The SPIRIT Defined...

I began a quest sometime back to discover a good book to refer to a friend of mine who had cessasionist tendencies. In my internet search for a strong fundamentalist who believed that the sign gifts were still active--I made an amazing discovery. None other than John R. Rice--one of the fundamentalist fathers--had written an amazing work on the power and person of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Rice not only insists on the presence of the gifts but he rallies the church to seek to experience the evangelistic effectiveness that the gifts bring. Early in the book, he quotes Jesus from John 14:12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father". Read Dr. Rice's commentary on the text:

"Here is a promise so great that few will believe it. Jesus Himself did all His mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now He tells the disciples that they may do exactly the same kind of work as He did. He does not make a single exception. He does not say that some of His miracles were too stupendous to be done by the hands of others. He does not say that the raising of the dead or the healing of the sick or the cleansing of the leper or the conversion of the drunkard and the harlot and infidel were too much for these disciples. No, He said plainly, 'He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.' And then He
added that they should do even greater works. Here is a startling teaching, but it is true. Jesus promised that the marvels, the power, the wonder of His own ministry might be repeated in the lives of multitudes of all who believed in Him. . . Oh Christian, believe it! God has for you blessings you have never claimed, power you have never used, an enduement you have never sought and found! And lest one should think that this promise was only for the twelve, or only for the Christians of apostolic times, Jesus made the promise clear. It is to him ' that believeth on me' that Jesus promised, 'The works that I do shall he do also.' (John R. Rice, The Power of Pentecost, 1949, Sword of the Lord Publishers, pp20-21).

Dr. Rice's book includes endorsements on the flyleaf by such powerhouses as, Dr. Lee Roberson, Dr. Robert G. Lee, Dr. W.A. Criswell, and Dr. Oswald J. Smith.

Now with that said, I want to share a tool with you that I have taught my church concerning the Holy Spirit. I think that this acronym pretty well covers the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life.

The Holy Spirit is the . . .

S-eal of your Salvation (Ep. 4:30). The Holy Spirit is all the evidence that you need!

P-erfector of your Heart (Jn. 16:8). That why He is the "Holy" Spirit.

I-ntercessor (Rm. 8:26-27). Could there be a better prayer partner?

R-esource (1 Co. 12:7). The Spirit can do through you all that God can do.

I-nspiration (Jn. 16:7). He comforts and revives the downcast.

T-eacher (Jn. 14:26). Need to know something?--Ask Him!

"And in the churches today we might have the same wonderful manifestations of the power of God--the gifts of the Holy spirit to equip men for service, with prophecy and miracles and healings, as promised--if all God's people were taught to seek God's face and meet God's requirements to be filled with the Holy spirit in Bible fashion" (John R. Rice, p175).