Walking with the Holy Spirit | Billy Graham Sermon #BillyGraham #Gospel #Jesus #Christ

Key Concepts:

• Holy Spirit: The third person of the Trinity, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.
• Charisma/Charismata: Gifts of grace given by the Holy Spirit to believers.
• Trinity: The concept of one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Conviction: The Holy Spirit's work of revealing sin and the need for repentance.
• Regeneration: The new birth or spiritual renewal brought about by the Holy Spirit.
• Indwelling: The Holy Spirit's presence within a believer, making their body the temple of God.
• Fruit of the Spirit: The characteristics of a Christian life produced by the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.).
• Resisting the Holy Spirit: Rejecting the Holy Spirit's call and conviction, leading to spiritual hardening.

I. The Importance of the Holy Spirit

• The speaker emphasizes the critical role of the Holy Spirit in understanding the Bible, Christian living, and one's relationship with God.
• He quotes Pope John, who stated that the greatest need in the world is "the teaching and the ministry of the Holy Spirit."
• He also mentions a conversation with Swiss Theologian Carl Bart, who prophetically stated that the next theological emphasis would be on the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Referencing 1 Corinthians 12:1, the speaker stresses the importance of not being ignorant about matters pertaining to the Spirit.

II. The Charismatic Movement and Gifts of the Spirit

• The speaker discusses the charismatic movement and clarifies that every true Christian is charismatic, deriving from the word charismata, meaning gifts of grace.
• He explains that every believer has at least one gift of the Holy Spirit, such as administration, helps, knowledge, wisdom, evangelism, pastoring, or teaching.
• These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to help, guide, strengthen, edify the body of Christ, and witness for Christ.

III. The Person and Attributes of the Holy Spirit

• The speaker emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is a person, not an "it," and is God.
• He explains the Trinity: one God expressed in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), acknowledging the difficulty in fully understanding this concept.
• The Holy Spirit is described as all-powerful (Micah 3:6), present everywhere (Psalm 139:7), and possessing all knowledge.
• The speaker notes that Christ's departure was necessary for the Holy Spirit to come and be present everywhere simultaneously.
• The Holy Spirit's all-knowing nature is illustrated by the reference to the seven eyes in the Book of Revelation, symbolizing perfect vision and knowledge.
• The Holy Spirit is also described as eternal (Hebrews 9:14), co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son.
• The Holy Spirit is referred to as "Holy" one hundred times in the Bible, emphasizing his role in making believers holy.

IV. The Work of the Holy Spirit

• Conviction: The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin (John 16), using various means such as prayers, tragic experiences, sermons, or telecasts. This conviction can be disturbing but is necessary for repentance.
• New Life: The Holy Spirit gives new life to those who are spiritually dead in sins (Ephesians 2:1). This is a supernatural act of regeneration, not based on works (Titus 3:5).
• Indwelling: The Holy Spirit indwells believers, making their bodies the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). This indwelling transforms the believer and should lead to a disciplined and holy life (Ezekiel 36).
• Power to Serve: The Holy Spirit gives believers power to serve Christ and be witnesses (Acts 1:8). The speaker attributes his ability to communicate the gospel to the power of the Holy Spirit.

V. The Fruit of the Spirit

• The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).
• The speaker emphasizes that the Holy Spirit enables believers to love even those who are difficult to love and provides a deep-seated joy and peace that transcends circumstances.

VI. Sins Against the Holy Spirit

• The speaker warns against sinning against the Holy Spirit, including angering, grieving, lying to, tempting, and resisting the Spirit.
• Resisting the Holy Spirit can lead to spiritual hardening and a loss of opportunity for repentance and salvation.

VII. Call to Action

• The speaker urges listeners to yield to the call of the Holy Spirit and receive Christ into their lives.
• He invites those who want to be sure of their salvation and start a new life to come forward and make a public declaration of their faith.

VIII. Conclusion

• The main takeaway is the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, gives new life, indwells believers, empowers them to serve, and produces the fruit of the spirit. Resisting the Holy Spirit is a dangerous path that can lead to eternal separation from God. The speaker encourages listeners to surrender to the Holy Spirit and experience the transformative power of Christ in their lives.