MARKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PRESENCE

 It is one thing to know about the Holy Spirit from our previous discussions, but it is quite another to be sure of His presence in our lives.  Does the Bible give any indicators of the Spirit’s presence that we can use to check our own experience?  The answer is YES!  This is our focus in this lecture.

 First, I want to examine those things that might initially be considered evidence for the Holy Spirit’s presence, but are actually unreliable.  Then we will look at the true indicators of His presence.

 UNRELIABLE EVIDENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

 1.     The ability to perform spiritual works, such as prophesying, exorcism and miracles (Matt 7:21-23)

 Jesus makes it clear that the exercise of spiritual power in itself is no true indicator of a    relationship with Him and thus possession of His Spirit.  In modern times the gift of tongue speaking has gained prominence among some Christians and is cited as evidence of the Spirit’s presence and power, but in light of Jesus’ words we ought to be wary of this.  In fact, tongue speaking is not unique to Christianity, being practised by Mormons and pagan tribal groups.  Neither tongues nor the exercise of any other seeming spiritual gift is certain proof of genuine spirituality in the presence of God’s Spirit.

 The Devil can imitate any of the gifts, being a most gifted creature.  And not only this, he can also present an apparent godliness, which leads us to our next point.

 2.     The appearance of godliness apart from truth (2 Tim 3:5; 2 Cor 11:13-15)

 How often have you been impressed by the character of associates who are not Christians?  Perhaps you have worked alongside a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness and they evidence industry, honesty, kindness and so on.  In fact, you might compare them with some Christians you also know and the results are embarrassing.  Maybe they put you to shame by their commitment and sincerity.

 Paul points out this possibility.  He writes to Timothy to warn him of such people and also to the Corinthians.  His argument is clear.  If Satan can manifest himself as an angel of light, then his servants can have the appearance of godliness.  Deception is a trademark of the devil and we are to be alert to this possibility, even in ourselves.  Morality without truth is deceptive.  Later in his letter to the Corinthians Paul called on them to examine themselves to check that they were truly Christians (2 Cor 13:5).  If Paul so wrote to a church that he himself planted concerning genuine spirituality, how much more should we take this test of our hearts?  If Christ is not in us, then we are not His and therefore His Spirit is missing.

 3.     Having head knowledge without good works (James 2:14-26)

 When you truly possess the truth then it produces change.  Truth sets people free (John 17:17), not to indulge themselves, but to serve God and others.  James writes concerning a faith that does not save; an intellectual assent without godly behaviour.  He affirms the need for good works to ratify the reality of genuine faith.  The demons are referred to as an example of such sterile spirituality.

TRUE INDICATORS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

 1.     Possessing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)

 Love - It is not coincidental that love is the first flavour in this remarkable collection.  Paul uses the strongest word for love, agape.  This love is selfless, sacrificing and spiritual in nature.  It is God’s love poured into the human heart and flowing out to others (Rom 5:5).

 QUOTE:          D. G. Barnhouse -- Love is the Key

 Joy is love singing, peace is love resting, “patience” (LJC) is love enduring, kindness is love's touch, goodness is love's character, faithfulness is love's habit, gentleness is love's "way" (LJC), self-control is love holding the reigns.  (Illustrations Unlimited, p. 321)

 Joy - You will meet many happy people, but the truly joyful are rare.  Joy is not the same as happiness.  Joy is not dependent on circumstances; in fact, it often defies them.  It is a settled confidence in God’s sovereign control over life’s circumstances that allows inner tranquility and external radiance.  It demonstrates to an unbelieving world that our loving heavenly Father cares for us and provides all that we need.

 Peace - True peace is hard to find and not surprisingly so since it is found only in God.  He is the one who is peace and provides peace.  If we do not know Him personally, we will not have peace.  We must first have peace with God so that we can then have the peace of God.  Uncertainty and its companion worry rob people of peace, but the Holy Spirit grants certainty for eternity, and with it, peace.  As in the case of joy, our peace is founded on the goodness and greatness of God.

 Patience - Accompanying peace is patience, the quality of being long-fused, slow to anger.  Once again it is an attribute of God Himself.  He is patient with us and this is a good example to follow.  Such a person is not easily provoked and is able to tolerate the imperfections of others, even when personally suffering as a result. 

 Patience trusts God to work out injustice and mistreatment, as well as delays and hindrances, as He thinks best.

 Kindness - Jerry Bridges defines kindness as “the inner disposition, created by the Holy Spirit, that causes us to be sensitive to the needs of others, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.” (The Practice of Godliness, p. 231)  This person is thoughtful of others and expresses a genuine interest in their well-being, going out of the way to cheer them up and improve their circumstances.

 Goodness - Goodness is kindness in action.  Only God is truly good and so our goodness comes from Him, as we would expect since it is another flavour in this amazing list.  This goodness is not restrictive.  It does not discriminate.  Anyone in need is a suitable object, not just those with whom we have a natural affinity.  Goodness seeks to meet the ordinary needs of people.  Jerry Bridges comments,

 Don’t look for the spectacular; few people ever have the opportunity to pull a victim from the wreckage of a flaming [car].  All of is have the opportunity to administer the kind or encouraging word, to do the little, perhaps unseen, deed that makes life more pleasant for someone else.  (p. 243)

 Faithfulness - This aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit focuses on reliability and loyalty.  A faithful person is dependable and honest.  In the Scriptures, Daniel is singled out for this quality (Daniel 6:4).  He was neither corrupt nor negligent (the opposites of faithfulness) in his office, but was trustworthy.  Such integrity may come with a cost, but it pays it gladly, as in Daniel’s case. 

 Gentleness - This concept is harder to define.  It is often easier to illustrate that describe, but a common companion of gentleness is carefulness.  It is the way we handle fragile things, ensuring no damage occurs.  We recognise that human beings are valuable and vulnerable, needing careful treatment.  Such a person avoids hurting people in word or deed.

 Self-control - The final flavour in this fruit is self-control.  Without it none of the others could exist. We are to be under the Spirit’s control (Eph 5:18) and as we are so the entire fruit is manifested.  This word carries the idea of discipline and personal mastery involving self-restraint.  Its opposite is self-indulgence, being unable to keep one’s passions bridled or to resist temptation. 

 This is the true godliness that accompanies true salvation, which is the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.  By these character qualities we can check the presence of the Spirit in us.

 2.     Possessing the truth revealed by the Spirit (1 John 4:1-3)

 It is the Holy Spirit’s role to reveal truth to Jesus’ followers (John 16:13) and therefore it is not surprising that John states that our confession indicates the genuineness of our spirituality.  As was seen earlier it is possible to have the appearance of godliness, but this is apart from the truth.  You must have both godliness, the fruit of the Spirit, and the truth that He reveals.  One without the other is deceptive and deadly.

 CONCLUSION:

 Have you ever taken the test suggested by Paul to the Corinthians?  Doctors recommend regular physical check-ups to detect preventable health problems.  Perhaps this morning is a timely spiritual check-up.  If so, don’t ignore the results, do something about them.  Speak to someone you can trust to help you overcome whatever problem is evident.  It is my prayer that none of you miss out on the blessing of the Spirit’s presence and power and I hope that today’s discussion helps you to experience this fully.