THE WORK AND MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER

Romans 8:1-17
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

The grand result of the Spirit's work in regeneration and conversion is described by the apostle, when he says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, all things become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
When a sinner is converted to God, he is said in Scripture to be united to Christ. He becomes a living member of that spiritual body of which Christ is the Head: and it is from his union with Christ that he derives all those blessings which he now enjoys as a born-again child of God.

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In virtue of this union, he is identified, as it were, with Christ, and Christ with him; insomuch that he is represented as having died with Christ when He died, and as having risen with Christ when He arose from the dead. His sins are reckoned to Christ's account and Christ's righteousness is imputed to him, so that, as Christ suffered his punishment, he will share in Christ's reward. He now is a joint-heir with Christ, and has an interest in every privilege or promise which God has given to His son on behalf of His people. The legal or judicial effect of this union is his entire justification, the pardon of all his sins, the acceptance of his person, his adoption into God's family, and his final admission into heaven! Ah! What a wonderful salvation God has planned, Christ has accomplished, and the Holy Spirit is consummating.
BY BEING UNITED TO CHRIST AS A MEMBER OF HIS SPIRITUAL BODY, THE BELIEVER BECOMES THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE POWER OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT BEGINS THE LIFE LONG PROCESS OF MAKING US LIKE UNTO OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we became more and more like Him and reflect His glory. The glory that the Spirit imparts to the believer is more excellent and lasts longer than the glory that Moses experienced when he met with God on the mount.
By gazing at the nature of God with unveiled minds, all of us Christians can be more like Him. The gospel reveals the truth about Christ, and the Spirit of the Lord works within us, transforming us morally as we understand and apply it. Through learning about Christ's life, we can understand how wonderful God is and what He is really like. As our knowledge deepens, the Holy Spirit works within us to help us to change to become more like Christ. Becoming Christ-like is a progressive experience. So what Paul is saying in the above passage is that as the Holy Spirit works through our lives, we--step by step--come closer to God's perfect way of living. It occurs little by little as the Holy Spirit points out more areas of our lives that need to be submitted to God's will; and we, then, freely submit to God. The Holy Spirit works through the preaching of God's Word, the reading of Scripture, our prayer life, and the wise guidance of other mature believers to lead believers on God's wonderful path of righteousness.
THIS PROGRESSIVE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE AND HEART OF A BELIEVER IS CALLED SANCTIFICATION. It begins immediately at the moment of conversion and continues until we stand perfect in His presence for all eternity.

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The Oxford Dictionary defines SANCTIFICATION as "the action of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying or making holy a believer by implanting within him of the Christian graces, and the destruction, of the sinful affections.
SANCTIFICATION is the work of free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. It is the work of the Holy Spirit whereby we are separated from the reign of sin unto God for His service.
The root meaning of SANCTIFICATION suggests a setting apart from which is common and unclean. The Old Testament uses the term, generally speaking, to describe things, such as instruments used in worship, but the New Testament employs the term to denote persons who are set apart for holy living. "Sanctify" is one of the words related to "consecrate," and suggests not only a separation from but unto, separated from sin unto salvation, separated from works unto grace, separated from hell to heaven. Paul writes in Romans 12, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
SANCTIFICATION IS GOD’S MASTER WORK IN THE BELIEVER,
and this is accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit. The new birth will be followed by a new life!
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works" (Titus 3:11-14).
"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, putting away lying, "let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
Be angry, and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him

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labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:17-32).
REGENERATION AND SANCTIFICATION ARE INSEPARABLY CONJOINED.
A renewed heart will be followed by practical reformation, and a holy life can only spring from an inward change of heart. Regeneration is the spring, sanctification is the stream; if we live in the Spirit, we shall also walk in the Spirit; but we cannot walk spiritually unless we are spiritually alive!
The commencement and continuance of spiritual life in the soul depends on the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit.
As the great initial change by which we pass from death to life is wrought by the Spirit of God, so is the succeeding course of our progressive sanctification. We are made alive by the Spirit, and we are enabled to walk by the same Spirit.
TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT IS TO LIVE A LIFE OF HOLINESS AND GODLINESS! There is a wonderful thing that happens in the heart of the believer at regeneration...the Holy Spirit implants a passion for holiness deep into the born-again heart. Holiness, which means being near God, like God, given to God, and pleasing God, is something believers want more than anything else in the world. One reason for their interest in the Holy Spirit is their awareness that making us holy is one of his main tasks.
It is natural and normal for Christians to want to understand and prove the Spirit's sanctifying power.
Sanctification and holiness are very closely related.
Holiness, we should realize, is a weighty biblical term. Having at its root the thought of separation or apartness, it signifies, first, all that marks out God as set apart from men and...all that should mark out Christians as set apart for God.
"But as He who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
"This is the will of God, your sanctification...God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness...[Sanctification and holiness are the same Greek word.] May the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly [that is, make you completely holy]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7; 5:23).
Holiness is consecrated closeness to God. Holiness is in essence obeying God, living to God and for God, imitating God, keeping His law, taking His side against sin, doing righteousness, performing good works, following Christ's teaching and example, worshiping God in the Spirit, loving and serving God and men out of reverence for Christ.

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Holiness is, in a word, God-taught, Spirit-wrought Christlikeness, the sum and substance of committed discipleship, the demonstration of faith working by love, the responsive outflow in righteousness of supernatural life from the hearts of those who are born again.
As I have noted earlier, THE AGENT OF HOLINESS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. When Paul says that God works in Christians to make them will and work for His good pleasure, the Apostle is certainly thinking of the Spirit's power active in what Augustine distinguished as PREVENIENT grace (which creates in us a purpose of obedience) followed by COOPERATIVE grace (which sustains us in the practice of obedience).
By the Spirit's enabling, Christians resolve to do particular things that are right, and actually do them, and thus form habits of doing right things, and out of these habits comes a character that is right. Paul describes the process of character formation by this means as one being changed into Christ's likeness from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18).
He calls the character itself the fruit of the Spirit--which on inspection proves to be neither more or less than the profile of Jesus Christ Himself in His disciples.
Please observe! The Spirit works through MEANS--through the objective means of grace, namely, biblical truth, prayer, fellowship, worship, and the Lord's Supper, and with them through the subjective means of grace whereby we open ourselves to change, namely, admonishing oneself, sharing what is in one's heart with others, thinking, listening, questioning oneself, examining oneself.
The fruit of the Spirit itself is, from one standpoint, a series of habits of action and reaction; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control are all of them habitual dispositions, that is, accustomed ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Habits are all-important in holy life, particularly those biblically prescribed habits that we find it difficult and even painful to form. Holy habits, though formed in the natural manner I have described, by self-discipline and effort, are not natural products. The discipline and effort must be blessed by the Holy Spirit, wrought by the Holy Spirit, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, or they would achieve nothing.
Question! One may ask, "What are the workings, the evident tokens, of the progressive work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification...in the changing us into the image of Christ?
(1) There will be separation from all known sin and enmity to God. James says: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously" (James 4:4). "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

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(2) There will be the determination not to stand up for our rights, but to trust God as our Defense.
Paul admonishes us: "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." (Romans 12:17-20). "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other, and to everyone else" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
(3) There will be the distinguishing breastplate of holiness. Our Christian witness is exposed to reproach if we do not reflect God's holiness. Being sanctified, we wear the double seal-the seal of positional sanctification, "the Lord knoweth them that are His," the seal of practical sanctification, "...let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Timothy 2:19). It is one thing to be a saint—all born-again Christians are saints—but a different thing to be a sanctified saint—a Christian daily living out their faith in a way that brings honor and glory to our Christ.
THERE IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF SPIRIT-FILLED LIVING THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS FOR A MOMENT. In the Scriptures a special operation of the Spirit is mentioned, by which He aids His people in the exercise of prayer. "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27). "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:17-18).
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20-21).
BECAUSE PRAYER IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE, I AM DEEPLY INTERESTED IN WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. So I began my search in reading what many authors have to say on this subject. It is important that we come to an understanding, thus my broad search for an explanation. One of the puritan writers, John Owen, wrote a masterpiece with his book entitled: THE HOLY SPIRIT. In the appendix of his book, he writes a chapter entitled: The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer. Let me make some observations from his writing. The Holy Spirit in Zechariah 12:10 is referred to as the Spirit of grace and supplication. Paul speaks of this aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 4:6 when he writes: Because ye are sons, God hath sent

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forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." The two-fold testimony as the Spirit of grace and supplication sufficiently proves, that there is a peculiar work, or special gracious operation of the Holy Spirit in the prayers of God's people, enabling them thereto. The first thing we ascribe to the Spirit is, that He supplies the mind with a due comprehension of the matter of prayer, or what ought to be prayed for; without which no man can pray as he ought.
Without the assistance of the Spirit we neither know our own wants—nor the supplies of them that are expressed in the promises of God—nor the proper end for which we should seek those supplies. The matter of our prayer respects the depravity of our nature; the darkness of our understanding; the perverseness of our wills; their reluctance to spiritual things; and the secret workings of our lusts, which keep the soul from a due conformity to the holiness of God. The Spirit of God alone acquaints us with the grace and mercy prepared for our relief in the promises of God.
So, John Owen sees 'praying in the Spirit' as praying with the knowledge and hope that comes through divine revelation as to God's promises and their availability to us. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14-15).
In 1843, Pastor James Buchanan wrote a book on the subject of THE HOLY SPIRIT. Let's see what conclusions he may have come to in explaining the matter of praying in the Holy Spirit. I'll review his thoughts...Speaking of the Holy Spirit, he says..."He is the author of these spiritual graces (faith, repentance and hope), the source whence they flow, and by which they are continually sustained. If any doubt the necessity of the Spirit's aid in the exercise of prayer, there is enough in the words of the apostle to convince him of his error; for even an inspired man, classing himself along with other believers, says, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for..."
The Holy Spirit, besides disclosing to us our wants, our weaknesses, and our sins, makes known the rich provisions of all needful grace which is treasured up in Christ. The Holy Spirit makes known to the believer, in all their fullness and variety, the inestimable blessings of redemption, for "He takes of things of Christ, and shows them unto us;" and He is sent that we may "know the things which are freely given to us of God."
So, Pastor Buchanan comes to a similar conclusion with John Owen...that to pray in the Spirit is to let the Holy Spirit reveal the will and purposes of God to our mind and heart and then make us acceptable to God's will for us...whatever that may be.
Let's consider a contemporary theologian and see if the explanation is about the same. Dr. Gordon Fee teaches at Regents College in Canada. He wrote a book entitled: "PAUL, THE SPIRIT, AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD." He observes: "One of the more remarkable inconsistencies in studies on Paul is that thousands of books exist that search

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every aspect of Paul's thinking, while only a few seek to come to terms with his life of prayer. Indeed, most people's understanding of Paul is limited either to Paul the missionary or Paul the theologian. But what is clear from Paul's letters is that he was a prayer before he was a missioner or a thinker! His life was devoted to prayer, and his relationship with his converts was primarily sustained by way of thanksgiving and prayer. Paul did not simply believe in prayer or talk about prayer...He prayed, regularly and continuously, and urged the same on his churches. Whether set prayers were ever said in Paul's churches cannot be known; in any case, spontaneous prayer by the Spirit is the norm. The beginning of Christian life is marked by the indwelling Spirit's crying out, "Abba, Father" to God. "On all occasions, Paul urges elsewhere, "pray in/by the Spirit"; this injunction applies to every form of prayer, including prayer for the enabling of evangelism. With prayer in particular the Spirit helps us in our already/not yet existence. Because in our present weakness we do not know how or what to pray, the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with "inarticulate groanings" (Romans 8:26-27) an expression that most likely refers to glossolalia (speaking in tongues).
Prayer and praise, therefore, seems the best way to view Paul's understanding of glossolalia. (Page 148 in Fee's book). Most likely the Scripture passage Dr. Fee had in mind when he wrote that above statement is 1 Corinthians 14. "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifices the church.
Verse 14 continues: "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding, I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding." (1 Corinthians 14:1-19)
One more commentator (FF Bruce) writes his thoughts on "praying in the Spirit." "Speaking to God in the Spirit with tongues may be included in this expression, but it covers those longings and aspirations which well up from the depths of the spirit and cannot be imprisoned within the confines of everyday words. In such prayer it is the indwelling Spirit who prays, and His mind is immediately read by the Father, to whom the prayer is addressed."
Ah! What a tremendous subject...the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the heart and life of the believer. As I have studied this lesson and prepared it, there is the cry within my own soul and spirit...COME, HOLY SPIRIT. I desire to live and walk in the Spirit of Christ...and it is my prayer that our church will be blessed with the glorious and powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.
Our next lesson will cover the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit within the life of the church. I pray that you will join with me for this study.