luke 24:36-37,Luke 24:31. Was He able to pass through barriers or walls? John 20:19.Can one composed of spirit transform (or manifest) himself into mortal flesh and bone if necessary? Luke 24:37-39.
COMMENT: When one becomes a spirit being, he will also be able to perform all types of miraculous feats as Christ did. Of course, as spirit-born members of God’s Family with the character of God, all will be done according to the will of the Father who will always be in charge over all.
8. Are spiritual bodies capable of traveling through space at tremendous speed? Compare John 20:17-19 with Matthew 28:9.
COMMENT: Notice that Christ traveled to the Father in heaven and returned to earth on the same day!
9. Once a person has been changed into spirit, can he ever die again? Luke 20:35-36.
10. Was Jesus to be "glorified" after His resurrection? John 17:4-5;Hebrews 2:9.How do Christ’s and the Father’s glorified bodies appear when manifested to human beings? Revelation 1:13-16.(The "Son of Man" mentioned here is the glorified Christ.)
COMMENT: Jesus Christ had a glorious, resplendent, spiritual body that was equal to His Father’s before He took the human form. After His resurrection, He was restored to the same power and glory. Even when manifested in a mere shadow of its spiritual glory—so that mortal men might receive some idea of its magnificence—Christ’s glorified, powerful spirit body radiates light as bright as the sun!
11. Will God also "glorify" all of His spirit-begotten children at the resurrection by giving them this same great power and glory? Romans 8:17;Colossians 3:4.
12. How did Jesus give His disciples a fleeting glimpse of this future glorified condition? Matthew 17:1-2.What other scripture gives us an idea of the future glorified state of those who shall be born again at the resurrection? Daniel 12:2-3.
COMMENT: The ultimate glory that spirit-begotten children of God are to receive at the resurrection will be so great, it will make them shine as the brilliant stars of the heavens. All this can come about only by having God’s Spirit working within us now!
(At this juncture it is recommended that you review the material on pages 12-15 of Lesson 8 regarding spiritual begettal, which we will now summarize in the following section.) Our Spiritual Creation Now Possible! In Lesson 8 we learned the biblical definition of what it means to be "born again." We discovered that true Christians are already—in this life—the spiritual children of God the Father (1 John 3:1-2). But even though considered God’s children, they are now only heirs (Romans 8:14-17)--ones who shall, in the future, become inheritors. Why?
Because they are now only begotten children. It is only when they are born of God that they become inheritors of God’s Kingdom, having become divine, eternal members of the Family of God.
Before the second phase of man’s creation—our spiritual creation—can begin, God the Father must first beget each of us spiritually. Whenever we become a begotten member of God’s Family, at that moment we receive a portion—a seed or germ—of the Father’s Holy Spirit. "...on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 10:45). This gift is "poured out" from the Father in heaven and, like physical life-giving sperm, unites with the "human" spirit in each of our minds upon conversion. (Recall that in Lesson 5 we studied the scriptures dealing with the "spirit in man.") Each human mind is like the nucleus of an egg with which the seed of the Holy Spirit unites.
Thus we are impregnated, so to speak, by the "seed" or germ of eternal life (1 Peter 1:3-4,1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18.As we learned in Lesson 8, "born again" in 1 Peter 1:23 should have been correctly rendered "begotten again.") This impregnation is the begettal of the spiritual life of God within our minds, making us literal children of God (though yet unborn), for we are going to be like our heavenly Father when finally born into His Family.
We also learned in Lesson 8 that the portion of the Holy Spirit which a person may receive as a begettal, does more than impart to us the possibility of eternal life. It imparts to us characteristics and attributes of the Almighty, the all-powerful God the Father in heaven, just as the physical sperm of a human father transmits the father’s attributes to his newly conceived offspring. And just as a newly begotten physical embryo must begin to grow in its mother’s womb, we also must begin to grow spiritually after being begotten by God’s Spirit.
If you are truly the kind of Christian described in the Bible, then you are now a begotten child of God. You were impregnated with the spiritual germ or sperm of eternal life so you could begin the process of spiritual growth. But you are not yet born of God—not yet composed of spirit—not yet immortal. And if you are not yet begotten of God—a genuine Christian by Bible definition (Romans 8:9)--then you have not yet even begun this process!
Now let’s look a little further into the matter of spiritual growth, once an individual is begotten by God’s Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Growth
Before a spirit-begotten child of God can be born into the divine Family of God, the Bible shows he must grow spiritually. While still mortal, he is to become more God-like—developing more and more of the very character of Jesus Christ.
Let’s study the scriptures showing how this miraculous change and growth can be accomplished.
1. Must spirit-begotten Christians change their former ways of living which were contrary to God’s law? Romans 12:1-2.What is this changing process producing in true Christians? Ephesians 4:22-24.Be sure to also read Ephesians 4:24-32, and Ephesians 5:1-12.
COMMENT: One’s basic attitude of mind must be changed—converted. This transformation is a tremendous undertaking. It requires a miracle! The receiving and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the power needed to help renew one’s mind.
2. Therefore, are begotten Christians admonished to grow spiritually? 2 Peter 3:18.Are they to be like humble little children growing up—this time spiritually? 1 Peter 2:1-2;Matthew 18:2-3.
COMMENT: As explained before, once we have repented and received God’s Spirit, divine life has been begotten in our minds. Our spiritual life has begun as a very small "seed" which must then grow. To grow spiritually, we must take in spiritual nourishment. Just as the embryo in a mother’s womb must be nourished with life-giving food through the placenta, so we must be nourished by the Word of God. "... The words that I speak unto you," said Jesus, "they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Those words are recorded in the Bible—and Jesus said we are to live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4). We drink in these life-giving words from the Bible through reading, studying and meditating (thinking) on what we read.
We also absorb spiritual nourishment through personal, intimate, daily contact with God in prayer and through regular Christian fellowship with God’s other begotten children in His Church. (More about this later.) 3. Are we to work toward developing the very character of God? Matthew 5:48.
COMMENT: Since it is impossible for any human being (with the exception of Jesus Christ who became mortal flesh and blood) to achieve absolute spiritual perfection in this life, the obvious intent of Jesus’ statement is that we should strive to become "perfect"—like our Father in heaven.
Only when born again at the resurrection will this process be complete, for then we will actually be perfect as the Father and Christ are now (1 John 3:2,1 John 3:9). But in the meantime, Jesus tells us to strive toward that end, growing toward spiritual perfection while still mortal beings! But what, exactly, is spiritual growth? It is the development of the spiritual character of God! The impregnation of your mind by the Holy Spirit will plant within you the seed of the divine nature of God. It will make possible the development of His character in you. Thus, once spirit-begotten, we are to gradually grow to become more and more like God in the way we think, act and do things.
We develop the very character of God by obeying Him, and by giving of ourselves to others in serving and helping our fellowman. This kind of character is developed in Christians through independent free choice combined with learning, experience, trial and test.
It is interesting to note that years of experience with people of every social level and walk of life have shown that every Christian who is truly growing and developing in spiritual character has his heart completely in the Work of God, which the living Christ has called His servants to do as His instruments. One’s "works," therefore, also include his part in helping to spread the good news of Christ’s true Gospel to all mankind (Matthew 24:14;Matthew 28:19-20).
4. According to the apostle Paul, whom must all spirit-begotten Christians strive to emulate? Ephesians 4:15.What is to be the end result of this growing process? Galatians 4:19;Ephesians 4:13.
5. Will Christ "live" in a spirit-begotten Christian to help him grow spiritually? Colossians 1:27-29;Galatians 2:20;1 John 4:2-4;Hebrews 13:20-21.Exactly how will Christ dwell in us? Php 1:19;Php 2:5;Romans 8:8-10;Titus 3:5-6.
COMMENT: Not only must the words of God flow into our minds through Bible study, but spirit must also flow into our minds. Recall that each spirit-begotten Christian has received the Holy Spirit of God, which united with the "human" spirit that is in everyone’s mind. That is what begets us. But that new spiritual life must grow spiritually, much like the fetus in a mother’s womb—until it is finally born.
Added to the germ of spiritual life which proceeds from the Father there must be a continual supply of Spirit sent from Jesus Christ (Php 1:19)so that our minds can grow spiritually. Only in this way can our minds become more and more spiritual, growing toward the maturity of the spiritual character of Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Word personified—Christ is the Bible in action. If we have the "mind of Christ"—if Jesus Christ, so to speak, lives His life in us by means of the Holy Spirit—we have at hand the power to grow spiritually as we yield to His Spirit. We have the capacity to grow toward perfect, God-like character.
Let’s draw another analogy to further understand. The Spirit we may receive can be compared to a current of electricity flowing through a light bulb. We are that bulb. But there could be no light without a filament inside of the bulb. The filament is comparable to the spiritual seed from the Father. The Spirit from Christ can be compared to the electricity flowing through the filament. And so as we receive more Spirit from Christ, we emit more "spiritual light"! The expression "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18)does not mean to be filled with emotional manifestations which come from the flesh and not from God’s Spirit. It means that we are imbued with the Spirit of God which is administered through Jesus Christ in His office as High Priest.
Notice again how Paul explained this when he addressed spirit-begotten Christians in the Church at Rome: "But ye are not in the flesh"—not motivated by fleshly passions—"but in the Spirit"—motivated and guided by the Holy Spirit—"if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you"—that is, the Holy Spirit from God the Father transmitting His characteristics. But notice what Paul adds: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). He does not belong to Christ—he is not a true Christian!
Paul was talking about the Holy Spirit from God the Father which begets us as children of God,and the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which fills our minds so we can grow spiritually, and be able to resist sin by giving us the strength to overcome the attitude of the devil which leads us to sin. This begettal and growth through the Holy Spirit has unfortunately never been understood by most people.
Great Spiritual Benefits Now
We’ve already seen that many marvelous blessings are made possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But there are yet other great benefits available through the Spirit of God.
1. Just how many things does God make available to spirit-begotten Christians through His divine power? 2 Peter 1:3.
2. Can the human mind—having only the "human" spirit which imparts only human understanding—understand the spiritual things of God? 1 Corinthians 2:9,1 Corinthians 2:14. What must be added before a person can comprehend spiritually revealed knowledge? 1 Corinthians 2:10-13.
COMMENT: The Holy Spirit gives you the capacity to understand and grasp spiritual concepts and principles—the very truth of God! In John 6:63 Christ revealed that His words are spiritual in nature: "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit...." God also revealed in Romans 7:14 that His law is spiritual. Therefore we see that the Bible and the laws and principles it contains are spiritual in makeup. And spiritual things cannot be comprehended by one who does not possess the Spirit of God. This is not to say the Bible cannot be understood in an academic sense. Many are thoroughly familiar with what it says—some can even recite large portions of God’s Word from memory. But God inspired Paul to say that spiritual things are beyond the comprehension of human intellect alone!
Spiritual things simply cannot be seen with the eye, heard with the ear, felt with the hands. The human mind, which can receive knowledge only through these physical channels, can never really comprehend spiritual concepts and principles without the aid of God’s Holy Spirit. The greatest scientific and philosophical minds simply cannot really come to know and understand spiritual truths with their natural minds.
Just as surely as no animal brain—such as that of a cow, for example— can comprehend or understand human affairs, so no human mind can have comprehension of spiritual things on the divine plane unless and until it has received the Holy Spirit of God!
Without the Holy Spirit a person cannot really understand the Bible. And so the average individual is hostile and unreceptive to the truth of God and looks upon those who understand and practice it as peculiar! As Paul said, spiritual things are "foolishness" to the unconverted (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Before their conversion, God’s begotten children did not understand the Bible and God’s way of life. But then God began to draw them (John 6:44)to Christ by His Spirit—He began to grant certain spiritual understanding. They were led to understand the depths of true repentance. After baptism and the receipt of the Spirit of begettal from the Father and the Spirit of Christ, they began to truly keep the laws of God and to comprehend and understand their greatness. And the more they yielded to God and His law, the greater became their spiritual understanding. Notice what God inspired David to write in this regard: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that DO his commandments..." (Psalms 111:10).
3. Is the "carnal" (fleshly) mind with which we were all born therefore unable to comprehend the true spiritual intent of God’s law, and therefore unable to obey it—unable to really love God and man? Romans 8:7-8;Jeremiah 17:9;Galatians 5:19-21.
4. But what are the capabilities of a spiritually motivated mind? Romans 8:6;Galatians 5:22-23.Will the Holy Spirit in us grant us the strength to do good works—to literally obey God? Php 2:13;Hebrews 13:20-21.
COMMENT: It is important to understand that the Holy Spirit will not possess you as does a demonic spirit being of the devil’s kingdom possess a person. And God’s Spirit in you will not force you to live righteously. But it will strengthen you spiritually, and even physically when necessary, to do God’s will as you exert your will and determination to follow God’s Spirit as it leads you to see and understand God’s way.
5. Do begotten children of God also have direct access to the Father and Christ in heaven? Ephesians 2:13-14,Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:19-20;Hebrews 4:14-16.What are the special advantages of this close relationship? Matthew 21:22;Hebrews 4:16.Why may we receive what we ask? 1 John 3:22-24;1 John 5:14.
COMMENT: A Christian may come boldly to the Father and Christ the Son in prayer to request help in whatever form necessary, and can expect to receive it according to God’s will, if he is striving to please God in the way he conducts his life.
Divine guidance, intervention, wisdom, understanding, inspiration, as well as protection, legitimate needs, and power to do God’s will—all these and more are available through contact with God as made possible by His Spirit.
6. In what other way does the Holy Spirit help a Christian? Romans 8:26-27.
7. Does God also grant His human instruments the spiritual power needed to conduct His Work on earth? Acts 1:8;Matthew 28:18-20.
COMMENT: The gift of the Holy Spirit provides the power by which to carry out Christ’s great commission of preaching the Gospel to the world. That power is active and working dynamically in the collective body of Christians God has called to do His end-time Work today!