Much speculation is often entertained as to the exact form of the Holy Spirit, of what substance He is, and how He appears. However, in the words of another, “it is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. Christ tells us that the Spirit is the Comforter, ‘the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father.’ It is plainly declared regarding the Holy Spirit, that in His work of guiding men into all truth, ‘He shall not speak of Himself.’”—“Acts of the Apostles,” page 51.
This statement is manifestly in perfect accord with the teaching of the Master as He endeavored to make plain to us what the office of the Holy Spirit is. In John 14: 16, 17 the following is recorded: “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
WHOM HE REPRESENTS
This statement declares whom the Spirit represents,—the Father. No one who is living in worldliness, who has not accepted the salvation so freely offered of God, can receive Him, for He is a stranger to him. The Holy Spirit’s office, as a revealer of truth, is unrecognized, His admonition is unheeded, for He speaks as a stranger. Yet to those who receive Him, He becomes an abiding presence; His relationship is so intimate that He is called an abiding presence. When griefs assail, He it is who can still the torrent of sorrow, and bring abiding comfort. Oh, how much we storm-tossed human beings need such an abiding presence! He longs to take up His abode within our hearts, and to become God’s guiding force in all our experiences. Reader, turn your heart to God, and allow this blessed Person of the Godhead to be in you and abide with you.
But who is He? and what is His form? How may I distinguish Him? The Scripture does not describe His form or appearance. His work is plainly defined, but His substance is not revealed. God says that “the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3: 8. Thus revelation gives us a view of the operation of the Spirit, but not of His form.
“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29: 29. Everything God has written about the Spirit is ours, but we have no authority to speculate upon that which God has seen fit to keep to Himself.
As we read of the fulfillment of the promise of God, we learn that the manifestation on the day of Pentecost was an example of how God used His Spirit in His work of converting men. And not of the least interest is the fact that He (the Spirit) abides forever. What a wonderful privilege of having this heavenly Visitor continuously in each one of us!
Do we desire power in the spiritual life? Then open the way for the indwelling Spirit of God. Do we desire enlightenment? Then let the heavenly Messenger teach us. Do we need comfort, let us seek the companionship of Him who, as the Comforter, represents both God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
In giving instruction about receiving the Holy Spirit, Jesus says that the world is unable to receive Him, yet it is through the constant calling of the Spirit that a sinner is turned toward God. And when the door of the heart is opened, we may enjoy His presence, help, and encouragement.
INEXPLICABLE, BUT DEMONSTRABLE
The question of His dwelling within is difficult to explain, but not difficult to demonstrate. Submission and desire on our part, sufficient to control our activity, is necessary. God does not intrude upon us. He will not do for us anything undesired. He will not force any service. He comes to abide only in answer to our prayer to the Father.
To the indwelling of the mighty Third Person of the Godhead must be attributed the spiritual understanding of those twelve men who in constant association with the Master assimilated His daily teaching. True, they were sometimes slow in understanding the scope of His teaching, but the quickening of the Holy Spirit became manifest after Jesus left them for His heavenly abode.
“Even the disciples failed of understanding all that Jesus desired to reveal to them; but from time to time, as they surrendered themselves to the Holy Spirit’s power, their minds were illuminated. They realized that the mighty God, clad in the garb of humanity, was among them. Jesus rejoiced that though this knowledge was not possessed by the wise and prudent, it had been revealed to these humble men. . . . They beheld Him ‘whom the world can not receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.’”—“Desire of Ages,” page 494.
To anyone who will accept Him, who will allow Him the untrammeled privilege of the heart, will this same blessed Spirit of God come to dwell with him and to bring him light and grace and peace.
In order for Him to transform the life of the individual, He must be given full freedom to instruct and direct the life motives.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16: 7-11.
Among the first of the great truths of the above quotation is the statement that the Spirit will unfold one’s self to himself. The first office of the Spirit is the bringing of the conviction of sin to the unbeliever. Until the sinner can be convicted of his sin, the Spirit can not dwell within. But when sin is recognized and acknowledged, then the Spirit quickly reveals the source of righteousness. Jesus, who has gone to the Father, reveals through the Comforter, His personal Representative, the possibility of our personal righteousness. He gives us the knowledge of how sin may be removed, reveals how it may be completely overcome.
The Holy Spirit, dwelling within, means complete victory over sin. Thus the individual in whom He dwells may be preserved from yielding to known temptation. There is such a blending of our motives and desires that, with our consent, Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, identifies Himself with our thoughts and aims. Thus God’s will becomes our will, God’s mind our mind; and our activities bear the imprint of God’s direction.
JUDGED AND OVERCOME
One in whom the Spirit dwells does not choose to do that which is wrong. Thus sin is divested of its power to rule over him, and the Spirit reveals to him in a personal experience that the prince of this world—Satan—has been judged and overcome. Satan was overcome by Jesus while in the flesh He battled against the temptations of humanity, and thus He overcame for any human being in whom the Holy Spirit is invited to dwell. It is only through this experience that the battle against sin is fought and won.
The Spirit is the agency through whom a man may judge himself; and God tells us that if we would do this—judge ourselves—we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11: 31.) Any man, through the grace of God, may be fitted for and have an abundant entrance into God’s kingdom.
Through the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, “some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment” (1 Timothy 5: 24); but of the men who refuse the Spirit and His work it is said, “They [the sins] follow after.” The experience of cleansing is the fruit of repentance, which also is a gift of God. A man thus cleansed becomes wholly God’s child, and as such is the abode of both Christ and the Father. His life is an entire surrender to the obedience of God, and every thought is brought into obedience to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10: 5.) Shall we let Him in to do His appointed work in our hearts?
