Partakers of the New Life of the Spirit of God
“The purpose of this study is to establish a clear understanding of what the Father has revealed concerning the person, presence and work of the Holy Spirit, and how believers are to honour Him in their lives.”
Jesus declared:The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10. The life that comes from the Father through Jesus Christ is beyond our human understanding. As believers, we should understand that our Father calls us to come to Christ and partake of the eternal, abundant life He provides.
No Longer Governed by Our Old Fallen Adamic Nature.
When it is said that our lives are hidden with Christ in God, it reveals the reality of a new life and nature received through the regeneration of our inner man; our lives should no longer be governed by the corruption of our old fallen Adamic nature.
This new life must become the governing reality of our walk with the Lord. Rather than continuing to depend upon our old nature, as believers we are called to live through the new life received in Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within our regenerated spirits. It is through this dependence upon the Spirit of the Lord that we can fulfil the Father’s purposes and walk in the newness of life He desires.
The Requirement of the Word and the Spirit of the Lord.
The Word of God is made alive and effective in our lives as believers through the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must allow the Spirit of Almighty God to become our strength and the source of our spiritual life. The fullness of the Father’s provision is experienced as His Word is received, treasured and allowed to dwell richly within our lives.
We must meditate upon the Word, trust its promises and stand upon its truth in every circumstance. Rather than being governed by the pressure of adverse situations, we must learn to rest in the faithfulness of Almighty God, confident that His Word will accomplish His purposes.
Father’s Word remains unchanging, even when circumstances change. Through faith in Christ, we are called to overcome rather than surrender to the troubles that confront us. This is of tremendous importance: victory and overcoming in our lives are not found in our own strength or determination, but in our abiding relationship with Christ and our dependence upon His life within us. As a believer, one must therefore take his or her appointed place in Christ:
- Trusting the Father’s provision.
- Standing upon His Word.
- And allowing the Holy Spirit to bring forth the life of Christ in every circumstance.
Never By Our Flesh Or Might.
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. As previously stated, we are never to lean on our flesh but rely totally on the power and might of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the words of the Father and the teachings of Jesus, the essential place of the Holy Spirit in accomplishing the Father’s will is made clear. Our lives as believers were never intended to be lived through anything of our human ability, natural endeavour or our self-reliance. The Father’s purposes in and through our lives can only be fulfilled as we yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work freely within our lives.
Looking Unto Jesus Christ.
How vital it is that we lay hold of the example set by Jesus Christ, as He functioned in this world as the Son of Man: Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. John 5:19.
Jesus Himself declared that He did not act independently of the Father, but lived in complete dependence upon Him. Jesus explained that the Son did nothing of Himself, but acted in accordance with what He saw the Father doing. The Son’s works revealed His perfect fellowship with the Father and His complete submission to the Father’s will.
If Jesus, in His earthly ministry, lived in such perfect dependence upon the Father and ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit, how much more must we recognise our need to depend upon the Spirit of God? We must at all times, and in every situation of our lives, continually look to Him for guidance, strength and the ability to fulfil the Father’s purposes.
The Holy Spirit: The Gift and Helper of the Believer
Jesus stated: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” — John 16:7. Before His departure, Jesus prepared His disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. He explained that His departure would make way for the Helper, who would come to continue His work in and through His people.
Jesus declared that the Holy Spirit would convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8–11). His ministry would not be confined to the work of conviction, however, for He would also guide the disciples into all truth and reveal what they needed to know.
Jesus continued: “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13 The Holy Spirit would not seek to glorify Himself independently, but would glorify Jesus by taking what belongs to Christ and making it known to His people.
Jesus explained that everything belonging to the Father also belonged to Him, and that the Spirit would reveal these things to the disciples (John 16:14–15). This reveals the Holy Spirit’s essential place in the believer’s relationship with the Father and the Son. The Spirit reveals the truth of Christ, leads believers in the ways of God, and enables them to live in accordance with His will.
Participating in the Work of the Holy Spirit
Believers must understand that the Holy Spirit is not merely a doctrine to acknowledge or a presence to recognise. He is the divine Helper whom the Father has given to work within His people:
- His leading must be welcomed.
- His teaching received.
- And His work honoured through a yielded and obedient life.
Our responsibility as believers is therefore to walk in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, submitting to His leading rather than allowing the desires of the flesh or the determination of the human spirit to take precedence. The purpose of this dependence is that Jesus Christ may be glorified and the Father’s will accomplished through the believer’s life. The Holy Spirit does not lead believers away from Christ: We as believers must therefore recognise the privilege and responsibility of participating in the work of the Holy Spirit; this will require:
- He reveals Christ to us.
- He forms His life within us.
- And enables us to become faithful representatives of Jesus
- Our surrendered heart.
- Our willingness to obey.
There must be in our lives a continual dependence upon His strength and guidance. The essential challenge is that we must move beyond merely acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s presence and learn to live in genuine submission to His work.