The Holy Spirit In The Gospels Of Luke And John

The Holy Spirit In The Gospels Of Luke And John

~ WHO HE IS and WHAT HE DOES

By Rodney W. Francis

When I was asked to “Introduce the Holy Spirit” to a group of traditional, orthodox church people, it was from the following Scriptures in Luke and John’s Gospel that I used as my basis. The people were very hungry to receive and know more of the Holy Spirit so I have committed to paper the references to the Holy Spirit from those two Gospels:

LUKE’S GOSPEL:

LUKE Chapter 1:

In this first Chapter of Luke we read of four people receiving and/or being filled with the Holy Spirit:

John the Baptist:

“He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb” (v.15).
“He shall be a forerunner of Jesus in the spirit and power (“dunamis” ~ “power capable of anything”) of Elijah” (v.17).

Mary:

“The Holy Spirit shall come upon you” (v.35).
“The power (“dunamis”) of the Highest shall overshadow (“cover, mantle”you” (v.35).

Elisabeth:

Elisabeth was filled with the Holy as a result of unborn John leaping in her womb when Elisabeth heard the salutation (“blessings”) of Mary (v.41).

Zacharias (John the Baptist’s father):

Through obedience to God, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit (v.67).
Zacharias prophesied (Holy Spirit gift and ministry) as a result (v.67).

LUKE Chapter 2:

Concerning Simeon:

“The Holy Spirit was upon him” (v.25).
He received revelation by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Christ (v.26).
He was guided by the Holy Spirit (v.27).

LUKE Chapter 3:

John testified that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire (v.16).
The Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Jesus (v.22).

LUKE Chapter 4:

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, where He was tempted by the devil (v.1-2).
Jesus returned from the wilderness in the power (“dunamis”) of the Holy Spirit (v.14).
Jesus testified to the fulfilling of Isaiah 61, declaring: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me . . .” (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to preach the Gospel to the poor (“those who have nothing at all”) (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to heal the broken-hearted (“shattered; rubbed together as to the heart”) (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to preach deliverance (“setting free”) to the captives (“one taken by the spear, a prisoner of war”) (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to give recovering of sight to the blind (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to set at liberty them that are bruised (“to break, break in pieces”) (v.18).
The Holy Spirit had anointed Him to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (v.19).
The Holy Spirit anointing gave Jesus a power and authority they had never seen before (v.14, 22, 32, 36).

LUKE Chapter 11:

Jesus taught that His Heavenly Father is more keen to give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him, than a natural father loves to give gifts to his children (v.13).

LUKE Chapter 12:

The Holy Spirit will not be blasphemed (“to show contempt or disrespect for God in speech; to utter profanities, curses, or impious expressions” - Collins) and blasphemers of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (v.10).

The Holy Spirit will teach us what to say in times of trouble (v.11-12).

LUKE Chapter 24:

The “promise of the Father” is the baptism of the Holy Spirit (v.49).
We are to “wait” until we receive Him (v.49).
He endues (“to be clothed, be invested or provided with”) us with power (“dunamis”) from on High (v.49).

JOHN’S GOSPEL:

JOHN Chapter 1:

John the Baptist said he saw the Holy Spirit coming down from Heaven like a dove (v.32).
John saw Him come on Jesus and stay there (v.32).
This was a sign to John that Jesus was/is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (v.32-34).

JOHN Chapter 3:

Unless we are born of water and of the Holy Spirit, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God (v.5).
Being born of the Holy Spirit makes us a spiritual being (v.6).
Those born of the Holy Spirit are free like the wind (v.8).
Jesus has an unmeasured supply of the Holy Spirit (v.34).

JOHN Chapter 4:

“God is a Spirit” (the Holy Spirit) (v.24).
He is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (v.24).

JOHN Chapter 6:

It is the Spirit that makes alive (v.63).
The spirit comes alive through the words Jesus speaks to us (v.63).
Jesus’ words are spirit and life (v.63).

JOHN Chapter 7:

Jesus taught that the thirsty ones who believe on Him would receive the Holy Spirit (v.37-39).
The Holy Spirit would flow out of us like rivers of living water (v.37-39).
The Holy Spirit comes to those who believe (v.37-39).
When Jesus taught this, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given (He came on the Day of Pentecost ~ Acts 2:1-4). (v.39).

JOHN Chapter 14:

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter (“intercessor, consoler, advocate”) (v.16).
He lives with us forever (v.16).
He is the Spirit of truth (v.17).
He is “foreign” to the world ~ they cannot receive Him (v.17).
The Holy Spirit is unseen to the world (v.17).
The Holy Spirit is unknown to the world (v.17).
But He is known by those who love Jesus (v.17).
He lives with us (v.17).
He lives in us (v.17).
The Holy Spirit in us is Jesus coming to us (v.18).
The Holy Spirit comes as our Divine Comforter (v.18).
Through the Holy Spirit we see Jesus (v.19).
Through the Holy Spirit we live that resurrection life Jesus lives (v.19).
When the Holy Spirit comes into us we then know that Jesus is in the Father, we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in us (v.20).
The Holy Spirit helps us to love Jesus and keep His Word (v.21-23).
The Holy Spirit in us ~ and our love for Jesus ~ means Jesus loves us and reveals Himself to us (v.21).
Through the Holy Spirit the Father and the Son (Jesus) live inside of us (v.23).
The Holy Spirit Comforter is sent to us by the Father (v.26).
He is sent to us in the Name of Jesus (v.26).
The Holy Spirit is sent to teach us all things (v.26).
The Holy Spirit is sent to bring to our remembrance all the words of Jesus (v.26).

JOHN Chapter 15:

The Comforter is sent by Jesus from the Father (v.26).
He is the Spirit of truth (v.26).
He comes from the Father (v.26).
The Holy Spirit (in us) testifies/speaks of Jesus (v.26).

JOHN Chapter 16:

It was necessary for Jesus to go back to the Father so the Holy Spirit Comforter could come to us (v.7).

Jesus sent Him to us (v.7).
He (the Holy Spirit) reproves (“convicts”) the world of sin (v.8).
He (the Holy Spirit) reproves (“convicts”) the world of righteousness (v.8).
He (the Holy Spirit) reproves (“convicts”) the world of judgment (v.8).
He (the Holy Spirit) convicts of sin because of unbelief (v.9).
He (the Holy Spirit) convicts of righteousness because Jesus went to the Father (v.10).
He (the Holy Spirit) convicts of judgment because the prince of this world (Satan) is judged (v.11).
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (v.13).
The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth (v.13).
The Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself (v.13).
Instead, the Holy Spirit speaks those things He hears from Jesus (v.13).
The Holy Spirit shows us things to come (v.13).
The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus (v.14).
The Holy Spirit receives from Jesus (v.14).
The Holy Spirit shows us those things He receives from Jesus (v.14).
The Holy Spirit reveals to us the things the Father reveals to Jesus (v.15).

JOHN Chapter 20:

Jesus said: “You receive the Holy Spirit!” (v.22).

These Scriptures are very much self-explanatory and I pray that you will come to know the Holy Spirit more as you meditate upon Who He is and What He does. God Bless you.

"The Gospel Faith Messenger" Ministry., New Zealand. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.