Understanding The Holy Spirit | The Equipper | Week 6

J. Ralph Brewer, Author

One of the highlights of the ancient Grecian games was the relay race. The participants passed along a flaming torch, runner to runner. Spectators at this exciting race are credited with originating the saying, “Let those who have the light pass it on.”

In our Lord’s famous Sermon on the Mount, He emphasized both Christian living and Christian witness as He uttered these unforgettable words, “Ye are the light of the world…

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).

Paul reminded the Philippians that they were to “shine as lights” in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, “holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:15, 16).

If the gross spiritual darkness of the human heart is to be dispelled, and if lost sinners are to experience a dynamic transformation of life and character, it can only occur as they are exposed to the light of God’s redeeming grace and truth. Thus, it becomes the challenging responsibility and corresponding privilege of every Spirit-filled believer to share his faith in Christ through positive and consistent witness.

The term equip means “to furnish; to outfit; to endue (or clothe); to prepare one for a particular service or responsibility.” In Luke 24:49, Jesus said to His disciples, “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued (clothed, equipped) with power from on high.

A study of the New Testament reveals that the Holy Spirit equips believers for witnessing in the following four ways:

I. THE HOLY SPIRIT EQUIPS US TO RESPOND TO THE GREAT COMMISSION

The Great Commission. Just before His ascension, our Lord gave an important directive to His church when He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Great Commission is an order that cannot be overlooked or ignored, for it is not issued by the pen-stroke of mortal men, but by our Commander in Chief himself-the King of Glory, the Son of God. It is not a request; nor is it an invitation. No alternative propositions are given; no options are offered. It is a command, and a command must be obeyed explicitly. The order reads: “Make disciples of all nations.” Men everywhere, of every generation, MUST hear. Unless they hear, they will be eternally without hope.

The New Testament Emphasizes “Go,” not “Come.” It is never the intent of Christ that His Church confine its activities within the four walls of a building. It is His plan that the Church go out after the lost (Luke 15:4). Jesus taught on the mountain (Matthew 5:1), and by the seaside (Matthew 13:1). John, the forerunner of Christ, preached in the wilderness (Matthew 3:1). Paul preached in private offices (Acts 13:7-12), aboard ship (Acts 27:10, 21, 25,) and in prison (Acts 28:23, 24). These early witnesses if Jesus carried the gospel to the people; they did not wait for the people to come seeking the gospel. One of the greatest parables on evangelism ever given by Jesus urged His followers, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city…highways and hedges” (Luke 14:21, 23).

The New Testament Emphasizes “Everybody at It” and “Always at It.” The book of Acts reveals that all believers in the early church were involved in the witness ministry of the church. (Read Acts 81; 84.) This method, initiated and maintained by the Holy Spirit, was responsible for the rapid growth of the early church. (See also Acts 2:47.) Thus, “going and telling” became Christ’s plan for world evangelization. The Word clearly reveals that the Church is in the world, but not of the world, yet responsible to the world. Its responsibility is to communicate the gospel by every available means.

II. THE HOLY SPIRIT EQUIPS US WITH ADEQUATE MOTIVATION

Motivated by Love. The Scriptures indicate that the early church was motivated in outreach and soul winning by three important factors: love, the Holy Spirit, and abiding confidence in the immediate return of Christ.

According to Romans 5:5, “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Evangelism is the sharing of the gospel message with the purpose in mind of leading the lost to Christ. It means to bear witness with “soul aflame” and has been rightfully described as “love on fire.” Effective evangelism is dependent upon this “inflammatory touch.” Without genuine love there can be no effective witness.

The love of Christ was a self-denying, self-sacrificing love. It was communicable, contagious, and outreaching (Luke 4:18). When Jesus viewed the plight of lost man, He felt the tenderness of the Shepherd’s heart and the Scriptures record, “He was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36. He was not merely sympathetic toward them, HE WAS MOVED. If He had been “moved,” He would never would have moved them. Paul felt that same inner compulsion and declared, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)

It is imperative that the church understand clearly its role in the world. Soul Winning is not an option–it is an obligation; it is not a supplemental program–it is the program. Soul winning is the heart and core of all church ministry; it is not a matter of circumstance, but one of providence. God himself is forever engaged in efforts to bring about reconciliation between Himself and lost man. Therefore, soul-winning must have top priority in the Church. It must become the concern of every believer.

Motivated by the Spirit. It has been aptly stated that “wit-nessing is the outflow and overflow of the inflow of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Spirit-filled believer.” The Holy Spirit Baptism provides an inner dynamic that cannot be staunched. The word dynamic comes from the Greek word Dynamikos, meaning “power, energy, motion, action.” Acts 8:4 states of the early church, “They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” It is evident from this verse and many others that the Holy Spirit is the “Great Motivator” in the preaching, teaching and sharing of the message of Christ. This internal dynamic provided by the Holy Spirit must be allowed to express itself freely. Like a mighty river it must flow unhindered; and through that flow, others will be abundantly blessed.

Motivated by the Immediacy of Christ’s Return. The early church believed and looked for Christ to return in their generation. The urgency and expectancy of this hope led to a deep sense of responsibility regarding their ministry and mission to the world. Although Christ did not return in the first century, the promises of His return are nonetheless true. The passing of the centuries has only served to strengthen the hope of His coming. With the fulfilment of each sign of His appearing, the church cries, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” The Harvest is ripe; the time is short; we must thrust in the sickle and reap before He comes.

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT EQUIPS US TO PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST

The proclamation of Jesus Christ by the New Testament church seems to focus upon three significant areas: His life, His death, and His resurrection. A classic example of New Testament proclamation is Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. This memorable message begins with an introduction of the man Jesus (Acts 2:22) and concludes with a powerful truth: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

Proclaim Him As Christ. The New Testament church believed and proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. They saw in His life, death, and resurrec-tion, the total fulfilment of all Old Testament prophecy. The term “Christ” was used five hundred times in the New Testament. Confidence in the deity of Christ is reiterated over and over again throughout the New Testament and forms a positive basis for personal faith in Jesus. (References: John 20:31; John 20:28; John 1:49; John 1:34; John 11:27; Matthew 27:43; Romans 1:4; Mark 3:11; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 1:23).

Proclaim Him As Savior. The New Testament church not only proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, but also as the Savior. The name Jesus, closely related to the Hebrew name Joshua (also Jeshua, Hoshea, and Hosea), means “Savior.” When the angel announced His birth, he said, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 12:1). (See also Luke 19:10; John 12:47; 1 Timothy 1:15; and Hebrews 7:25. The primary purpose of Christ’s coming to the world was to save us from our sins. He gave the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for a sinning world when, before an angry universe, He bore in His own body on the cross of Calvary God’s just punishment for sin. He, the Holy One who knew no sin, became sin for us (1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21). “He shall save his people from their sins” is a statement that called forth the highest commitment of love-the supreme sacrifice of God’s Son.

Proclaim Him As Lord. In addition to proclaiming Jesus as Christ and Savior, the New Testament church proclaimed Him as Lord of all. The title of “Lord” is used over one hundred times in the book of Acts with reference to Jesus, and several hundred times throughout the entire New Testa-ment. The greatest proof of Christ’s lordship, as seen by New Testament believers, is the fact of His resurrection (Acts 1:22; 2:31; 4:2; 4:33; 17:18). The miracle of His resurrection is regarded as the final and most dramatic proof of His lordship.

What does it mean to make Jesus Lord of your life? (Philip-pians 2:7-11). This is a provocative question and one every Christian should ask himself. According to Scripture, the enthroning of Jesus as the Lord of our lives is the result of personal commitment and the inward work of the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 12:3 discloses that “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” Christ wants to be the Lord of your life! Through daily prayer and a fully yielded life, He will shape you into “a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT EQUIPS US WITH “SUCCESS POWER”

The term “success power” is not used in a secular sense, but in a spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit Baptism brought a new dimension to the lives of the believers in the early church. This new dimension was reflected not only in personal victory, but also in effective service for Christ. Their success in spreading the message of Christ was directly related to their new-found Pentecostal experience. It is in this sense that we use the term “success power.”

Power to Witness. Prior to Pentecost the disciples were commissioned but not equipped; they were enthusiastic but not power-filled; they were zealous, but not dynamic. They had been thoroughly taught and imbued with the truth and vision of world need. They had witnessed the miracles of Jesus. They had seen Him in His resurrected body. They were fired with truth and zeal, but Jesus knew that that was not enough. They would need more than knowledge, vision, and enthusiasm. They must have the power of God.

Jesus proclaimed in Acts 1:8, “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.” In one breath, Jesus gave the scope, nature and equipment of His evangelistic program-the scope: the Word; the nature: Witnessing; the equipment: Spirit-enablement. Through Spirit-enabled witness, the world was to be won.

In obedience to our Lord’s instructions, the disciples went to the upper room; and as a result, they became recipients of the promise and power of the Holy Spirit. One of the exciting truths of Pentecost is that, when the Spirit came in, the disciples went out. This newfound Spirit Baptism could not be contained. They burned with a flame that could not be extinguished and hurried to tell others about Jesus.

Divine Ability. The Amplified New Testament translates the word power in Acts 18 as “ability, efficiency, and might.” When the Holy Spirit comes, ability is given. There is an ability that comes only from God: it is divinely imparted. Such ability is urgently needed in witnessing and working for God. Our own talents, commendable as they may appear, are helpless and impotent apart from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives one the ability to stand up for Christ. There is a noticeable difference between the pre-Pentecost disciple and the post-Pentecost disciple. Peter is a prime example. Before Pentecost, there is an obvious weakness and instability in the faith of Simon Peter. We note his prayer-lessness (Jesus asked, “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” Matthew 26:40); his rashness and carelessness (he cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear); his aimlessness (he followed afar off).

After Pentecost, however, in the power of the Spirit, Peter points his finger in the face of the very ones who had crucified Jesus and expounded the message of the Cross and the Resurrection. A short time later, when asked to refrain from witnessing, Peter said, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The Pentecostal baptism had made the difference. Holy boldness is a strong characteristic and is akin to courage-perhaps even more dynamic. It reveals a soaring optimism. It is a positive quality. It reflects assurance of direction and confidence in one’s pur-pose. Holy boldness dares to step out for Christ and will attempt great exploits for Him.

Efficiency in Service. The word power in Acts 1:8 also means “efficiency”-peak performance, maximum productivity for time and energy expended. Efficiency is a matter of great concern to business and industry; it must likewise be a concern of the church. A study of the book of Acts reveals the early church achieving maximum performance through the power of the Spirit. This is dramatically illustrated with the growth pattern of the early church (Acts 1:15; 2:41; 4:4; 6:7). Most historians agree that by the end of the first seven years, the church at Jerusalem had at least 25,000 members. Some say as many as 65,000. By the end of the first century (A.D. 100), half of the “then known world” had been reached for Christ. The rapid growth is directly attributable to the experience of the Holy Ghost Baptism which the 120 received in the upper room. It literally transformed their lives and the lives of countless others to whom they witnessed.

Might. The word might implies “force and strength.” The initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost was accompanied by a “a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind” and by “cloven tongues of fire” (Acts 2:2-3) Wind and fire are forces that adequately typify the might of the Holy Spirit. The spiritual power provided by the Holy Ghost makes the christian more than adequate for every situation in life. No wonder Paul shouted, “We are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the concept that soul winning is not an option but an obligation of the Spirit-filled believer.

2. Look up the following scriptures and discuss how each relates to the lordship of Christ-Colossians 1:16, 18, 20; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 1:17, 18; Acts 10:36; Revelation 19:13.

3. Why do so many who profess to be “Spirit-filled” never witness for Christ?

4. Discuss the ideas that we witness by our words, our ways, and our works.

5. How can your church be more effective as a soul-winning church?