HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM

HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM

INTRODUCTION

WHO IS HOLY SPIRIT? It is good to know who the Holy Spirit is before we move into the details of His role in evangelism. The Bible makes us to understand that the Holy Spirit is the third person in the Heaven. 1John.5:7 says “There are three that beareth witness in heaven, the Father, the word and the Holy Spirit” and these three are one.

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, inseparable that is where there is father, son is there and even Holy Spirit also is present there.

PERSONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1.            The Holy Spirit strives (O maa nja) Gen.6:3, when He want to condemn sin in the life of His people.

2.            The Holy Spirit teaches (O maa nkoni) John.14:26, the Holy Spirit is the best teacher that teaches and reminds us whatsoever we have been taught.

3.            The Holy Spirit testifies (O maa njeri) John 15:26, Rom.8:16

4.            Holy Spirit guides (O maa ntoni) John 16:14, Rom.8:14.

5.            The Holy Spirit reproves (O maa nfi oye yeni) John.16:8.

6.            He helps (O nse iranwo) Rom.8:26

7.            He comforts (O nse itunu) John.16:7

8.            He intercedes (O nbebe fun wa ) Rom.8:26

9.            He searches the mind (O nwa inu okan) 1 Cor.2:10.

10.       The Holy Spirit sanctifies (O nso di mimo) Rom.15:16

11.       He command (O npase) Acts 16:6-7.

12.       He witness (O njeri) Rom.8:16.

THE NAMES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (AWON ORUKO EMI-MIMO)

1.     The Spirit of God. 1Cor.2:10-14.

2.     The Spirit of Christ. John. 15:26

3.     The Holy Spirit. He is equal with the Father and Son.

4.     The Comforter. John.14:15-20; 26 (paracletes Greek) (Advocatus Latin)

5.     The Spirit of Promise. Lk.24:49, Jn.14:16, Joel.2:28, Gal.3:14.

6.     The Spirit of Truth. 1Jn.5:6, 1Jn.4:6, Jn.14:17; 14:6.

7.     The Spirit of Truth. Rom 8;2; Rev.11:1.

8.     The Spirit of Grace. Heb.10:29, Zech.12:10

9.     The Spirit of Adoption. Rom.8:15

(AWON OHUN TI ON SAPERE EMI-MIMO)

FIRE- Heb. 12:29, Jer. 20:9, Isa.4:4, Matt. 3:11, Lk. 3:16

WIND – John.7:37. We use figure of water rain and dew as referring to the refreshing presence of God. Isa. 44:3; Hos.6:3; 14:5, John. 3:5, Exod. 17:6, Ezek.36:25-27, Ezek 7-1

SEAL- Eph.1:13, 2Tim.2:19 we used seal to claim (a) Ownership (b) genuine and authority (c) Security.

OIL- 1 Sam.10:1, Exod.40:9, 15, Levt.8:12, Ps.92:10

DOVE- Dove shows      i. Gentleness         ii. Tenderness       iii. Purity    iv. Peace v. Loveliness   vi. Innocence        vii. Holiness         viii. Patience.  (Matt.3:17).

 THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM

The Holy Spirit is playing an important role in evangelism, without the Holy Spirit we cannot win souls for Christ, evangelism without the Holy Spirit result to wasted effort for the soul winner. The fisherman that went along with hook, trend, rod and even with bait but he forgot stinker at home, all his labour to catch fish will be in vain. Likewise a soul winner that prepared a good message, with good Bible passage, and he went away to present Christ in God to people without the Holy Spirit, all his effort would be in vain.

THE ROLE OF HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM ARE AS FOLLOWS;

1.     The Holy Spirit convinces the sinner.

2.     The Holy Spirit helps the soul winner to recognize the true conviction in the life a sinner.

3.     The Spirit gives the understanding of the word of God.

4.     The Holy Spirit would enable the convert to live a Holy life.

5.     The Holy Spirit would enable the convert to accept the will of God.

6.     The Holy Spirit would enable the convert to resist sin and devil.

7.     The Holy Spirit would sanctify the converts in the spirit, soul and body. 1Thess.5:23.

8.     The Holy Spirit would be testifying to what the soul winner is saying in the life of the converts.

9.     The Holy Spirit would help both the convert and soul winner to develop their faith.

10.            The Holy Spirit guides the soul winner in the process.

11.            The Holy Spirit would be helping both the convert and soul winner to endure hardship and chastening Heb.12:6-7.

12.            The Holy Spirit would help the soul winner to hear the voice of the Lord when calling.

13.            The Holy Spirit would not allow both the convert and soul winner to love the world (because He would be signal at all time) 1 John.2:14-17.

14.            The Holy Spirit will teach and instruct both the soul winner and the convert how to grow spiritually and morally.

15.            The Holy Spirit will assist the convert and the soul winner to consecrate their life unto God.

16.            The Holy will enable them to focus their attention on the things of Heaven. Col.3:1

HOLY SPIRIT IN CREATION (EMI MIMO NINU ISEDA)

The Holy Spirit the third of the trinity by whose power the universe was created. He brooded over the face of the waters and snared the glory of creation. Gen.1:2, Job.26:13, Ps.33:6, 104:30.

The Holy Spirit as Deity immanent (abiding) in all creation manifested His presence by what we call the Laws of Nature He (Holy Spirit) is the principle of order and life, the organizing power in created nature. All the forces of nature are but evidences of the presence and sustains man. Gen.2:7, Job.33:4. Every individual whether he serves God or not is sustained by the creative power of God’s Spirit. Dan.5:23, Acts.17:28

In the O.T ages, the Holy Spirit inspiring certain individuals, to rule and guide the members of that kingdom, and to supervise their progress in the life of consecration.

The dynamic operation of Holy Spirit creates two kinds of ministers.

1.     Workers for God

2.     Speakers for God.

              WORKERS FOR GOD

The works for are men of action, organizers, executives. We have some example of workers for God that the Holy Spirit had inspired like

1.     Joseph. Gen.41:38-40

2.     Bezalee. Exo.35:30-31

3.     Moses. Num.11:16-17

4.     Joshua. Num.27:8-21

5.     Othnial. Jud. 3:9-10

6.     Gideon. Jud.6:34

7.     Jephthah. Jud.11:29

8.     Samson. Jud.13:24-25

9.     Saul. 1Sam.10:6

      SPEAKERS FOR GOD

The speakers for God are the vigorous, ragged and men of uncompromising with unrighteousness. They are the people that the Holy Spirit inspired to be the voice of the Lord. They were men called and sent by God. The Bible said “He that was called and sent would speak the voice of God, and to him was given the Spirit without measure …” Some of the speakers for God are the prophets and teacher who by the spirit of God receive the message from God and passed it across to the people. Ezek.8:1-3. Prophet like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel and all other minor prophets.

DAVID AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

David was a man who happen to be a king in Israel, he realize the roles of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person. God call David “A man after My heart…” because he use to recognize the Holy Spirit and His operation in every situation.

David then recognized the Spirit as being everywhere, searching out men’s ways and throwing the light of God on the darkest recesses of their lives. After his great sin he prayer that God’s Holy Spirit, God’s sanctifying presence, the Spirit that influences character, might not be taken from him. Ps.51:11

 HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM.      ACTS.1:8, 14

The Holy Spirit had been in operation since the time of the early Apostles, the Holy Spirit descend and bestow upon the disciples. The descend of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the disciples that “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because its seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John.14:16-17

The fulfillment of this promise came to pass on the day of Pentecost, when the disciples gather together in the upper room as obedience to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues likes as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” Acts.2:1-4

Here, the Apostle Experience two kinds of baptism at once, and the Holy Spirit, started His operation in their life.

1.     Holy Ghost Baptism-    Spirit filled life.

2.     Fire Baptism-                 Roosted life.

  PETE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM

Eight hundred years before the advent of Christ, the prophet Joel heralded the coming of the Holy Ghosts in the following languages “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see vision and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.” Joel.2:28-29.

On the day of Pentecost Peter declared “This is that which was spoken by Prophet Joel…” Peter could now speak boldly, because the Holy Spirit has transformed his life to better and he received the power of the words through the helps of the Holy Spirit. Peter the coward man during the time of arrest and trials of Christ, denied the savior because the Holy Spirit is not yet in operation. He said “Even to the points of death am ready to die with you”. When people were looking for the Lord Jesus to arrest him, “Then Simon Peter having a sword with him drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then Jesus said unto Peter, put thy sword into the sheath, the cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? John.18:10-11

Then Peter could not do anything, because he depends on the sword as his power. Peter later denied the Lord thrice before the cock crow, then he wept bitterly (sorrowful repentance). Lk.22:54-62, John.18:19-27.

After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ repeated the same promise of the Holy Spirit “Behold I send the promise of my father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye are endued with power from on High” “Ye shall be baptize with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…” “Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you…” The promise was fulfilled when the day of Pentecost had fully come. “…they were all with one accord in one place (upper room) and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it fill the whole house where they were sitting, tongues as of fire rest upon each of them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave the utterance.” Acts.2:1-4

Peter who had gone back to his former occupation could now speak boldly because of the power of the Holy Spirit has transformed his life. He began the first message that wins many souls for the Lord Jesus with the power of Holy Spirit.

He opens the gate of miracles with the power of Holy Spirit at the beautiful gate. Holy Spirit is the power that we cannot do without in evangelism.

  CONCLUSION

Holy Spirit was the best agent of evangelism, the early missionary succeed in the work of evangelism by it. Therefore for you to be a good soul winner you must be filled, lead, baptize and dwells in the Holy Spirit at all time.