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Q1. (Romans 7:7-25) What does Paul mean by "the sinful nature" (NIV) or "the flesh" (ESV, KJV)? Is this ever eradicated? Can there ever be victory over temptation? The sinful nature/or the flesh is the evil, corrupt nature we inherited from Adam. Even though, as believers we belong to Jesus, we still live in a wicked sinful world and have this sinful nature that is completely rotten. If we live by our sinful nature we try to gratify the desires of our corrupt nature, we live in active hostility to God, and we want our will and not God’s will – the flesh is dead towards God. But when we live according to the Spirit we focus on things that are eternal, we become more and more occupied with the Word of God, prayer, worship, and Christian service; which guarantees us a life of peace with God and a life of tranquillity. We need the Holy Spirit to help us fight against being dominated by the power of sin and yo prevent us from doing evil when we actually desire to do good. It is only when we become born again that we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit – we now belong to Christ and we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and we have victory through Christ because the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ is greater than the power of the old sinful nature. We will always be in war against our sinful nature until when we go to be with our Lord Jesus. Ultimately, Satan’s power has been effectively destroyed as the war has already been won through our Saviour’s death and resurrection which conquered the power of sin and death forever. We will always have temptations, and the only way we can have victory over temptation is through the power of the Holy Spirit – if we live by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16).

Q3. (Acts 10-11; Acts 19:1-7) The Holy Spirit comes upon new believers in both Caesarea and Ephesus accompanied by speaking in tongues (and prophecy and praise) like on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Does He always come like this initially? What about the times when people are saved in the New Testament but tongues aren't mentioned? Are they filled with the Spirit also? Yes, initially we all are baptized by the Holy Spirit the same way – at conversion when we repent and put our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This may be accompanied by the speaking of tongues, prophecy, and/or praise, but this is not a must. Caesarea and Ephesus were one-off occasions. At Caesarea, this was the first time Gentiles had received the Spirit and the speaking in tongues was to convince the Jews that the Gentiles had received the Spirit. At Ephesus, this was the first time they had heard of the Holy Spirit, having been previously baptized by John, which was a baptism of repentance. Paul tells them about the Spirit and our Lord Jesus, and when they believe, they are baptized in the Spirit. Yes, we can be filled with the Spirit at the same time but we need to surrender our lives to God. We must earnestly seek Him – the more we empty ourselves of self, the more space there is for the Spirit

Q2. (Acts 4:8, 31) What does it mean that Peter and the believers are "filled with the Holy Spirit" in these passages? Are they "re-filled"? Is it possible for a believer to have many "fillings" of the Holy Spirit? Why or why not? I feel that there is only one Baptism with the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and this takes place at the moment of conversion – when we sincerely repent and place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. This is the work of the Holy Spirit which includes the believer in the body of Christ (1Cor 12:13). But the filling of the Holy Spirit is different. It is not a once only experience in the life of a believer, but rather we are “re-filled” time and again as a continuous process. As an example, we see that although Peter was initially filled with the Spirit when baptized at Pentecost, he was soon afterwards filled again in Acts 4:8. So it is possible for believers to have many “fillings” of the Holy Spirit. However, for this to happen we must be in a righteous relationship with our Lord. We must have confessed all known sin and turned away from it. He must be in control of every aspect of our live – this involves the surrender of our will, our intellect, our body, our time, our treasures and our talents. We should be spending time on His Word – reading the Word, studying it, meditating on it, and obeying it. To be filled with the Spirit one must be occupied with Christ and not with self.

Q1. (Acts 2) What happened at Pentecost that was different than anything that had happened in previous history? What word analogies are used to describe this phenomenon? Are these word analogies essentially used synonymously with others in Acts 2? What did the Jews from foreign lands hear and see? How did Peter interpret what they heard and saw? (Acts 2:14-21) It was at Pentecost that the church was born and that the Holy Spirit began His work of building the church by baptizing believers into the Body of Christ. This was the first time that believers were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and it was as a result of a promise that Jesus had made to His disciples. The great miracle of Pentecost is the coming of the Holy Spirit upon all believers, for previously the Spirit came and went, indwelling selected individuals for brief periods of time. Now, He comes to take up permanent residence in the heart of all Christians all the time, and this is the “promise” God fulfilled and “the gift” He gave at Pentecost. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39). Baptism, come upon, giving, promise, poured out, receive a gift, and filled - these word analogies used in Acts 2 have essentially the same meaning. The Jews heard the sudden noise like a rushing wind that seemed to come from heaven - they knew it was not an effect of the weather. They also saw what appeared to them like fiery tongues moving in all directions which came and settled on each person. The Holy Spirit then took control of everyone and they began speaking in a foreign language declaring the wonderful works of God (2:11). There were Jews from every nation, yet they heard everything in their own language. Peter is now filled with the Holy Spirit, and he explains that part of what had happened was prophesied in Joel 2:1-32, and that there will come the Day of the Lord when Jesus will judge the ungodly and setup His Kingdom.

Q4. (1 John 4:4) Why does John need to remind us that we have "overcome" the world? Is the potential power of the Holy Spirit within you less than the power in the Apostle Paul? What might be the factors that seem to limit our sense of power? The ultimate victory is ours – won by Jesus at the Cross. We might not think so when we see all the evil in this world. John reminds us not to despair for our Lord is stronger than Satan who is presently in charge here on earth. However, in the end our Lord will be victorious – of this we can be certain. Our battle is against demonic forces, fallen angels, and evil spirits - all who wield tremendous power. (Ephesians 6:12). We have been given the power we need to win against this onslaught. We must remember it is the Lord Jesus Christ who has overcome the world (John 16:33). We have this immense spiritual power available to us – the same power that Paul had – to be used for service, fellowship, and witness - the same Holy Spirit that acts against the forces of evil. This is achieved as we yield control of our lives to Him, and control of our minds to the Word (Col 3:16). If our relationship with our Lord is hindered by any means – perhaps, our unforgiven sin, or our disobedience, or even our pride, then we will have this sense of limited power.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) What does the Holy Spirit as a "seal of ownership" teach us? What does the Spirit as a "down payment" teach us? When is the full payment made in this analogy? What does the Spirit as an "anointing" teach us? The Holy Spirit’s presence, His indwelling, is the “seal of ownership” – we now belong to God and we will spend eternity in His presence. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, and as soon as we believe, and put our trust in Jesus, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Meaning that we have received the Holy Spirit as a sign/seal that we belong to God (we are His property 1 Cor 6:19-20), and that we will be kept safe by Him until the time we receive our glorified bodies. As soon as we are saved, the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to us some of the riches that are ours in our Lord Jesus. This is the down payment, a deposit, a foretaste of the coming glory. The gift of the Holy Spirit to believers is a down payment on our heavenly inheritance, which Jesus has promised us and secured for us at the Cross. We will now start experiencing His power working in us to transform us to the likeness of Jesus. Full payment will be made when Jesus comes. At the moment of belief God anoints each believer with the Holy Spirit. In Old Testament times prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil that symbolized the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were appointed to assume an office and to fulfil a task in the service of God.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) What are the implications of having access through the Spirit to the "mind of Christ"? How does this Holy Spirit connection explain spiritual gifts such as prophecy, teaching, healing, etc.? Learning about God and conforming to the image of Jesus Christ are our highest ambitions, but we can only achieve this by learning and applying scriptural doctrines. To achieve these goals, the Holy Spirit has given us the mind of Christ. Now we have the capacity to think as He does and to see situations from His perspective. This incredible ability to align our thoughts with His is a gift that we receive from God at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence makes clear the meaning of the Word - He opens our understanding to its true meaning and helping us to apply it in our lives. Remembering, that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). This deeper understanding explains the spirituals gifts such as prophecy, teaching, healing, and many others that are given so that they might be used to minister to the needs of the body of believers. These spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of building up Christ’ body, the church.

Q1. (Romans 8:9-11; John 14:23) Do people who aren't Christians have Christ living within them? In what Person do Christ and the Father make their home in us? What should you do to make them feel "at home" in you? How is the Home Analogy like the Temple Analogy? How might it differ? How does the Spirit living within you affect your holiness of life? Your witness to others? Your spiritual power? No, it is only when they become Christians that they have Christ via the Holy Spirit living in them. It is when they have sincerely put their trust in Christ for their salvation and acknowledge Him as Lord that the Holy Spirit comes to live within them and they become believers/Christians. Jesus Christ and the Father make their home in the Holy Spirit that lives in us – it is the means by which they are in us. It is through our obedience to the Father that we make them feel at home. Loving obedience brings about a deepening relationship with our Lord Jesus. Jesus Himself said that if we love Him we will obey Him, and it is this obedience that brings about a deepening quality of intimate fellowship. Our bodies are the temple – the Holy Spirit comes to live in us; every believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Our bodies were bought at a price – the precious blood of our Lord Jesus. This makes me realise that because of His great love and sacrifice, I owe it to Jesus not to abuse my body, but to use it to glorify God, to the One to which it belongs. For God’s temple is holy and we (collectively) are that temple (1 Cor 3:17). The Holy Spirit makes us spiritually live, and we are excited about all things spiritual. It’s exciting to be seeking our Lord, His Word, and worshipping Him; at the same time, we spend more time in prayer and in our relationship with Jesus. There is a peace that has overcome us. Now we focus more on things eternal, and less and less on satisfying our previous corrupt nature. The fruit of the Spirit becomes more and more visible in us as we become more and more like Jesus. This has a positive impact on unbelievers as they desire these same characteristics. The Holy Spirit gives us the confidence and the words to witness to others. The Holy Spirit still works in and through believers to accomplish His will, and His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do His work and spread the gospel. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling is a powerful force that we have not always acknowledged, or made use of.

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit? Jesus said that the regenerating work of the Spirit is like the blowing of the wind: you don’t see it; you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes. But as with the wind, you can see the results. People who have been born of the Spirit show evidence of faith and good works. God has changed their sinful hearts and they are now under the control of the Holy Spirit. The evil things they loved to do, they now hate. They now seek the things of God. As the wind is beyond their control, in the same way no one can control the work of the Spirit. Like a breath of fresh-air the Spirit can blow them out of their spiritual inertia, bringing them a new mind and heart, helping them to become like Christ. At the same time their perspective changes, because they now have a mind that is renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit. The glory that is a reflection of God’s glory should start reflecting through their lives. The Holy Spirit living in them will make sure that this process of positive change will ultimately be completed.

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning? To be “born of water and the Spirit” is an act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life to us. In the same way that we did not choose to be made physically alive, we do not choose to be made spiritually alive. We know that we were spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), and having been “born of water and the Spirit” have been made alive to God - we have been "born again" (John 3:3, 7; Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13), also known as regeneration. I don’t think the water Jesus refers to here is actual physical water of baptism, since we know that salvation is only by divine grace – by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Also, Jesus never baptized (John 4:2), as this was done by His disciples. Baptism is for those who have already been saved, but not as a means of salvation. Remembering that Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee who would know about the symbolism of water as purification from sin and defilement as mentioned often in the OT. Examples are: Exodus 30:18-21; Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 1:16, Jeremiah 33:8, Ezekiel 36:25; Zechariah 13:1. Pharisees, like Nicodemus, also resisted the idea that they needed to be purified of sin (Luke 7:30). However, God frequently used water to teach people their need for cleansing, and the new birth Jesus was mentioning, is a definitive cleansing from sin. I understand the part “of water” as purification of sin. In line with Ezekiel 36:25: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols”. And the part “and the Spirit” as creation of a new life through the Holy Spirit. In line with Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” I think this will then be how Nicodemus should understand Jesus’ meaning of born again. If I had to paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit”; I’m comfortable with this NIV version. I also like the CEV version: “you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit”. Another way I’ve read is “born of water even the Spirit”.

Q2. (John 3:1-8) When Nicodemus came to Jesus, do you think he was already born of the Spirit? What is the difference between people who have experienced the second birth, and those who have only experienced the first birth? Nicodemus had climbed to the top rung of religious success in Judaism, but Jesus still told him that the only way he would see the Kingdom of God was to be born again. He must have come to realize that all his good works, extensive knowledge, and accomplishments were worthless, and that there was nothing he could do to be born again. He had to be emptied of all his self-confidence and achievements in order to see his need for a Saviour. People born-again have been changed by the Holy Spirit. They now care for the things of God, even having the need to seek after God. There is now a love for God that was not there before. It is far from perfect, but it is real – it is the start of their Christian journey. In contrast, those not born-again are indifferent to the things of God – more often they will display an open hostile attitude towards Him. They are not seeking God, rather they are seeking their own happiness, peace of mind, relief from guilt, a meaningful life, and so many other things that we know only God can give them. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! They are so self-centred, yet they still want all the benefits of God without God Himself. In 1 Cor 2:14 we read that the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The solution to this spiritual deadness and inability to respond only comes when God gives us new life within.

Q1. (John 7:37-39) In Jesus' teaching on streams of living water from within, whom does He invite to drink? What does He promise to believers? To what degree has a spring of living water been fulfilled in your life? Jesus gives an open invitation to all to gain the waters of life, meaning that by accepting, He promises to satisfy the thirsts of the soul. To quench this thirst, the Holy Spirit is given to everyone who truly believes in Jesus. On our own we have absolutely nothing we can bring before God except our sins and despair. Jesus will come and abide in us and fill those empty places in our lives – we will become a new creature/creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), as we open our hearts to the ministering of the Holy Spirit. I praise the Lord every day for coming into my life and I cannot imagine a single day without Him! With the help of the Holy Spirit I’m aware of my spiritual growth which could not be achieved on my own.

Q5. (John 16:12-15) In what sense does the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth? Does this promise apply only to the apostolic age and its task of laying the foundations of the faith? In what sense does it apply to us today? For us today, the all truth mentioned, is the Bible - the very inspired Word of God. Remembering that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”, (2 Timothy 3:16). And that “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). The Holy Spirit guides us into these all truths by the teachings of Jesus and the inspired Word of God. For we know Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), the Word is the truth (John 17:17), and the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth” (John 15:26). He will take the truths of God and make them known to us, and at the same time help us to understand and apply them. He will glorify Jesus and continue to reveal what He receives from the Father and the Son. It applied in the apostolic age, when by the moving of the Spirit the Apostles were inspired to write the New Testament. It also applies to us today, for the Holy Spirit will help us discern what is true from the lies and deception of the Devil. I feel that He is more needed than ever in this lost world of ours, as He actively seeks to reveal and glorify Jesus Christ

Q4. (John 16:5-7; 14:12) What benefit is there to the disciples that Jesus goes away? What promise do we have in John 14:12 concerning the Spirit's power in believers? Jesus’ leaving was necessary and beneficial to the disciples. Without His death, burial, resurrection, and Ascension there would have been no Salvation, since Atonement for sin was necessary for Jesus to save His people from their sins (Mat 1:21). And it was necessary for Jesus to go back to the Father, so that the promised Holy Spirit would come giving them eternal life (John 7:37-39), indwelling them (John 14:16-17), instructing them (John 14:26, empowering them, and giving them courage. In His concern for them He would not leave them without help and comfort. Jesus also promised (John 14:12) greater works will be done, not greater in power, but greater in extent. The disciples would indeed perform miraculous works, as Jesus had (Acts 5:12-16; Heb. 2:3-4), but Jesus was actually referring to the spiritual miracle of salvation that would spread throughout the world. They were to be witnesses to the end of the earth. At the same time, as an extra bonus, He would be seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on their and our behalf (Luke 22:69).

Q3. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13a) Why do we believe that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power, but a Person? What kinds of functions that we attribute to persons does the Holy Spirit do? Why is it so easy to refer to the Spirit as "it" rather than "Him"? Scripture clearly teaches us about the three persons of God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Since we are made in the image of God, we can expect similar characteristics between God and man. We know the Holy Spirit teaches (John 14:26), He testifies (John 15:26), He guides (John 16:13), He glorifies Christ (John 16:14), He corrects (Acts 9:31), and He performs many more functions. He has insight (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), knowledge (Romans 8:27), and a will (1 Corinthians 12:11). There are many other functions He performs that only a person can accomplish – these include convicting people of sin (John 16:8), doing miracles (Acts 8:39), and guiding humans (John 16:13). We also read that specific actions can be directed against Him – He can be lied to (Acts 5:3), He can be resisted (Acts 7:51), He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), He can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31), and He can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29). Above are all attributes of the personality of a person, proving that God the Holy Spirit is a person and not an “it”. Maybe He is sometimes referred to as “it” because we are so complacent about Him; our emphasis is always on the Father and the Son. We do not have fellowship or pray to Him and His role in life is always played down. We tend not to think of Him as God the Holy Spirit, as part of the Trinity, and therefore we can easily refer to Him as it or as an impersonal force.

Q2. (John 15:26-27) What does it mean to "testify"? In what way does the Spirit testify about Jesus? Can you testify from personal knowledge about Jesus? Or were the apostles the only first-hand witnesses? To testify is to tell others about the truth, our relationship, and our experiences with the Heavenly Father, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We are to be bold with the truth of the gospel message, specifically about our fellowship and union with Jesus. The Spirit reveals the truth about Jesus. His presence in us helps us to understand and interpret God’s Word. He teaches us the truth about who Jesus is, His deity and incarnation, His being the Messiah, His suffering and death, His resurrection and ascension, His exaltation at the right hand of God, and His role as the judge of all. He gives glory to Jesus in all things (John 16:14). In order to have fellowship with Jesus we have to obey Him. Jesus said if you love me you will obey me (John 14:23). He also said that to obey is to testify to the reality of our Heavenly Father. I’m ashamed to say that in my early Christian life I was afraid to mention Jesus’ name. I think it was mainly because of my limited knowledge and the fear that I would be asked questions about my faith that I could not answer. Today it’s different! I will stand up for Jesus, knowing that the power of the Holy Spirit is always available to me. I now rely on the Spirit to give me courage to not be ashamed to testify about my personal faith in Jesus. The Scriptures are vital in the process by which the Spirit gives and strengthens our faith. I must say there is so much hostility today in our lost world towards Jesus. As an example, I see it in nearly every film where the name of Jesus is used in vain. Paul was an excellent example of the way an apostles proclaimed the truth. God Himself gave him the right to testify – allowing him to speak with authority.

Q1. (John 14:15-17) In what sense is the Holy Spirit "another" Paraclete? Who was the initial Paraclete? In what way can the Holy Spirit replace Him? How was He "with" the disciples? When will He be "in" them? Jesus promises that in answer to Him asking the Father, the disciples will receive another Helper. What Jesus meant was that they would receive a Helper – another one like Himself - who will take His place, and who will do His work. He will be with them forever and will be called the Spirit of Truth. Like Jesus, He will teach, strengthen, and intercede for the disciples. He is called the Spirit of Truth because He will reveal spiritual truths. In this way He replaces our Lord Jesus who was the original Paraclete, who intercedes on their behalf with the Father. In other words, they will become richer in having a Helper in heaven, but also the Holy Spirit who will be their Helper here on earth. The Holy Spirit is always under the authority of Jesus; helping us understand His teaching and ministry. The Holy Spirit was “with” the disciples in a general sense, that is among them, but soon, at Pentecost, they will have Him “in” them, that is dwelling in them.

Q4. Who sends the Holy Spirit? The Father or Jesus? Does it matter? The Trinity is One God existing in three Persons – the Father is God, Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. However, each member of the Trinity, although coeternal and coequal, have different tasks making them subordinate within the Trinity – the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. For example, in our salvation all 3 are involved. The Father chose us (Eph 1:4), the Son died for us (Rom 5:6-10), and the Holy Spirit sets us apart for God’s service (2 Th 2:13). In John 14:26 we read that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and in the name of the Son. In John 15:26 we read that it is Jesus who sends the Spirit from the Father. Just as we are taught that Jesus was sent by the Father (John 6:29; 8:29, 42), we are taught that the Holy Spirit in turn is sent by Jesus. This subordination of the Holy Spirit can be clearly seen in Romans 8:9: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ”. Here are two names for the Spirit, “the Spirit of God” and “the Spirit of Christ”. We are also taught that the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ (John 16:14), and similarly Jesus sought not His glory but the glory of the Father. To me I don’t think it matters who sends the Holy Spirit. They all work in unison, both the Father and the Son are responsible for sending the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, I came across a controversy relating to this question of “Who sends the Holy Spirit”, which resulted in a permanent split between the Eastern and Western churches in 1054. (Moody Handbook of Theology).

Q3. (Luke 3:22; 4:1, 14a; 4:18-19; 5:17b; 10:21; Acts 10:38a) Did Jesus do miracles by reason of being the unique Son of God, or by means of the power of the Holy Spirit upon Him? Why is this important for us as His disciples? In what ways does Jesus serve as our example in ministry? When Jesus came to dwell among us He was still fully God in every way. He lived a sinless life and rose from the dead as only God could. However, He also was fully man and it is here that He needed to be anointed for service and granted strength for His ministry. He underwent baptism and even death as only a human could. We must not forget that like every human being Jesus became tired and hungry. There was never a time in our Lord’s life on earth when He was not full of the Holy Spirit, and this meant that He completely yielded and was completely obedient to every word of the Father. It was the Holy Spirit that empowered Him to cast out demons, to do miraculous signs and wonders, and to preach here on earth. This is important for us, for as His disciples, He has given us an example to follow. If we are to be effective in this world, we need to have the Holy Spirit empowering us to be His servant. The power of the Holy Spirit keeps us from yielding to a life of sin – we grow in our likeness to Jesus Himself. We know that it is utterly impossible for us to meet the tests of discipleship in our own strength – the Holy Spirit is the power that enables us to live the Christian life.

Q2. (John 5:19; Philippians 2:6-7) What does Jesus' statement, "the Son can do nothing by Himself," indicate about His relationship with the Father? Why did Jesus have to "empty Himself" from His heavenly glory when He became a man? Jesus had earlier claimed full equality with the Father (John 5:17). He was so vitally linked to God the Father that He could not act independently – whatever God did Jesus did. This does not mean that Jesus did not have the power to do anything by Himself (John 10:18). In His humanity the Spirit would rest upon the Messiah giving Him wisdom, strength, and knowledge for His ministry (Isaiah 42:1). So, while here on earth, besides being so closely united, He was also acting in full obedience to God the Father. I have read Philippians 2:6-8 many times, but only this time did I get a glimpse of the true love shown to us by our Lord Jesus, and the humiliation and sacrifice He must have suffered for us. When I read He emptied “Himself” (v7), and He humbled “Himself” (v8), do I start to get an idea of what Jesus voluntary went through. By emptying Himself, Jesus being fully God and at the same time fully man, took the form of a servant. That is, He took the form of a human and by doing so He must have hidden His glory. What a Saviour! By taking on a human form Jesus did not forego His divine nature – He is still God. At the same time, in human form Jesus was sinless. The Holy Spirit insured at conception the sinlessness of Christ. In obedience to the Father, He willingly died on the Cross for us!

Q1. (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:20; Luke 3:21-22) In what ways is the Holy Spirit active in establishing Jesus' core identity as Son of God as Jesus came to earth? How does the Holy Spirit establish your core identity as a disciple of Jesus? Jesus’ virgin birth was brought about by the Holy Spirit. The powerful presence of the Holy Spirit came to rest upon Mary and she was able to bear a child who will be the Son of God. The angel Gabriel makes it very clear to Mary that her conception will be the result of divine, not human, action. She is told that the Holy Spirit will bring about the wonder in Mary’s womb by exerting His divine power (Luke 1:35). An angel of the Lord later confirms this when Joseph is told that Mary’s pregnancy is a miracle of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). Jesus was baptised, identifying Himself with sinners though He was not a sinner, this resulted in Him being anointed with the Spirit, and as the Holy Spirit descended on Him, the Father was heard to say: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased (Luke 3:22). This confirmed Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. The anointing of the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus for His ministry, and was necessary because of Jesus’ humanity and also to demonstrate the unity of the Trinity. After His baptism, Jesus began His ministry of teaching and performing miracles. The moment I put my trust in my Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, I was indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and I entered into a spiritual union with Christ. This is a permanent union, I became a new creature, old things had passed away and all things had become new, my spiritual life had begun (2 Cor 5:17). I now belonged to Jesus as His disciple. He saved me because of His mercy and grace, and not because of anything that I might have done. God washed me by the power of the Holy Spirit, giving me a new birth and a fresh beginning (Titus 3:5).

Q4. (Joel 2:28-32; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29) What promises do we find in Joel and Ezekiel concerning the Holy Spirit? Who are the recipients of these promises? God promises to release the Holy Spirit throughout the whole world; to men, woman, slaves, Jews, and Gentiles. This happened at Pentecost to all who put their trust in our Lord Jesus as their Saviour. However, the final fulfillment of this prophecy of Joel will take place at the end of the Tribulation period when the Spirit of God will be poured on “all flesh” (KJV). In a general sense God’s Spirit gives life to a living being. Ezekiel speaks of a new spirit and a new heart that God will place in His people enabling them to obey His commandments. Joel writes that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on believers will result in them prophesying, dreaming dreams, and seeing visions. I think this refers to them having a close relationship with the Lord, where He will communicate His Word and help them in understanding it. Prophecy does not mean only foretelling the future, but it is more about proclaiming God’s Word. In the OT the prophets continually spoke about the Word of the Lord coming to them, and giving them a deeper insight and a boldness to proclaim His Word. Not only telling them about what the future had in store for Israel, but also letting them know about His justice and righteousness, His grace and mercy, His love and compassion, and about His hatred of sin. In the OT we have examples of God communicating His Word through dreams - Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, and others. The same with visions – God used them as means of His revelations.

Q3. (Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1; 61:1-2) What promises does God make through Isaiah the prophet concerning the Holy Spirit and the Messiah? How were these fulfilled? Isaiah referred more to the Holy Spirit than any other OT prophet. He predicted that the fullness of the Holy Spirit would rest on the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ - the “shoot” that will come up from the “stump of Jesse”. Our Lord will be a tiny shoot from the forgotten stump of Jesse (King David’s father), and that the Spirit of God would rest on this shoot. That is, the Holy Spirit would empower the Messiah, and His work would be characterised by wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, and the fear of the LORD. All these attributes were clearly seen in our Lord Jesus during His stay on earth. Together they depict the perfect ruler who will be controlled by the Spirit of God. Remembering that earlier God had promised in 2 Samuel 7:16 that a descendant of David would rule forever. These promises were fulfilled by Jesus Himself when at the appropriate time, He revealed His identity to the priests and religious leaders, He did so by reading the prophecy of Isaiah 61 and then claiming to be its fulfillment (Luke 4:18-21). He announced that He was the One who would preach the gospel to the poor, release the captives, and give sight to the blind. He didn’t use the word “Messiah,” nor did He have to. All Israel knew that Isaiah’s words applied to God’s “Anointed One.” Jesus came in the power of the Holy Spirit, He lived in the power of the Holy Spirit, and He died and rose again in the power of the Holy Spirit. He taught us what it means to be fully dependant on the power of the Spirit!

Q2. (Numbers 11:16-29) What enables the 70 Elders to lead the people? What happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon them? Why does Moses long for the Spirit to come upon all God's people? The 70 elders received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which gave them the know-how and ability to assist Moses in his work, enabling them to help lead the people, and to administer justice. When the Holy Spirit came upon them they began to prophesy, but only for this one time. The whole community could then see that they possessed the same spiritual powers as Moses himself. The Lord also placed the Spirit on two men who were in the camp at the time the others received the Sprit, allowing the people to know that this was an act of God, since this did not occur in Moses’s presence. Moses longed for the Spirit to come upon all God’s people, as this would make his job much easier. Joshua was upset about their receiving the Spirit. He perhaps thought that this miracle posed a threat to Moses’s leadership and he therefore wanted to restrain them. Moses however, had a deeper understanding of the situation. He could foresee how glorious it would be if the whole camp were walking in the Spirit. However, in the OT it was limited to certain men at certain times, but the prophets did foresee that day as Joel mentions in Joel 2:28: “God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh”.

Q1. (1 Samuel 16:13; Psalm 51:11) What is the primary purpose of God putting His Spirit upon selected individuals in the Old Testament? What effect does the Spirit seem to have upon their relationship with God? We see right from the beginning of creation that God the Father used the Holy Spirit to complete and sustain what He had planned, but in the Old Testament period, His primary purpose of the Holy Spirit was to empower selected people with special skills and wisdom, to carry out His plans. A good example is Joshua who was empowered with leadership skills and wisdom to lead the people into Canaan (Num 27:18; Deut 34:9). In this study, we read how the Holy Spirit came mightily upon Saul, protecting him and initially enabling him to be successful in winning against Israel’s enemies (1 Sam 11:6). David is another example, who when he was anointed king, the Holy Spirit came mightily upon him and from that day onward (1 Sam 16:13) David was fully equipped to fulfil the task of kingship to which God had called him. For individuals to be effective in serving the LORD, it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to empower them. As for their relationship with God the Father, once their tasks were completed the Holy Spirit departed from them – so the indwelling was only temporarily. The empowering had nothing to do with their spiritual condition, and nothing to do with their salvation. We see this in the examples of Gideon, Jephthah, and even Balaam. However, there must have been some people indwelt with the Holy Spirit as Ezek 18:31 mentions about obtaining a new heart and a new spirit. King David also mentions a pure heart and a renewed spirit in Psalm 51:11. After his disastrous affair with Bathsheba he cries out to God in utter despair, begging to be forgiven and not to be cast out from God’s presence, and that the Holy Spirit not be taken from him. He must have remembered what had happened to Saul when the Holy Spirit left him.