How The Holy Spirit Works In Our Lives

John 14:15-17 (NLT)

15"If you love me, obey my commandments.
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor (Advocate/Comforter/Encourager), who will never leave you.
17He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

The Bible uses three different Greek prepositions in the New Testament to describe the different ways in which the Holy Spirit works in our lives. The verses above shows two of these ways and a third can be found elsewhere in Scripture.

1. He Works with Us as Non-believers (para).
   Prior to our conversion to faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and reveals Christ as the answer.

Jon 16:8 (NLT) And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

Some might dismiss his prodding as that of one’s conscience. Yet it is the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes to our terminally sinful condition, exposing our need to turn our lives over to Jesus Christ.
2. He Comes into Our Lives When We Turn to Christ (en).
   Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour and invite him into our lives, the Holy Spirit comes and sets up residence, so to speak. First, he starts the process of salvation in our heart.

John 3:5 (NLT) Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

Secondly, he assures us that we have done the right thing.

Romans 8:16 (NLT) For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.

Now he can begin changing us from the inside out and develop the new nature within us.
3. He Will Come upon Us to Empower Us as Believers (epi).
   Jesus describes the dynamic empowering of the Holy Spirit upon our lives in...

Luke 24:49 (NLT) And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.

This is what the early Christians experienced in Acts chapter-2, and it dramatically emboldened their witness for Jesus Christ. This power is available to believers today. Scripture says of the giving of his Spirit.

Acts 2:39 (NLT) This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles --all who have been called by the Lord our God.

New Believer's Bible
Ps Greg Laurie