The Creative Power of the Holy Spirit
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Note:
The Holy Trinity
God has revealed himself as a triune being – three in one. The Father is the planner. He gives the orders. His will prevails in all of creation.
The Holy Spirit is the enforcer – the doer. When the Father speaks the Spirit acts. He carries out the will of the Father. Several things to note about the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
He does the will of the Father, not His own. Yet, He is an equal part of the God-head. There is perfect harmony within the trinity of God, because they are one, just as we should endeavor to be with God and with one another.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Even Jesus prays to the Father:
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
He always addressed the Father in prayer. He tells us to do the same.
John 15:16 . . . that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Again, in verse 23:
John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
And in verse 26, He tells us to pray for ourselves.
John 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Have confidence that God the Father hears your prayers as much as anyone else’s. You don’t always have to get someone else to do it for you. You can ask others to pray for you and with you, and maybe sometimes you need someone else to intervene or intercede because you are struggling with certain weaknesses. But ultimately we all have to learn to stand before God on our own.
Ro 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
1Co 3: . . . and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:10 . . . But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, . . .
Ac 10:34 . . . God is no respecter of persons:
Galatians 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Galatians 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
When it all comes down to the bare essentials, you will stand before God for yourself. There will be nobody there to stand for you but Jesus. Essentially, it’s you and Jesus. Nothing else will matter. Each one of us had better learn to pray and to take responsibility for ourselves.
The Necessity of prayer
When we pray, God begins to move. Prayer evokes a response from God.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1Jo 5:14 ¶ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jo 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Mt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
What confidence!
Now, remember how God works? He speaks and the Holy Spirit goes into action. In the beginning, God spoke and the Spirit of God went to work.
. . . the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters
I believe that, when we pray, it looses the Spirit of God to act on our behalf.
Furthermore, when we speak in faith, things begin to happen. (I’m not talking about some magic wand or wishful thinking, but about speaking with the confidence and authority of God). When the Spirit of God is upon us, we can speak with power the creative words of faith.
Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
The Help of the Spirit
Ro 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
If we are the children of God, then we hold a position next to Jesus.
Ro 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; . . .
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
This is the difference between us and the saints of the Old Testament. The Spirit of God came upon them. But He dwells in us. He is with us constantly, whereas, with them, He only came when the situation called for it.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Not only does He bring things to our remembrance, but He reveals to us what they mean. He teaches, or reveals to us God’s will.
Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Ro 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
What a great advantage we have. The Holy Spirit, who knows exactly what the Father is thinking, prays for and through us.
Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Luke 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luke 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luke 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you . . .
God has ordained you for power and power for you. Go therefor, in the power of God.