“THE HOLY SPIRIT WROTE A ‘BEST SELLER’”
(GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT - 1)
TEXT: Rev.1:10-11
INTRO.:
A. In “GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT” you must read the Book He wrote, "THE HOLY SPIRIT WROTE A ‘BEST SELLER’” called the Holy Bible. John said in our text when he was “in the Spirit...” he heard a voice saying “What thou seest, write in a book...”
B. You can discover much about a person who writes a book. 💢You learn about his character, his beliefs, his biases, his integrity (or lack of it), his truthfulness, etc. So it is with the Book the Holy Spirit wrote. 💢We can learn a great deal about the blessed Spirit of God by reading what He wrote!
C. It is true that God at times spoke to man through dreams & visions, but His final, complete & permanent communication was in words! “WE HAVE IT IN WRITING!”
I. ONE FUNDAMENTAL FACT:
A. Whatever God Does He Does Through His Word!
QUOTE: Hyles: “Everything that God has ever done & everything that God will ever do, He has done & will do by His Word.
1. In creation: on the 6 days of creation, God’s Word declares 7 times: “And God said...”
2. Throughout history God spoke & His will was accomplished.
3. When God wanted to reveal Himself more fully to man He sent His Son, the eternal, living Word of God,
Jn.1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 Jn.5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Heb.1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
4. When Jesus comes again, He will end the Antichrist’s reign w/His Word.
2 Thes.2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
B. The Holy Spirit authored the Holy Bible!
2 Pet.1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
1. The Holy Spirit was the Author, “holy men” were the instruments or writers.
2. The Holy Spirit had many “secretaries.”
II. TWO EXTREME ERRORS:
Jn.6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Jn.6:6 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
A. Error #1: Seeking the Spirit’s Teaching w/out His Word:
1. This is the error of the charismatics & others who are guided by emotions, visions & experiences rather than the Word of God.
2. Check out the preacher/teacher to see how much human philosophy, wisdom & psychology is used in comparison to God’s Word.
ILLUS.: 💥The charismatic preachers: Benny Hinn, et.al. move & sway the crowds thru emotionalism & showmanship rather than the Word & words of God. They speak much of the Holy Spirit, but ignore His Book.
💥The pseudo-Bible teachers who use the teachings of the psychologists & psychiatrists & then tack on verses of Scripture to support their ideas are leading people away from the Book the Holy Spirit wrote.
QUOTE: Andrew Murray: “If you would be full of the Spirit, be full of the Word..”
B. Error #2: Seeking His Word w/out the Spirit’s Life:
2 Cor.3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
1. What is needed is a determination to refuse to attempt to deal w/the written Word w/out the quickening Spirit.
2. We may hold the words and doctrines of Script. most intelligently & earnestly & yet know little of their life & power.
ILLUS.: This was the serious error of the Pharisees. “They studied and accepted Scripture in the light & power of their human understanding & not in the light & power of God’s Spirit as their life.” - Murray Many believers today who read & know much Script. 🔹fail to realize that it is the Spirit that quickeneth; 🔹that the flesh, the human understanding, however earnest, intelligent profiteth nothing. 🔹We must know His Book, but we must also know Him & His power!
3. The Bible is the Holy Spirit’s instructional guide & He never leads us contrary to His Word.
ILLUS.: For guard duty in the Army we had the “general orders.” This was a list of orders given to guide the soldier while standing guard. The last general order was to call the Corporal of the Guard in any case not covered by the instructions.
The Holy Spirit has given us a Book equivalent to the “General Orders” & it isn’t intended to be a list of everything we are to know or do, we are to call upon our “Corporal of the Guard” for specific instructions.
III. THREE TREMENDOUS TRUTHS:
A. Revelation: The Holy Spirit Disclosing God’s Word
1. God, Who is infinitely greater than man must somehow communicate w/man.
2. Revelation is the process God used to communicate His Word & words to man.
3. Revelation is the communication of concepts & ideas, couched in specific words, which man could not otherwise know or discover.
Rev.1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
B. Inspiration: The Holy Spirit Inscripturating God’s Word:
QUOTE: L.Gaussen: “Inspiration is that inexplicable power put forth of old by the Divine Spirit upon the authors of Holy Scripture so as to enable them in their writing, even to the very words they chose, and to preserve them alike from all error & from all omission.”
1. Inspiration involves a miracle (“inexplicable”).
2. Inspiration is something that is not happening now (“of old”).
3. Inspiration means the very words of Script. were inspired (“even to the very words”).
4. Inspiration guarantees that everything in Script. is recorded accurately (“from all error”).
5. Inspiration guarantees that nothing was left out that should have been included (“from all omission”).
a. The word “inspiration” has to do w/the breath of God & means that the Scripts. Came out of the very inner being of God, just as your breath flows out from within you.
b. Inspiration applies to the words (“graphe”) of God, not the writers.
ILLUS.: Confusion on this point leads to the idea that only the “originals” were inspired or breathed by God.
💨But if it is the writings & not the writers which were inspired,
💨accurate copies & translations can also said to be “inspired” i.e., have God’s breath on them.
💨The word “inspired” is from the Greek Word “theopneustos”. Is it an accurate translation? If so, it is “inspired.”!!!!!
To quote myself: “Of what value is an inspired text if unavailable to all generations? or What purpose has inspiration w/out preservation?” (S.A. p.4 or “We Have It in Writing, P.F.)
C. Illumination: The Holy Spirit Explaining God’s Word
1. The illumination ministry of the Holy Spirit toward the unsaved is necessary because the natural man cannot comprehend spiritual things.
2. God’s Spirit speaks to men of their sin & magnifies Christ; he “reproves the world of sin”
Jn.16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
3. God’s Spirit indwells the bodies of believers & He illuminates His Word to them.
ILLUS.: After His resurrection, ✨Jesus Himself expounded & explained the Scriptures to the two disciples in Luke 24:13-35, ✨but now the Holy Spirit has replaced Jesus & teaches each believer.
CONCL.: Unlike other authors of other books, the Author of the world’s #1 Bestseller, energizes His Words & then illuminates them & explains them to each reader who is saved!
(GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT - 2 )
- SPENDING THE DAY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 2) - Dr. Paul Fedena
- GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT - Dr. Paul Fedena - Romans 8:11
- THE HOLY SPIRIT WROTE A ‘BEST SELLER - Pastor Paul Fedena -Revelation 1:10 - 1:11
- GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT - WHERE GOD LIVES - Dr. Paul Fedena - 2 Chron.5:11-14
- GETTING TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT-17 “BEYOND COMMON SENSE” - Dr. Paul Fedena - TEXT: 1 Chronicles 12:32a