Category: Theology 101
The Work of the Holy Spirit (Cont'd)
The Spirit of God searched the depths of God and revealed His wisdom to the apostles (and to us through their writings). The things of God are given and taught by God's Spirit who knows God's thoughts just as a man's thoughts are known by his spirit. The only way for a man to learn the things of God is if His Spirit makes them known to him; man, in his natural state, cannot get at them (1 Cor. 2:10-16). Indeed, a man is not even able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except through the instrumental means of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Likewise, as He is sent into the hearts of believers, we are able to cry out to God as "Abba! Father!" (Gal. 4:6). The Spirit wields a powerful sword--the word of God (Eph. 6:17), and He revealed to Paul that in later times some will fall away from the faith as they believe the deceptive teaching of the devil (1 Tim. 4:1f.).
It was the Holy Spirit who inspired the Psalmist (Heb. 3:7f.), Jeremiah (Heb. 10:15f.), and all of the writers of both Testaments (1 Pt. 1:10f.; 2 Pt. 1:20, 21). And the Spirit revealed to John what was spoken to the seven churches (Rev. 2:29).
The Spirit of God is Truth (1 Jn. 5:7).
The Spirit joins with Christ's Bride and together they say, "Come!" (Rev. 22:17).
Think of it! Before the Lord had done anything to demonstrate His Anointing, people were praising Him and honoring Him as God's King. How did they know it was Him? The Spirit revealed it to them. And the book which has been preserved for us, which contains the message of hope, was the product of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is responsible for our awareness of the gospel. Furthermore, the Spirit foretold of Christ's coming centuries prior to His birth. The things of God are made known to man by God's Spirit.