The Holy Spirit
Judgment trials always use witnesses. A witness is someone who has first-hand knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through their senses (e.g. seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) and can help certify important considerations to the crime or event. We know that lawyers – on both sides - use witnesses to testify either for or against the defendant. We have also learned that there are different types of witnesses. A witness who has seen the event first-hand is known as an eye-witness. A material witness is an individual who contains information "material" to a criminal proceeding. A Character witness tries to convince the jury that the defendant could have never done what he or she is accused of based on their character. Then there are expert witnesses. They do not know the defendant, nor did they see what happened. They take the evidence found in the crime scene, which technically speaking was there, and in a sense, speak what the evidence says in words the jury will understand.
The Spirit is to testify of Jesus. Let's read John 15:26,
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of Me:
In the Biblical Greek, to testify means to be or bear witness, give testimony, have a good report, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because of divine revelation or inspiration. Who best to testify than the One who was there throughout the whole process? Let us look at this list that shows how the Spirit was involved with Jesus.
- The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20).
- He filled Jesus with His presence (Luke 2:40).
- The Holy Spirit was there when John baptized Jesus giving His approval to Jesus (Matthew 3:16).
- The Spirit led Jesus where He should go (Luke 4:1,14).
- Jesus performed miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28).
- Jesus admitted that all He was able to do was due to the Spirit being upon Him (Luke 4:18).
It is the Spirit's desire to be and do with us as He was and did with Jesus. Ellen White says,
"The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people. The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church." {DA 671.2}
The Holy Spirit is responsible for our new birth. One cannot be born unless one is conceived first. It is the Holy Spirit who spiritually re-conceives us for our new birth experience (John 3:5-8). He fills us with His presence. The sign of this experience are the Gifts and His fruit (1 Corinthians 12:4; Galatians 5:22-24). He leads us where we should go. Because, of the Spirit we will do even greater things than Jesus.
We need not worry about what to say,, since the Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance what we are to say (Mark 13:11). The Holy Spirit is our seal of promise unto the day of redemption. That is a beautiful and reassuring promise: that He, who brought Jesus forth, will also bring us forth to Jesus.
How does the Spirit do his work in us? Ellen White tells us how,
The Comforter is called "the Spirit of truth." His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself." {DA 671.1}
Ellen White reiterates this same point by saying that …,
"…The Holy Spirit glorifies God by so revealing his character to his people that he becomes the object of their supreme affections, and by making manifest his character in them. They see clearly that there was never any righteousness in the world but his, no excellence in the world but that derived from him. The Holy Spirit glorifies God by so revealing his character to his people that he becomes the object of their supreme affections, and by making manifest his character in them. They see clearly that there was never any righteousness in the world but his, no excellence in the world but that derived from him {1888 1017.3}
The only thing that will prevent the Holy Spirit from fulfilling His work in us is ourselves. Let us then allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. Let us not disdain the Holy Spirit. He is the greatest gift God gives to us. We read in Luke 11: 13,
Luke 11: 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Will we appreciate the gift?
Raul Diaz
www.wolfsoath.com
