January 31, 2007

 

Chapter 7, verse 38-39- the words “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” remind us of Isaiah 58:11 where God’s blessing on Israel would be like “a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

This apparently unlimited supply of life expresses the sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who would come to permanently dwell in the NT believer (John 14:16-17) and enrich his/her life.

  The apostle John shares insight in vs.39 by explaining this is a reference to

the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The basis for receiving this ministry is “believing in Him [Christ]”.  Yet, John comments that “the Holy Spirit was not yet given…” a reference to the church-age Indwelling that began at Pentecost.

A dispensational view of the ministry of the Trinity:

God, the Father- from creation up to the public ministry of Jesus

God, the Holy Spirit- from Pentecost up to the Second Advent of Christ

God, the Son- the millennial rule (1000 yrs.) of Christ on earth.

  While such a outline does not mean each member of the Trinity acts alone

during their principle era, but rather that each has primary “ministry” during

the three divisions of history.

  The giving of the Holy Spirit to the church (this will be noted further in chapters

14-16 of John) was to achieve several goals:

1) To place each believer into the body of Christ solely on the basis of grace –

   see I Cor.12:13 and by such ‘identity’ provide a schematic of relationship

   to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as seen in Romans 6-8.

   This would also allow for all the scriptural benefits of being “in Christ”.

2) To indwell each believer and thereby make effective the promise of Jesus

   in Matthew 28:20 and John 14-16.  Such permanent indwelling would allow the

   work of the Holy Spirit to surpass His OT work with believers.

3)  To provide for divine inspiration of NT books as promised in John 16:13 that

   gave the church a legacy of scriptural dogma so as to distinguish it from Israel.

   See I Cor.2:9-13, II Tim.3:16-17

4)  To provide for “filling” of each believer so they might not be dominated

   by the flesh – Gal.5:16, Eph.5:18 and thereby enjoy freedom from sin’s power

   as well as to allow for necessary growth in each believer’s personal walk with

   Christ. See I John 3:24, 4:13.  As part of such, each believer can enjoy

   perspicacity into spiritual matters- Eph.3:17-19, I Cor.2:16.

5)  To allow the Spirit to become the “vicar” of Christ (John 16:13-15) during

   Jesus’ current session at the right hand of the Father as the believer’s High

   Priest.  See Acts 13:2, 15:28, Eph.2:22, Heb.3:1, 4:14.  Note use of “He who

   has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” in Rev.2:7, 11,

   17,29, 3:6, 13, 22 as illustrative of God, the Holy Spirit’s authority in local

   churches.

 

Page 2

  While discussing the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we might review some serious

MISCONCEPTIONS  related to His work in our heart

                         (taken from WAR ON THE SAINTS, page 48):

1) “Christ lives in me”- therefore, I do not live at all

2) “Christ lives in me”- I have lost all personality and identity.

3) “God works in me”- I need not work, only surrender and obey.

4)  “God wills instead of me”- I must not use my will at all.

5) “God alone can judge” – I cannot judge or use my judgment

6) “I have the mind of Christ”- I must not have any mind of my own.

7)  “God speaks to me” so I must not reason or think, but only obey Him.

8) “I wait on God”- and must not act until He moves me.

9)  “God reveals His will to me by visions” and so I do not need to decide

   or use my reason or conscience.

10)  “I am crucified with Christ” therefore, I am “dead” and must practice

  “death” which means I must be passive.