Ghost Stories
Pt. 2 - It?
I. Introduction
Open with Campfire Scene - (Lights Dim)
Can you imagine the fear, anxiety, concerns the disciples must have had and felt when this man they had embraced as The Son of God and had now put all their hopes, dreams and futures in His hands and now He is telling them He is about to leave. They would probably battle feelings of despair, anxiety and maybe even feel abandoned. But the good news is that Jesus knew that upon His departure that these men (and we) would need help. So, this is where we start today. I want to read you the text but I want you to pay careful attention to this familiar passage of Scripture and the words used.
Text: John 16:5-15 (TLB)
“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate (paraclete - counsel for defense, an intercessor, a helper/comforter) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
So, I want to point out something really important from this passage as the simple backdrop to teach you some key things about the Holy Spirit.
Notice in John that Jesus didn't abandon His disciples or us! He, in fact, makes it clear that it is for our own good that He departs because this allows Him to send Him . . . that was an important statement.
If you mislabel something, then you will misunderstand something.
For example if you mislabel a cup as a plate you won't understand its purpose. Can you imagine how crazy it would be if you thought a cup was a plate? At fellowship meals you would be the person putting food in your cup based on a label that caused you to misunderstand.
This happens with the Holy Spirit. It is essential that you don't mislabel the Holy Spirit as an It! Jesus says that He will send Him! Jesus is making it clear that He is sending us the person of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not an it! The Holy Spirit is Him!
I have heard the Holy Spirit mislabeled as a force. No . . . The Holy Spirit is a Him. If you don't embrace this, then you will not realize that it is possible to develop a relationship with Him just like you do with our Father and our Savior. If you label Him as an it or as a force, then you will view the Holy Spirit as a thing out there that isn't personal or approachable.
Now before I explain why this truth is so important let me stop and say this because I know my crowd. Some of you are nervous because you would say I am not Pentecostal so this doesn't really apply to me. Wait just a minute this is important to you because even if you aren't Pentecostal you have the Holy Spirit in you! I will explain that more next week. (Next week we will talk about 3 baptism in Scripture that some people have made scary and confusing.) However, let me prove Scripturally that the Holy Spirit is working in and through you.
1 Corinthians 12:3 (TLB)
But now you are meeting people who claim to speak messages from the Spirit of God. How can you know whether they are really inspired by God or whether they are fakes? Here is the test: no one speaking by the power of the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” and really mean it, unless the Holy Spirit is helping him.
So, we are told by Paul that you can't even become a believer unless the Holy Spirit helps you believe. He is involved in the process. Again, I will explain more next week, but I just want to mention that so you don't dismiss the Holy Spirit out of your life. You need to know the Holy Spirit as a Him even if you would say you have never had a Pentecostal experience.
Why is that important? I already answered it if you mislabel, then you misunderstand.
What is the difference between a person and an it . . . person and a car?
A person is different because a person has a soul. What is a soul? Soul is made up of three things . . . mind, will, emotions. Another way to say this is that a person has thoughts, desires, and feelings.
Real quick let me mention that the Holy Spirit has these three things.
1. Mind - Romans 8:27 - Paul addresses the mind of the Spirit. I Corinthians 2:10-11 The Spirit knows the mind of God. Think about the importance of this . . . You have someone in you that helps you know God's thoughts! In fact, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would help lead you in all truth!
2. Will - 1 Corinthians 12:11 - "But the one and the same spirit works all these things dividing to each one as
He wills.
All you have to do is read Acts and you see the Holy Spirit exerting His will. He forbad the disciples to go to Asia (Acts 16). He exerted His will to get disciples to go to Gentiles with the Gospel. The great news is that with the Holy Spirit in you He helps you know the will of God. We know His general will through the Word. We know His specific will through the hearing the Holy Spirit. The two have to line up and agree. So for example the Word tells us how to work. The Holy Spirit tells us where to work. The Word tells us how to give. The Holy Spirit tells us what to give (amount). The Word tells us how to marry. The Holy Spirit tells us who to marry. He has a will. So, His job is to help us know the specific will of God!
3. Feelings
The Holy Spirit has feelings. I heard someone accurately say that the Fruits of the Spirit are feelings. Think about that joy, love, peace, kindness, gentleness. Feelings. The Holy Spirit feels. In fact, we are told that the Holy Spirit can feel in Scripture. In this case it is a negative feeling. We are told in Ephesians 4 that we can grieve the Holy Spirit and not only that we are told what actions accomplish make the Holy Spirit grieve.
Ephesians 4:23-32
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
So, we are told not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Hurt His feelings. Then we are told what we do which causes that . . . lying, stealing, lack of generosity, foul or abusive language, bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, all types of evil behavior. All of those things grieve the Holy Spirit.
The list is important but the result of the list is even more important . . . grief. What does that mean? It means that our actions cause distance between us the Spirit. We need to refrain from these things because it diminishes fellowship with the Spirit.
This is important because I have been taught about the Pentecostal experience all my life but I have heard very little about the daily fellowship of the Holy Spirit. I have heard about using the gifts but little about protecting the daily relationships that produces those gifts! Our actions can produce distance between us and the daily fellowship of the Holy Spirit. That is why you feel like you feel when you do things that grieve the Holy Spirit. You have created distance between you and Him.
Don't hurt the Holy Spirit's feelings!
This list is written for believers. We have all heard preaching about these things and how they impact salvation but what I want you to hear today is these things break down fellowship with the Holy Spirit and if you believe what I said last week when I said we are in desperate need of the Holy Spirit in our daily life, then we can't afford to hurt the Holy Spirit's feelings! Why? Because we can't afford to have distance between us and Him!
What is the importance of this message today? First, I want you to get the label right so that you can embrace the person of the Holy Spirit. Why would you not tap into the power of knowing God's thoughts, God's will, and God's feelings? You can only do that through the Holy Spirit! Begin to develop an ongoing and personal relationship with the Holy Spirit! Second, it is absolutely essential to guard the daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit? How? By making sure your actions aren't hurting His feelings. Could it be that the distance you have been feeling is because you have grieved the Holy Spirit? You have taken actions or used words that have distanced Him from you. We can and must close that gap this morning.
