Spirit-Filled Lives
What a pity: so many people today cannot recognize the directing power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Conversely, many other people today cannot recognize the means which the Holy Spirit uses. Thus these people expect miraculous manifestations in their lives. Examination of the Bible shows two clear ways in which the Holy Spirit worked:
1. The Holy Spirit guided, directed and motivated men for the giving of the Word of God to the people. It has always been so. "...no prophecy is of any private interpretation... but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 'et. 1:20, 21). In other words, no man prophesied by his own will or through his own intellect, but only as he was guided to do so by the Spirit. "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Ac. 2:4). "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth" (1 cor. 2:13).
Miraculously God revealed his will and miraculously God inspired those men to speak it and write it. God used the Holy Spirit to do this miraculous work.
2. The Holy Spirit guides, directs and motivates sinners and saints today. Without a miracle, but entirely by the written Word, men and women are convicted of sin and convinced regarding righteousness. Briefly let us notice a few parallel passages showing how the Holy Spirit directs us today:
(1) Jesus said the Holy Spirit would reprove (convict) the world of sin (Jn. 16:8). But belief, and consequent conviction come today through the written Word (Jn. 20:30, 31; Rom. 10:17).
(2) We are born (begotten) of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:5). But we are also said to be born (begotten) of the Word (1 Peter 1:23; Jas. 1:18).
(3) We are sanctified by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11). But Jesus says that we are sanctified through the truth, and he says, "Thy Word is truth". (Jn.17:17).
(4) The innumerable blessings that God has prepared for us are revealed by the Spirit (1 Cor.2:10). But, "The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Ps. 119:130) and the scripture completely furnishes us unto every good work (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
Other parallels could be given. This is sufficient to show or to illustrate that the Holy Spirit operates today through the written Word. Whatever directive God has for sinners or for saints, is revealed fully by the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
The sinner that receives the pure Word into an honest heart will be converted by the Holy Spirit. The sinner that rejects or neglects the pure Word cannot possibly be converted. (see Jas. 1:21; Ac.11:14; 2 Cor. 5:19.
The child of God who receives the pure Word into an honest heart will be guided in righteousness by the Holy Spirit. The one who refuses the pure Word cannot please God nor can he be eternally saved (see Gal. 1:8; 2 Jn. 9).
Every blessing God has for us today he reveals to us by the Holy Spirit through the written Word. Whatever he does not reveal by the written Word he does not reveal at all.
The Spirit-filled life today is the life that is filled with obedience to the Word.