Is the Holy Spirit in me?

 

Is the Holy Spirit in me?

There are few things as important as knowing whether the Holy Spirit is in you. Of all the blessings we receive in Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is one of the most important. The work of the Holy Spirit is to enlighten Christ (John 16:13-14) and it is through Him that we call upon God as 'Abba Father' (Romans 8:15). He is the pledge, or the deposit and guarantee that we have received eternal life (Ephesians 1:13-14).

 

1. The believer has the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:9 makes the following statement: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” This means that every true believer has the Spirit of Christ. There is no true believer who does not have the Holy Spirit. 

Without the Holy Spirit we cannot receive eternal life, because as the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1:13-14 “In him [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Those who have not received the Holy Spirit do not have eternal life either. It is therefore obvious and essential that every believer has the Holy Spirit, and every true believer can know that the Holy Spirit lives in him. 

We receive the Holy Spirit the moment we come to faith. 1 Corinthians 12:13 says “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." The baptism with the Holy Spirit is synonymous with repentance. The moment a person comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he receives the Holy Spirit, this is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. We know that every believer receives the Holy Spirit upon conversion from the Lord Jesus' own words in John 7:37-39 and the subsequent explanation: “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.’”

 

2. Filled with the Holy Spirit

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be submissive to the leading of the Spirit. This is not a one-time or sporadic event, but the continuous experience of the Christian life. Through this we are 'led by the Spirit', we 'walk by the Spirit', all of which are synonymous with being filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The believer grows in his 'being filled' by the Holy Spirit throughout his spiritual life and must strive for it and constantly seek it. In our spiritual growth the request is… “do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Ephesians 5:18-19). 

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be empowered and controlled by the Holy Spirit. It's to experience renewal in your heart, it's to be obedient to the Lord, it's to boldly share the gospel and to be freed from the power of sin (See Acts 4:8, 7:55, 9:17. 13:9, Romans 15:13).

 

3. Fruit of the Holy Spirit

The evidence that someone is truly born again is found in the Fruit of the Holy Spirit that is visible and becomes more visible in his life. Galatians 5:19-23 shows us two very different communities. On the one hand there are those who show the fruit of the flesh. 'sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.' (Galatians 5:19-21). This type of fruit does not belong to a believer. The believer should show the fruit of the Spirit and grow in it 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control' (Galatians 5:22-23) every believer, but we must also grow in this. 

Look at your life and see if this fruit is visible in you, it testifies to the Spirit's presence in your life. Perhaps you also realize that you still need to grow in these areas, such a desire testifies to His work in you. But what should this fruit look like in our relationship with fellow believers? 

a.Love - Do you work for the good of your brothers and sisters?

Romans 5:5 says God pours his love into our hearts. It brings about change in us, it creates unity among believers, and it makes us one of love, soul and mind. This motivates us not to do anything out of selfishness or vain glory, but to consider in humility the other higher than myself and makes me seek the other's interests Philippians 2:1-4 tells us. This love drives us to be 'joined together' according to Colossians 2:2 and to be of one mind and not conceited but humble according to Romans 12:16. Our experience of Christ's love is what drives us to love our fellow believers says Galatians 2:20. It makes us patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2), makes us concerned about our fellow believers' spiritual well-being says 1 Corinthians 8:1. We regard ourselves as one another's servants (Galatians 5:13) so that we work for the good of others (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

b.Joy - Do you rejoice in the Christ-likeness in fellow believers?

Paul says to Timothy 'As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.' (2 Timothy 1:4). Paul makes his prayers for the congregation in Philippi, with joy (Philippians 1:4). Because the joy of the Spirit is the joy of our Lord Jesus (Philippians 4:4) and it overflows in those who are made in His image. Paul says that in order to make his joy complete, the believers in Philippi must '[be] of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.' (Philippians 2:2).

c. Peace - Do you strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit, even at the cost of yourself?

It is the Holy Spirit who unites the church. On the basis of the peace-making work of Christ, he makes the Jew and Gentile into 'one new man' (Ephesians 2:15). Those who were formerly enemies become 'members of the [same] household of God' (Ephesians 2:19). We become a 'holy temple in the Lord' (Ephesians 2:21-22). We do not tear down what the Lord has built (Ephesians 4:29-30), but pursue peace in the church (Romans 14:19). We accept admonition and seek unity so that we can experience the love and peace of God (2 Corinthians 13:11).

d.Patience – Are you growing in your ability to overlook transgressions?

Longsuffering or patience is inner spiritual strength (Colossians 1:11) that enables us to overlook transgressions. To be patient is to be like God who is 'longsuffering' (Ex. 34:6). Even in times of severe and repeated attacks to be tolerant and full of longsuffering (Rom 2:4). In the church we find ourselves among the 'disorderly', the 'small-hearted' and the 'weak', but we must be long-suffering towards them all.

e. Kindness – Do you repay others' transgressions with love?

Its one thing to be patient with those who have done wrong, but it's another thing to repay them with love. In this the question is that we will follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who repaid our transgressions not with eternal punishment, but with salvation (Titus 3:4-5; Romans 2:4-5). It takes maturity in the Spirit not only to show kindness to those who do you good, but to 'the ungrateful and evil' (Luke 6:35) and to respond with blessings even when we are cursed (Romans 12:14).

f.  Goodness – Are you seeking opportunities to be helpful?

Through the Spirit, believers do not only do good when an opportunity presents itself, but they seek out the good (2 Thessalonians 1:11). They seek and do what is 'pleasing' to the Lord and do it. Spurgeon once said we must be on the lookout and seek for opportunities to be useful, we must go about with our ears and eyes open, ready to be available to do good at every opportunity, we must not be satisfied until we are useful, but it must be the chief design and ambition of our life (The Soul Winner, p312).

g.Faithfulness – Do you do what you say you are going to do?

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:24, we can trust God, because “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” So we must do everything we said we would, even if it comes at a cost. Together with Paul, we strive to say “As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No” (2 Corinthians 1:18). We do what we say because we are faithful. The Lord teaches us that we must not fail to be faithful in the little things (Matthew 25:21), because it reveals that we can handle bigger things (Luke 16:10)

h.Gentleness - Do you use your strength to serve the weaker?

When Jesus came to save sinners, He clothed Himself with 'gentleness' (Matthew 11:29; 2 Corinthians 10:1), but this does not mean that He lacked power. As David Manhis says it is 'the godly exercise of power' with which He came. This must be our approach when we restore a fellow believer who has fallen into sin (Galatians 6:1). We restore them 'with love and a spirit of gentleness' (1 Corinthians 4:21). Meekness and humility go hand in hand (Ephesians 4:2), for it places no value on self-interest, but is concerned for the soul of the offender. In meekness you want to restore such a one.

i.   Self-control - are you resisting the desires of your flesh?

Self-control is hard work. Paul compares it to an athlete who exercises his body to get it under control (1 Corinthians 9:25, 27). The Greek word for discipline means "to give a black eye, to slap in the face". The point is, self-control is painful. It demands that we will ruthlessly say 'no' to worldly desires (Titus 2:12). Self-discipline must of course be applied to all areas of life, even sleeping, eating food, drinking coffee and such things, but it is especially important to keep our sexual desires at bay (1 Corinthians 7:9). We must resist our sinful sexual desires with all our might (Ephesians 5:3).

 

4. The Holy Spirit's primary work

There is an intimate connection between the work of the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ and his work. We see this in Jesus' own words in John 16:14 “He [The Holy Spirit] will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ, to exalt Him. He does this by emphasizing the truth about Christ as well as the righteousness, majesty, splendour, goodness, compassion and love of Christ in our hearts. 

The Holy Spirit's work is to make Jesus Christ a reality for us. So that we can experience His love and power in our lives. It is through the Spirit's work that we become more like Christ and through whom we desire that others will come to faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us of sin (John 16:8), who regenerates us (John 3:5-6), who gives us the assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16), who enlightens our minds (John 16:13), who changes us (2 Corinthians 3:18), who makes us fruitful (Galatians 5:22-23), who gives us the gift (1 Corinthians 12:7) and who empowers us for the work of the Lord (Acts 1:8). 

He is also the one who changes our 'head knowledge' into 'heart knowledge' so that we can be changed by our knowledge of Christ. Ultimately, the main task of the Holy Spirit is to enable us to live the life Christ died to give us. 

Finally, the Holy Spirit works in us through the Word, through prayer, through fellowship with believers. The operation of the Holy Spirit is rarely a highly emotional experience. The primary way the Holy Spirit works is through common means (Word, prayer, fellowship with believers) that He supernaturally uses to ultimately lead us to Christ and Christlikeness.

  

So the question is: How do I know if the Holy Spirit is in me? Well, every believer has the Holy Spirit, without exception. It is impossible to come to faith without the action of the Holy Spirit, which is why He is in you. But if your question is: What is the evidence of that? Then there is a visible sign of it: (a) You will be led and desire to walk in the ways of God, (b) the Fruit of the Spirit will become more visible day by day in your life, (c) you will Embrace Jesus Christ by faith, recognize His dignity and desire to be conformed to Him. 

The believer is not a perfect person. Surely there is still work in each of us (in some still a lot), but there is no doubt that the one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, will not only notice these signs in his life himself, but that other people will see it too. Ultimately, the work of the Holy Spirit is to lift up Christ and work in us a desire to be conformed to Christ. If you experience these things, you can know that the Holy Spirit is in you and you are a child of God on the way to eternal rest.

 

ds. Leon Harmse

Pastor of Sunward Park Baptist Church

Is die Heilige Gees in my?

 

Is die Heilige Gees in my?

Daar is min dinge wat so belangrik is as om te weet of die Heilige Gees in jou is nie.  Van al die seëninge wat ons in Christus ontvang is die inwoning van die Heilige Gees een van die belangrikstes.  Die werk van die Heilige Gees is om Christus te verlig (Johannes 16:13-14) en dis deur Hom wat ons God aanroep as ‘Abba Vader’ (Romeine 8:15).  Hy is die onderpand, of die deposito en waarborg dat ons die ewige lewe ontvang het (Efesiërs 1:13-14). 

1. Die gelowige het die Heilige Gees

Romeine 8:9 maak die volgende stelling “Julle is egter nie in die vlees nie, maar in die Gees, as naamlik die Gees van God in julle woon. Maar as iemand die Gees van Christus nie het nie, dié behoort nie aan Hom nie.”  Dit wil sê dat elke ware gelowige het die Gees van Christus.  Daar bestaan nie ‘n ware gelowige wat nie die Heilige Gees het nie.  

Sonder die Heilige Gees kan ons nie die ewige lewe ontvang nie, want sê die Apostel Paulus in Efesiërs 1:13-14 “[Christus]in wie julle ook, nadat julle die woord van die waarheid, die evangelie van julle redding, gehoor het, in wie julle, nadat julle ook geglo het, verseël is met die Heilige Gees van die belofte, wat die onderpand is van ons erfdeel om sy eiendom te verlos tot lof van sy heerlikheid.”  Hulle wat nie die Heilige Gees ontvang het nie, het ook nie die ewige lewe nie.  Dit is daarom voor die hand liggend en noodsaaklik dat elke gelowige die Heilige Gees het, en elke ware gelowige kan weet dat die Heilige gees in hom woon. 

Ons ontvang die Heilige Gees die oomblik wat ons tot geloof kom.  1 Korintiërs 12:13 sê “Want ons is almal ook deur een Gees gedoop tot een liggaam, of ons Jode of Grieke is, slawe of vrymanne; en ons is almal van een Gees deurdronge.”  Die doping met die Heilige Gees is sinoniem met bekering.  Die oomblik wat ‘n persoon tot geloof in die Here Jesus Christus kom, ontvang hy die Heilige Gees, dit is die doping met die Heilige Gees.  Ons weet dat elke gelowige die Heilige Gees by bekering ontvang uit die Here Jesus se eie woorde in Johannes 7:37-39 en die daaropvolgende verduideliking: “En op die laaste dag, die groot dag van die fees, het Jesus gestaan en uitgeroep en gesê: ‘As iemand dors het, laat hom na My toe kom en drink! Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome van lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei.’ En dit het Hy gesê van die Gees wat dié sou ontvang wat in Hom glo; want die Heilige Gees was daar nog nie, omdat Jesus nog nie verheerlik was nie.” 

 

2. Gevul met die Heilige Gees

Om gevul te wees deur die Heilige Gees is om onderdanig te wees aan die leiding van die Gees.  Dit is nie ‘n enkelmalige of sporadiese gebeurtenis nie, maar die deurlopende belewenis van die Christelike lewe.  Daardeur word ons ‘gelei deur die Gees’, ons ‘wandel deur die Gees’, wat alles sinonieme is daarvoor om gevul te wees met die Heilige Gees.

Die gelowige groei in sy ‘gevuldheid’ deur die Heilige Gees deur sy geestelike lewe en moet homself daarvoor beywer en dit voordurend soek.  In ons geestelike groei is die vraag… “moenie dronk word van wyn nie – daarin is losbandigheid; maar word met die Gees vervul.  Spreek onder mekaar met psalms en lofsange en geestelike liedere; en sing en psalmsin in julle hart tot eer van die Here.” (Efesiërs 5:18-19).

Om gevul te wees met die Heilige Gees is om bekragtig en beheer te word deur die Heilige Gees.  Dis om vernuwing te beleef in jou hart, dis om gehoorsaam te word aan die Here, dis om vrymoedig die evangelie te deel en om vry te kom van die mag van sonde (Sien Handelinge 4:8, 7:55, 9:17. 13:9, Romeine 15:13).

 

3. Vrug van die Heilige Gees

Die getuienis daarvan dat iemand werklik weergebore is word gevind in die Vrug van die Heilige Gees wat sigbaar is en meer sigbaar word in sy lewe.  Galasiërs 5:19-23 toon aan ons twee uiteenlopend verskillende gemeenskape.  Aan die een kant is daar die wat die vrug van die vlees toon.  ‘owerspel, hoerery, onreinheid, ongebondenheid, afgodery, towery, vyandskap, twis, jaloersheid, toornigheid, naywer, tweedrag, partyskap, afguns, moord, dronkenskap, brasserie en derglike dinge’ (Galasiërs 5:19-21).  Hierdie tipe vrug hoort nie by ‘n gelowige nie.  Die gelowige daarinteen behoort die vrug van die Gees te toon en in dit te groei ‘liefde, blydskap, vrede, lankmoedigheid, vriendelikheid, goedheid, getrouheid, sagmoedigheid, selfbeheersing.’  Dit is die vrug wat getuig van ware geloof en dit is teenwoordige by elke gelowige, maar ons moet ook hierin groei. 

Kyk na jou lewe en sien of hierdie vrug by jou sigbaar is, dit getuig van die Gees se teenwoordigheid in jou lewe.  Miskien besef jy ook dat daar nog groei by jou moet plaasvind in hierdie areas, so ‘n begeerte getuig van Sy werk in jou.  Maar hoe moet hierdie vrug lyk in ons verhouding met medegelowiges?

a.Liefde – Arbei jy vir die goed van jou broers en susters?

Romeine 5:5 sê God stort sy liefde in ons harte uit.  Dit bring verandering in ons teweeg, dit bewerk eensgesindheid onder gelowiges, dit maak ons een van liefde, siel en sin.  Dit motiveer ons om niks uit selfsug of ydele eer te doen nie, maar om in nederigheid die een hoër te ag as myself en dat ons na mekaar se belange omsien sê Filippense 2:1-4 vir ons.  Hierdie liefde dryf ons om ‘saamgevoeg’ te word te word volgens Kolossense 2:2 en eensgesind te wees en nie eiewys nie maar nederig volgens Romeine 12:16.  Ons belewenis van Christus se liefde is dit wat ons dryf om lief te wees vir die medegelowiges sê Galasiërs 2:20.  Dit maak ons geduldig met mekaar (Efesiërs 4:2), maak ons besorgd oor ons medegelowiges se geestelike welstand sê 1 Korintiërs 8:1.  Ons ag onsself as mekaar se dienaars (Galasiërs 5:13) sodat ons arbei vir die goed van ander (1 Tessalonicense 1:3).

b.Blydskap – Verheug jy jou oor die Christusgelykvormigheid in medegelowiges?

Paulus sê aan Timoteus ‘…ek verlang om jou te sien as ek aan jou trane ding, sodat ek met blydskap vervul kan word’ (2 Timoteus 1:4).  In elkeen van sy gebede vir die gemeente in Filippi word met blydskap gemaak sê hy (Filippense 1:4).  Want die blydskap van die Gees is die blydskap van onse Here Jesus (Filippense 4:4) en dit vloei oor in hulle wat na Sy beeld gemaak is.  Paulus sê dat om sy blydskap volkome te maak moet die gelowiges in Filippi ‘eensgesind wees en dieselfde liefde hê, een van siel, een van sin’ wees (Filippense 2:2).

c. Vrede – Streef jy om die eenheid van die Gees te onderhou, selfs teen koste van jouself?

Dit is die Heilige Gees wat die kerk verenig.  Hy maak opgrond van die vredemakers werk van Christus die Jood en heiden tot ‘een nuwe mens’ (Efesiërs 2:15). Hulle wat voorheen vyande was, word ‘lede van dieselde huisgesin van God’ (Efesiërs 2:19).  Ons word ‘n ‘heilige tempel in die Here’ (Efesiërs 2:21-22).  Ons breek nie af wat die Here opgebou het nie (Efesiërs 4:29-30), maar jaag die vrede na in die kerk (Romeine 14:19).  Ons aanvaar vermaning en soek eensgesingheid sodat ons die liefde en vrede van God kan ondervind (2 Korintiërs 13:11).

d.Lankmoedigheid – Groei jy in jou vermoë om oortedinge oor die hoof te sien?

Lankmoedigheid of geduld is innerlike geestelike sterkte (Kolossense 1:11) wat ons instaat stel om oortredinge oor die hoof te sien.  Dis om geduldig te wees is om soos God te wees wat ‘lankmoedig’ is (Eks. 34:6).  Selfs in tye van ernstige en herhaaldelike aanvalle verdraagsaam te wees en vol lankmoedigheid (Rom 2:4).  In die kerk vind ons onsself tussen ‘onordelikes’, ‘kleinmoediges’ en ‘swakkes’, maar ons moet teenoor hulle almal lankmoedig wees.

e. Vriendelikheid – Betaal jy ander se oortredinge terug met liefde?

Dis een dink om lankmoedig te wees met hulle wat verkeerd opgetree het, maar dis ‘n ander ding om hulle met liefde terug te betaal.  Hierin is die vraag da tons die voorbeeld van ons Here Jesus Christus sal navolg wat ons oortredinge nie vergeld het met ewige straf nie, maar met verlossing (Titus 3:4-5; Romeine 2:4-5).  Dit vat volwassenheid in die Gees om nie net goedhartigheid te betoon teenoor hulle wat aan jou goed doen nie, maar juis aan ‘die ondankbares en slegtes’ (Lukas 6:35) en om selfs as jy vervloek word, met seën terug te antwoord (Romeine 12:14).

f.  Goedheid – Soek jy geleenthede om behulpsaam te wees?

Deur die Gees doen gelowiges nie net goed wanneer ‘n geleentheid homself voordoen nie, nee, hulle soek die goeie uit (2 Thessalonicense 1:11).  Hulle soek en doen dit wat ‘welbehaaglik’ is vir die Here en doen dit.  Spurgeon het eenmaal gesê ons moet op die uitkyk wees en geleenthede soek om bruikbaar te wees, ons moet met ons ore en oë oop rondgaan, gereed om beskikbaar te wees om op elke geleenheid goed te doen, ons moenie tevrede wees totdat ons bruikbaar is nie, maar dit moet die hoof ontwerp en ambusie van ons lewe wees (The Soul Winner, p312).

g.Getrouheid – Doen jy wat jy sê jy gaan doen?

Volgens 1 Thessalonicense 5:24 kan ons God vertrou, want “Hy wat julle roep, is getrou; Hy sal dit ook doen.”  So moet ons ook alles doen wat ons gesê het ons sal, selfs al kom dit met koste.  Saam met Paulus streef ons om te sê “So waar as God getrou is—ons woord tot julle was nie ja en nee nie!” (2 Korintiërs 1:18).  Ons doen wat ons sê want ons is getrou.  Selfs in die klein dingetjies leer die Here ons moet ons nie nalaat om getrou te wees nie (Mattheus 25:21), want daarin word ontbloot dat ons groter dinge kan hanteer (Lukas 16:10)

h.Sagmoedigheid – Gebruik jy jou sterkte om swakkeres te dien?

Toe Jesus gekom het om sondaars te red het Hy Homself beklee met ‘sagmoedigheid’ (Mattheus 11:29; 2 Korintiërs 10:1), maar dit beteken nie hy het ‘n gebrek aan mag gehad nie.  Soos David Manhis stel dit is ‘the godly exercise of power’ waarmee Hy gekom het.  Dit moet ons benadering wees wanneer ons ‘n medegelowige herstel wat in sonde geval het (Galasiërs 6:1).  Ons herstel hulle ‘met liefde en ‘n gees van sagmoedigheid’ (1 Korintiërs 4:21).  Sagmoedigheid en nederigheid gaan hand aan hand (Efesiërs 4:2), want dit plaas geen waarde op eie belang nie, maar is besorg oor die siel van die oortreder.  In sagmoedigheid wil jy so een herstel.

i.   Selfbeheersing – weerstaan jy die begeertes van jou vlees?

Selfbeheersing is harde werk.  Paulus vergelyk dit met ‘n atleet wat sy liggaam bedwing om dit onder beheer te kry (1 Korintiërs 9:25, 27).  Die Griekse woord vir dissipline beteken “om ‘n blou oog te gee, om in die gesig te slaan”.  Die punt is, selfbeheersing is pynlik.  Dit vra da tons genadeloos ‘nee’ sal sê vir wêreldse begeerlikhede (Titus 2:12).  Selfdissipline moet natuurlik toegepas word op alle areas van die lewe, selfs slaap, kos eet, koffie drink en sulke dinge, maar dit is spesifiek belangrik om ons seksueele begeertes ons dwang te hou (1 Korintiërs 7:9).  Ons moet ons sondige seksuele begeertes met alle mag weerstaan (Efesiërs 5:3).

 

4. Die Heilige Gees se primêre werk

Daar is ‘n intieme konneksie tussen die werk van die Heilige Gees en die Here Jesus Christus en sy werk.  Dit sien ons in Jesus se eie woorde in Johannes 16:14 “Hy [Die Heilige Gees] sal My verheerlik, omdat Hy dit sal neem uit wat aan My behoort, en aan julle verkondig.  Die primêre werk van die Heilige Gees is om Jesus Christus te verheerlik, of Hom te verhoog.  Dit doen Hy deur die waarheid aangaande Christus so wel as die geregtigheid, majesteit, prag, goedheid, medeleye en liefde van Christus in ons harte te benadruk.

Die Heilige Gees se werk is om Jesus Christus vir ons ‘n werklikheid te maak.  Sodat ons Sy liefde en krag in ons lewe kan ondervind.  Dit is deur die Gees se werk wat ons meer Christus gelykvormig word en waardeur ons begeer dat ander tot geloof in Christus sal kom.  Die Heilige gees is die een wat ons van sonde oortuig (Johannes 16:8), wat ons wederbaar (Johannes 3:5-6), wat ons die sekerheid van verlossing gee (Romeine 8:16), wat ons verstand verlig (Johannes 16:13), wat ons verander (2 Korintiërs 3:18), wat ons vrugbaar maak (Galasiërs 5:22-23), wat aan ons die gawe gee (1 Korintiërs 12:7) en wat ons bekragtig vir die werk van die Here (Handelinge 1:8).

Hy is ook die een wat ons ‘kop kennis’ verander in ‘harts kennis’ sodat ons verander kan word deur ons kennis van Christus.  Uiteindelik is die hoof taak van die Heilige gees om ons in staat te stel om die lewe te leef waarvoor Christus gesterf het om vir ons te gee.

Uiteindelik werk die Heilige Gees in ons deur die Woord, deur gebed, deur die gemeenskap van die gelowiges.  Die werking van die Heilige Gees is selde ‘n hoogs emosionele belewenisse.  Die primêre manier waarop die Heilige Gees werk deur deur algemene middele (woord, gebed, gemeenskap met gelowiges) wat Hy bonatuurlik deurtrek om ons uiteindelik na Christus en Christusgelykvormigheid te lei.

 

So die vraag is: Hoe weet ek of die Heilige Gees in my is?  Wel, elke gelowige het die Heilige Gees, sonder uitsondering.  Dit is onmoontlik om tot geloof te kom sonder die werking van die Heilige Gees, daarom is Hy in jou.  Maar as jou vraag is: Wat is die getuienis daarvan? Dan is daar wel sigbare teken daarvan: (a) Jy sal gelei word en begeer om te wandel in die weë van God, (b) die Vrug van die Gees sal dag vir dag meer sigbaar word in jou lewe, (c) jy sal Jesus Christus deur geloof omhels, Sy waardigheid erken en begeer om aan Hom gelykvormig te word.

Die gelowige is nie ‘n perfekte mens nie.  Verseker is daar in elkeen van ons nog werk (in sommige nog baie), maar daar is geen twyfel dat die een in wie die Heilige Gees is, net net self hierdie tekens in sy lewe sal opmerk nie, maar dat ander mense dit ook sal sien.  Uiteindelik is die werk van die Heilige Gees om Christus op te hef en in ons ‘n begeerte te werk om aan Christus gelykvormig te wil wees.  As jy hierdie dinge beleef, kan jy weet dat die Heilige Gees is in jou en jy is ‘n kind van God oppad na die ewige rus.

 

ds. Leon Harmse

Leraar van Sunwardpark Baptistekerk