THEME:            THE HOLY GHOST AND THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT

LESSON:           ONE

TOPIC:             The Holy Ghost and His Work in the Church

TEXT:                1John 5:7; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-17; Genesis 1:2

INTRODUCTION

By the leading of The Holy Spirit, through our father Pastor Emeka Egwuchukwu, we will be considering this new series which we will be studying for some weeks. The Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost, still the same person) is the third Person of the God Head. This series is an x-ray of The Person, and much more the work/ministry of The Holy Spirit in the earth, in the Church, particularly in the lives of those who are on the journey to be saved (Acts 20:28; Romans 13:11). Without properly knowing The Person and discerning the work/ministry of the Holy Ghost, a believer may not totally yield to and maximise the “ministry and Person” of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit: The Third Person of The God Head 

The Holy Spirit is a Person! He is the Third Person of the God Head (1st John 5:7). ‘He’ is not ‘a force’ as insinuated by some. He is not an angel as alluded to by others. He is not an office of God, as some others have opined. Rather, according to the bible, He is God! The Third Person of the God Head (1st John 5:7). He is as ancient as God the Father, and the Word of God. The Holy Ghost is as uncreated as the other Two entities of The God Head. He is God. Hallelujah! 

The Holy Spirit has been in the earth since Genesis chapter 1:2 as the Spirit of God. He is the executor and performer in the creation of the earth in Genesis chapter 1. Though silent, the Spirit of God’s activities was here and there throughout the Old Testament. And the Holy Ghost was prayed down by the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven after He rose from the dead and ascended up to heaven (John 14:16).

The Ministry of The God Head to man (Genesis 1:26) 

In Genesis 1:26, the God Head clearly spelt out their work and devotion (which can also be deemed as ministry, because the purpose of ministry in the New Testament is to make man to be conformed to the image and likeness of God – 2nd Corinthians 4:5-6; Romans 8:29). That intention of God (Elohim) in Genesis 1:26 could not be fully actualized in the

Old Testament times. Jesus Christ Our Lord came to the earth, fully obeyed God and fulfilled all the laws of the Old Testament and reopened the original intents and purposes of God upon man again in the New Testament. It takes the trinity to fully execute the ministries that would bring man into the image and likeness of God.

The Ministry of The Holy Ghost to the earth, and to the Church (1st Peter 1:12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 8:26,29)

The Holy Spirit’s ministry is vast, from the earth (Egypt) into the tabernacle: The Holy Spirit’s ministry is vast, from the earth (Egypt) into the tabernacle of God in the heavens. Below is a summary of the ministry of The Holy Spirit which we will look into in greater details later in the course of our lessons:

  1. Ministry of The Holy Spirit to the world (Acts 16:7-11): The first phase of executing His ministry (The Holy Spirit) is towards the world/unsaved (John 16:8-9). It is the Holy Spirit that gets unbelievers born again

(1st Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14), raises men to go minister to unbelievers and get them saved (Acts 8:29; Acts 2:37; Acts 10:34-46).

  • Ministry of The Holy Spirit to babies (Acts 1:8; Acts 5:3; Acts 4:29-30): The Holy Ghost has a ministry to raise babies of God into healthy children in their soul by feeding the babies with the milk of the word (1st Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:13). Ye, what is being taught is “the word of God” that is in Jesus, but the Holy Ghost is the one overseeing and executing the ministry upon the earth through men who themselves are ministers of the gospel who have been raised by the Holy Spirit through the milk (as we see in Acts 6).
  • Ministry of The Holy Spirit to children (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:7-11): The Holy Spirit also has a Ministry to Children, to feed them with the meat of the word, to grow them to becoming “Spiritual Men/Sons/Christ’s” in their souls.
  • Ministry of the Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ the High Priest for to raise Fathers or incorruptible men (1st Peter 1:12; Genesis 1:26)

It is good to quickly add that the Holy Spirit executes all these ministries upon the earth in partnership with men whom He raises to be ministers of the gospel at different stages of meals/growth.

CONCLUSION

The core goal of this series are the things of the Spirit (and in the Spirit) which the ministry of The Holy Spirit at different levels is meant to work into our souls, particularly as they pertain to and affect our salvation and change, thereby conforming us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ Our Lord. But we needed to first, and briefly look at the person and ministry of The Holy Spirit towards us.