Day 92: How Does The Holy Spirit Work in Our Lives?

Today we turn to consider how the Spirit works in our lives. As we look at the reality of the work of the Spirit in our lives, we see many parallels to His work in the life of Christ. Although the Spirit works in a more magnified way in the life of Christ, many of the same things He did for or through Jesus, He also does for us. 

We Are Re-Born Through The Work Of The Holy Spirit

Titus 3:5
….(God) saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit…

Although we are not “conceived” the way that Jesus was, we are definitely reborn – granted new spiritual life – through the work of the Spirit. Because of this, we are entirely new creations, new people set on a new course with a new destiny. 

We Are Baptized With The Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:13
For in/by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

Baptism speaks mainly to the idea of identification and union. When we were baptized by/with the Spirit, we were identified and united with Christ and His people – His Body, as Paul says here. In this same way, with the descent of the Spirit at His water baptism, Jesus was completely identified and associated with the new work that God the Father was doing in Israel through Him. 

We Are Indwelled By The Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 

The Father and the Son send their Spirit to live within us. This is called the indwelling of the Spirit. This makes us the Living Temple of God. Our bodies and spirits become the place where God shows his presence on the Earth. This is also the way God “pours His love out” in us:

Romans 5:5
…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We Are Led By The Holy Spirit

Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

Just as with Jesus, the Holy Spirit is also here to lead us. He continually leads us to realize that we belong to God as His sons, His beloved children. The Spirit also leads us by illuminating us (filling us with the light of truth) and teaching us, but we will discuss this in more detail a little later as well. 

We Are Empowered By The Holy Spirit

Ephesians 3:16-17
I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…

One of the most awesome realities that is true of us as Christ’s people is that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit who lives within us, empowering us to live a new kind of life!!! Now, think on that for a minute: you have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead empowering you to live a whole new kind of life – one shaped by Jesus own life! 

We Are All Anointed By The Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

Baptism and anointing are somewhat related. Baptism speaks to identifying people, but anointing focuses on marking someone for service. This anointing is a recognition of someone’s right to take up some office or work, and is also seen as the recognition of the empowerment to carry it out. In the New Testament, we see that just as Jesus was “marked for His mission” by the anointing of the Spirit, so too we have been anointed by the Spirit, qualifying us to carry out our mission and purpose in Christ. (There is a treatment of anointing in the appendices)

We Are Appointed Sons Of God Through The Holy Spirit

Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father!”

All of these things that we have considered comes to its conclusion and climax in this last idea: the Holy Spirit who is given to us makes our relationship with God as Sons and beloved Children real. There is no greater title that we can be given other than “Son of God.” Jesus was God’s One Unique Son; but we are all beloved “sons” (women included) in Christ by the work of His spirit.

Make sure to make a close comparison between what we have heard today and what we discussed yesterday. It is very important for you to see the parallels. 


*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.

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