THE SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT
Posted by: preacher30673 <preacher30673@...>
THE SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT
Philippians 1:19
There is a person we don't hear much about anymore in our Baptist churches, and that is the HOLY SPIRIT.
I think it is largely due to the fact that we have become a very self-sufficient and self-reliant generation.
We have so many tools at our disposal, and we are such a well trained generation that we have learned how to do it by our own abilities and skills.
However, what is done in the energy of the flesh will only produce the results of the flesh. What is done in the power of the Holy Spirit will produce more than results. It will produce fruit. We have a lot of results in our day, but we have very little fruit.
A.W. Tozer said, "The only power God recognizes in His church is the power of His Spirit whereas the only power actually recognized today by the majority of evangelicals is the power of man. God does His work by the operation of the Spirit, while Christian leaders attempt to do theirs by the power of trained and devoted intellect."
I find an interesting and blessed statement found in Philippians 1:19 about the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of the "supply of the Spirit." He explains that this divine supply would completely alter the results of his personal experience. He will also do the same with ours as well.
Paul begins by saying, "For I know." What he is speaking of is something that he knows with absolute certainty. He is absolutely confident and assured that everything happening in his life will "turn to my salvation." He is not talking about salvation in the sense of one being saved as we often think of when we use the word. He uses the word "salvation" in the sense of deliverance.
Some believe he is talking about being released from prison for in verse 26 since he speaks of seeing the Philippian believers again.
I personally think Paul is saying that all that is happening to him in this very difficult situation that he finds himself is the best thing for him both in time and in eternity. "God put me in this situation; and God means it, with all its problems and its difficulties, to make for my happiness and usefulness in time, and for my joy and peace in eternity."
In our text Paul gives two reasons why he is certain that everything will turn to his salvation. First, there were the prayers of the saints. He says "through your prayer" he will be delivered. How important it is that believers pray for one another. Secondly, there is the power of the Spirit. He is certain because of the "supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
It is this "supply of the Spirit" that I want us to consider.
I. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Paul speaks of "the Spirit of Jesus Christ." When Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit he is not speaking of an influence, or atmosphere, or some kind of force. Paul speaks of Him as a person.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON. He is not enthusiasm. He is not courage. He is not energy.
He has all the qualities of a person. He can hear, speak, desire, grieve, and rejoice. He is a Person.
A. His Person Experientially
Since He is a person, He is Someone we can know and have a relationship with. You cannot have a relationship with a force or a form of energy. Yet, a person is a different story. A person you can talk to and walk with.
The Holy Spirit is often spoken of with traits and characteristics of personality. In Romans 15:30 Paul spoke of "the love of the Spirit." Love is a characteristic of a person. In John 16:13 Jesus spoke of "what He shall hear, that shall He speak." A person both hears and speaks. In Ephesians 4:30 Paul admonished the believers at Ephesus to "grieve not" the Holy Spirit. Grieving is a trait of personality.
As believers, because the Holy Spirit is a person, we can know Him personally and intimately.
We need to know Him. We need more than knowing about Him. One can be theological correct about the Holy Spirit but not know Him personally. We need more than a head knowledge about Him. We need an experiential knowledge of Him! We need to have a relationship with Him.
B. His Person Essentially
Paul speaks of Him as "the Spirit of Jesus Christ." He is not just any person. He is a divine person. As the "Spirit of Jesus Christ" He is accredited with Deity. He is the Person of Jesus Christ manifested.
In John 14:16 Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever." The word "another" literally speaks of another of like kind. Jesus was saying, "He that will replace Me will actually be Me."
The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Jesus Christ, because through the Spirit Christ communicates Himself to His people.
See John 14:18. He comes to us in the Spirit.
I. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
II. ThE Presence OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Paul's words imply that the Holy Spirit is a person who is present. He is not some distant person who is beyond our reach. He is Someone who is available to us. As we shall see, the "supply" that Paul speaks of declares that He is present.
A. His Personal Presence
In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul explains that "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost." He is a divine person who indwells every believer. Our physical body is His earthly dwelling place. In the Old Testament God had a temple for His people. In the New Testament God has a people for His temple.
It is a miracle of grace that the Holy Spirit would make the body of the redeemed the earthly temple of God. His presence is personal to every believer for He lives in each believer.
B. His Perpetual Presence
Jesus told His disciples, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16). When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the believer He moves in to stay.
We can't lose Him, and He certainly will not lose us! His perpetual presence is the down payment that we will make it home.
C. His Powerful Presence
Just before Jesus went back to heaven, He said to His disciples, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." The only power a believer has is in the person of the Holy Spirit.
As I said in the beginning, we often rely on our talents and skills to do God's work. But any work done by our own power is doom to failure. There may be results, but there will not be fruit, and there is a difference.
The Holy Spirit resides in every believer , but I remind you He did not take residence in our body just to be someone to run around with us and make us feel good. He lives within us to empower and enable us to do God's work.
When we became sons of God we also became servants of God. When Jesus told His disciples the Holy Spirit would come upon them in power, He told them why He would empower them. Jesus said, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Every believer is to be a witness. Thank God we have Someone who enables us to be and do what God has called us to do. His personal, perpetual, and powerful presence in our lives.
I. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
II. ThE Presence OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
III. THE PROVISION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Paul spoke of "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." The word "supply" is a very interesting word. The word literally speaks of a "contribution." The word "supply" gives us our English word chorus.
Let me explain this word "supply." In classical Greek, a huge choral and dramatic company practiced endlessly for an important theatrical performance. After they had put in a great amount of time, it was finally time for the show to go on the road. However, there was a problem. They were out of money. Yet, at that moment, a wealthy man heard of their crisis and stepped in and made a huge financial contribution on behalf of the choir. The gift that he gave was so enormous that it was more than they needed. It was a contribution that was excessively large, abundant, overflowing and overwhelming.
The "supply of the Spirit" is a furnishing of whatever is necessary. The Holy Spirit is our source for whatever is necessary. It is not something He gives. It is what He is to us. The Holy Spirit is:
A. An Available Supply
When you have run out of steam, don't feel like you have an ounce of energy left, and we are at the end of our resources, that is when the Lord Jesus Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit steps in. He comes to us when all seems hopeless and makes a heavenly contribution that is what we need and even more than we need.
When we do not have enough strength to go on there is the "supply of the Spirit." When we are at the end of our own resources, there is the "supply of the Spirit." When we lack what is needed to be what we should be there is the "supply of the Spirit." When we are unable to do what we should do there is the "supply of the Spirit." His power and provision is available for our need.
The "supply of the Spirit" empowers, equips, and enables us to do God's work.
When the burdens press and the cares distress, the "supply of the Spirit" is available.
B. An ABUNDANT SUPPLY
As the word suggests, it is a sufficient supply. It is a supply that meets our need and even more than we need.
The "supply of the Spirit" is a sufficient supply.
A.J. Gordon told the story of an American with an English gentleman was viewing the Niagara whirlpool rapids, when he said to his friend: "Come, and I'll show you the greatest unused power in the world." And taking him to the foot of Niagara Falls, "There," he said, "is the greatest unused power in the world!"
"Ah, no, my brother, not so!" was the reply. "The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God."
In the person of the Holy Spirit there is an abundant supply made available to every believer, yet so often we fail to avail ourselves of this supply. This explains dead preaching, cold services, barren altars, unchanged lives, and ineffective service.
There is a "supply." It is a "supply" that is available and abundant.
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is more than the third person of the Trinity. He is a divine person who lives within every believer who is our supply for all that is needed to be what God has commanded us to be and called us to do. If there is anyone we need to get acquainted with and know on a personal basis, it is the Holy Spirit.
IN HIS ETERNAL GRIP,
Pastor Jimmy Chapman
Victory Baptist Church
706-678-1855
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