“The Holy Spirit of Promise”
Consider the Spirit of God, such a vast subject!
The actions and manifestation of the Holy Spirit, are the actions and manifestations of God!
The subject is immense!
- His role in Creation (Genesis chp 1)
- His role in inspiration (2 Peter 1:20ff)
- His role in the Incarnation (Luke 1:35)
- His role in spiritual gifts and the Gift of prophecy
- His role in Sanctification
- His role in Consecration
- His role in the Conviction of sin (John 16:8)
- His role in Conversion
- His role in Regeneration (John 3)
- His role in Comfort and consolation (John 14)
- His role in Education (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27)
- His role in the Ministry of Christ (John 14)
- His role in Spiritual gifts (1 Co12)
- His role in Prayer (Romans 8)
- His role in Leading and guiding (Romans 8)
- His role in the transformation of character – fruit of the Spirit (2 Co 3:17-18)
The Spirit of God has many and varied roles and is active wherever God is active. To fully understand or systematise the Spirit of God we would have to fully understand God!
What we have in Ephesians is something a bit more focused however.
The Spirit of God is the believer’s:
- Pledge
- Proof
- Person
He is our:
- Guide
- Guardian
- Guarantee
The ministry of the Spirit of God in the life of the Christian is a ministry from:
Redemption (Ephesians 1:7)
To:
Redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14)
We are redeemed (Ephesians 1:7)
We are to be redeemed (Ephesians 1:14)
Redemption has 2 aspects:
- What we are redeemed from – Egypt – slaves to pharaoh
- What we are redeemed to – The promised land – servants of the Lord
In redemption there is an out and there is an in!
Out of Egypt and into the promised land.
Out of slavery to Pharoah and into the service of the Lord
The ministry of God’s Holy Spirit thus runs:
- From redemption (1:7) to redemption (1:14)
- From time to eternity
- From earth to heaven
“The Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30). He is with us all that journey through!
He is the "Holy Spirit of promise" (1:13)
Certainly He is the promised Holy Spirit:
- John 14:16
- John 15:26
- John 16:13
- Luke 24:49
- Acts 19:1ff
But in the context of Ephesians chapter 1 He is more than the promised Holy Spirit. He is the guarantor of God’s promises:
- “earnest” – ‘arrabon’ – engagement ring
- He is the promised guarantee that the leaving we have endured will lead to an entering in to an inheritance which we can expect.
- He takes us from redemption to redemption
That path guided by the Holy Spirit for the Christian is a picture which we see over in Genesis chapter 24, in the unnamed servant who leads Rebekah from Haran / Nahor to Canaan.
The Holy Spirit will lead us through too.
- Salvation
Set apart unto salvation – 2 Thess 2:13
Conviction of sin (John 16:8)
Regeneration (John 3)
- Revelation of Jesus Christ (John 16:15; 14:26)
- Sanctification
Sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1 Co 6:11)
Leave the world, the flesh and the Devil behind and drawn into the presence of Christ
- Relationship
Romans chapter 8
Prayer (Romans 8:26)
- Consecration and transformation
The inner working of the Spirit of God
“The Spirit of ... power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7)
Power – Ephesians 3:16
Love – Ephesians 3:17
Sound mind – Ephesians 3:18
Consider 2 Corinthians 3:16ff – conformed to the image of Christ
- Gifts of the Spirit for the Church
Cf. 1 Corinthians 12:1ff
The Spirit of God operative in the church, drawing believers together in the community of the church.
- Character moulded
The transformation of the believers character
The conformation of the Christian to Jesus
The victory over the flesh (Romans 8:13)
Cf. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22)
- Conduct shaped
The transformation of conduct
Led by the Spirit (Romans 8:1ff)
Filled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18ff)
- Spiritual warfare
Spiritual battle – conflict and warfare
- Illuminating the Word of God
A fairly extensive list of the ministry of the Holy Spirit
That list of the working of the Holy Spirit is effectively an outline of the entire letter of the Ephesians!
The Holy Spirit will lead us through too.
- Salvation and sealing (Ephesians 1:13)
- Revelation of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:17)
- Sanctification (Ephesians 2: 1-10)
- Relationship and prayer (Ephesians 2:11-3:13 )
- Consecration and transformation (Ephesians 3:14-21)
- Gifts of the Spirit for the Church (Ephesians 4:1-16)
- Transformation of Character (4:17-31)
- Transformation of Conduct (5:1-20)
- Spiritual warfare (6:10-20)
- Illuminating the Word of God (6:17)
The Spirit of God leads us in Ephesians to lay hold of our blessings in Christ.
Let us impose a template on the Ephesian letter – take it from the life of Moses, the journey of the nation of Israel:
- Redemption from Egypt – Ephesians chp 1
- Sanctification from Egypt and Pharaoh – Ephesians chp 2
- Building a sanctuary – Ephesians chp 2
- Inner Holy of Holies – a place of
- Walk through the wilderness – battling Amalek chapters 4 + 5
- The final victory in spiritual battle and taking the land (Ephesians 6)
What do I take from this?
- Without God’s Spirit I can do nothing
- The first work of the Spirit of God after salvation and sealing is the revelation of Christ
- There are no shortcuts
- I cannot move from salvation to victory without sanctification, fellowship, relationship, transformation and a walk consistent with my profession!