Life in the Spirit Facebook Live Group – Russ Kline
Notes from Week 1 – May 5, 2020
SO, WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WHAT IS HE LIKE
First of all, the Holy Spirit is every bit as much God as the Father and the Son.
In fact, when we are born again, it is actually the Holy Spirit that comes into our lives and reveals the fullness of Jesus to and through us – I Cor 6:19
We need to develop a relationship and intimacy with the Holy Spirit – He reveals all Truth Scripture says.
There are so many truths the Bible gives us concerning God’s Spirit, but I want to stimulate your mind and heart to delve deeper into these things, so I am going to introduce some concepts for us all to pray and study into.
The 7’s of the Spirit
Rev 4 – before the throne are the seven spirits of God
There are not 7 Holy Spirits, but
*This refers to the seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit or aspects of Who He Is
According to Isa 11:1 – 3, There are seven distinct expressions of the one Holy Spirit: 1) Spirit of the Lord, 2) Spirit of Wisdom, 3) Spirit of Understanding, 4) Spirit of Counsel, 5) Spirit of Strength, 6) Spirit of Knowledge and 7) the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord.
Just as God is one but has three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so the Holy Spirit is One but with seven distinct expressions.
(“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.”)
The Spirit of the Lord
The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, co-equal in glory, substance and essence with the Father and the Son, is the very Breath of God. He represents the total authority and rule of God, the very life of God, and the essence of who God is. Believers need to express God and pour out the life of God by the anointing, with the authority He has given to believers.
The Spirit of Wisdom
The ministry of the Holy Spirit gives believers the ability to discern a situation, to receive an understanding of the right course of action, and anointed skill in carrying that action out by the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:17).
It is important to be separated from scornful people and to be around people of faith (Prov. 14:6). The Spirit of wisdom that comes from God gives a Christian favour (Luke 2:52).
The Spirit of Understanding
This is a thorough acquaintance with the ways of God and expertise in the practice of God’s works. Believers may be totally familiar with the way God operates and be able to co-operate expertly in that operation because they know it and are familiar with it, having been granted understanding by the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of Counsel
Having consulted with God, knowing His plan of action, and having the ability to give right advice to others, believers may, by the anointing, be able to correctly instruct and advise others. They may also receive God’s counsel on issues in their own lives.
The Spirit of Might
This expression refers to the strength, boldness, intensity, energy, power, authority, and resources of God, making believers skilled in battle.
Believers under the anointing of the Spirit of God are enabled to accomplish God’s desires. The Holy Spirit is a Man of war, and believers may be skilful in spiritual battle, exercising the might of the Spirit.
The Spirit of Knowledge
This refers to knowing God and His ways through experience. Anointed believers may know the things and secrets of God and have an intimate knowledge of Him through His Word and by His Spirit.
The Spirit of Fear of the Lord
Believers, by the anointing, will develop a profound love and respect for God, and instill the same in others through the expression of the anointing.
*Next there are 7 Expressions of How the Spirit Expresses Himself
The Bible uses 7 different pictures or symbols to help us understand more about who the Holy Spirit is and how He works
The workings of the Holy Spirit are glorious, powerful as well as gentle, and within them, He comes to glorify Jesus—helping us to see Jesus more, to understand Jesus better, to respond to Jesus more obediently, and to love Jesus with a deeper heart of commitment.
So the symbols of the Holy Spirit become essential to our gaining an understanding of what He’s like, not only in an objective way of analyzing truth, but also in the subjective way that He comes to penetrate our lives—ways in which the reality of the invisible spiritual dimension penetrates the visible. When we talk about the Holy Spirit as rain, for example, the purpose isn’t to think, “Oh, the Holy Spirit is like rain.” The purpose is to get wet. Or as fire, to burn for Him!
So let’s look briefly at these 7 Scriptural Symbols of the Spirit
Rain –
Deut 11 – Former & latter rain
refreshing & renewing where there has been dryness and barrenness
Dove –
Mt 3 – Jesus’ baptism
Dove a symbol of peace and comfort and Jn 14:26 – comforter
Wine –
Eph 5:18 – not drunk with wine, but filled with Spirit –
new wine, joy, removal of inhibitions that stop us from stepping out
River –
Jn 7 – out of your belly will flow rivers of living water
Ez 47 – increase depths of the Spirit we are invited to walk into
Oil –
Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;
Acts 10:38 – You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit
and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him
Wind –
Ez 37 – breath(life), power of wind, direction(which way the wind blows)
Jn 3
Acts 2
Fire –
Ex 3 – Burning Bush – passion, purity, propel
Mt 3:11 – baptize with HG & fire – John the Baptist
Acts 2
Mt 3:2 – G Campbell Morgan – change attitudes and actions for an invasion of Spirit
We are all believing and praying that the world is going to experience an increase in expression and manifestation of the fullness of the Holy Spirit through the Church of Jesus Christ in these days
How, by Acts 1:8 – You will receive power to be my witnesses
Why, to fulfill
Mt 28:18 – 20 – Great Commission – to make disciples of all nations
Mt 24:14 that this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness
and then the end will come
We are Empowered by the Spirit to take the Witness of Jesus to the
*7 Main Spheres or Expressions of Culture (or 7 Cultural Mountains)
1. Family
2. Government
3. Education
4. Economy
5. Church / Religion
6. Arts and Entertainment
7. Media
Do the Seven Spirits of God rest upon your life and ministry? The Holy Spirit wants to make His dwelling place within and upon each believer’s life. Do you want more? I urge you to get to know the 7 Spirits of God. Ask the Father that the fullness of the seven spirits of God would rest upon you.
I believe that as we grow in our revelatory understanding of the Seven Flows of the Holy Spirit. And the Seven Characteristics of the Holy Spirit, we will shift into a higher level of power and effectiveness to Receive and release the fullness of the Holy Spirit in fullness into each and every one of the seven spheres of influence God has called you to.
SALVATION
The first step to relationship with the Holy Spirit is to listen to His voice as He reveals to you the amazing love of Jesus, demonstrated on the Cross when He died for your sins, and the amazing power of Jesus which is able to transform you and make you into a brand new creation, demonstrated when He rose from the dead.
And recognize the convicting of the Spirit as He lets you know that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, including you and me, and all of us need forgiveness.
If we confess our sin, repent, and surrender our lives to Jesus, this precious Holy Spirit we have been speaking of will come into your life and let you know you are forgiven, you are transformed, and you are a child of God and have a divine purpose!
Just speak to God right now and begin Life in the Spirit!