Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Seven things the Holy Spirit does for our salvation

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Summarising this article by Kevin DeYoung.

1. The Holy Spirit convicts

He exposes the world’s wickedness, convicts people of sin, and calls them to repentance.  Jn 3:20.

2. The Holy Spirit converts

We must be born of the Spirit, Jn 3:5.  Conversion is described as ‘the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit’, Tit 3:5. He gives spiritual discernment, 1 Cor 2:12-14.  He grants repetance that leads to life, Acts 11:18.  He gives assurance, Rom 5:5; He enables us to believe God’s promises, Jn 1:12f; 3:36; 6:63-65.…

Why Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity

Walking With Giants Posted on by

‘Should you believe in the Trinity?’ asks this JW article.

‘IF PEOPLE were to read the Bible from cover to cover without any preconceived idea of a Trinity, would they arrive at such a concept on their own? Not at all.

‘What comes through very clearly to an impartial reader is that God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, separate and distinct from anyone else, and that Jesus, even in his prehuman existence, is also separate and distinct, a created being, subordinate to God.’

…

Joel 2:18:32 – Rejoice in God (sermon notes)

Walking With Giants Posted on by

[Notes of a sermon preached at St Andrew’s, Eaton (Norwich) on 16th March 2025.]

Text: Joel 2:18-32; Acts 2:1-4, 12-21

Can the Church be born again?

The first question is: Does the church need to be born again?

We can all point to shining examples of Christian faith and of flourishing congregations.

But:-

  • Church attendance has halved in 35 years.
  • The number of men and women entering training for the ministry has fallen by over one third in the last 5 years.
…

Is the Holy Spirit a ‘she’?

Walking With Giants Posted on by

The problems associated with applying personal pronouns to God are well-known.  Is God a ‘he’, a ‘she’ or an ‘it’?

In A More Christlike God, A More Beautiful Gospel, Brad Jersak writes:

‘Even using the simple pronoun ‘he’ for God is awkward and inaccurate…God is not a ‘him’ or a ‘her.’ Jesus said “God is Spirit” (John 4:24). But God is far more personal than an ‘it.’ Thus, we lean to the language of ‘him’ historically because when God showed up in the flesh, ‘he’ came as a man, Jesus (his ‘son’).

…

Spiritual gifts – myths and realities

Walking With Giants Posted on by

In The Complete Handbook of Everyday Christianity, art. ‘Spiritual Gifts’, Fee and Stevens compare popular understandings of spiritual gifts with (what they regard as) the biblical reality:

Myth: spiritual gifts are given at the time of conversion and do not change during one’s lifetime.

Reality: the biblical data affirm that gifts may be temporary or long-term.

Myth: Christian maturation is hampered if we do not know what our gift is.

Reality: being able to identify our gift is not as important as making sure our personal ministry edifies others.…

The gift of prophecy

Walking With Giants Posted on by

While not all Christians are called ‘prophets’ (1 Cor 12:29), all are (potentially, at least) engaged in prophetic ministry.

So argue Fee and Stevens (The Complete Handbook of Everyday Christianity):

‘Outside of Paul’s letters prophecy is mentioned as a crucial endowment of the Day of Pentecost by which Spirit-ministry has been universalized as proof that Joel’s prophecy has been fulfilled (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-21). Thus prophecy in this present age of the Spirit and these “last days” (Acts 2:17) is a potential ministry for everyone since the Spirit has been poured out “on all people .

…

Cross Vision 14 – Misusing Divine Power

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Summarising chapter 15

Power – including God-given power – can be abused.

Jesus – fully human as well as fully God – submitted himself perfectly to his Father’s will.  Like us, he was tempted, but unlike us, he was without sin.  So, when the Father invested him with power, he used it wisely and obediently.  He could have abused that power (Mt 4:2-7; 26:53), but he didn’t.

But, in the case of Moses, Samson, Elijah and Elisha and others, there were times when they did abuse their God-given power. …

Eph 1:13f – ‘The seal of the promised Holy Spirit’

Walking With Giants Posted on by

1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 1:14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Compare the same passage in the Authorised Version:

‘In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

…

On Spiritual Gifts

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Comparison and analysis Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 reveals that:

  1. No one has all gifts; therefore, there is no room for pride or boasting.
  2. No one is without some gift; therefore, no room for idleness or despair.
  3. Gifts differ; therefore no room for envy, jealousy or interference.
  4. God himself distributes; therefore, no room for complaint or discontent.
  5. All gifts are needful; therefore no room for neglect or indifference.
  6. All gifts derive power from the Giver; therefore, no room for weakness and inefficiency.
…

The Holy Spirit and Christ

Walking With Giants Posted on by
  1. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Mt 1:18,20; Lk 1:35.
  2. He was anointed for service by the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:38; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:14, 18.
  3. His public ministry was empowered by the Holy Spirit, Mt 4:1; Mk 1:12; Lk 3:22; 4:1, 14; Jn 1:32; 3:34; Acts 10:38.
  4. His miracles were performed in the power of the Holy Spirit, Mt 12:18; 1 Cor 12:9f.
  5. His extraordinary wisdom was given to him by the Holy Spirit, Isa 11:2/Mt 12:17f.
…