The Spirit Works With the Word
—The Spirit, the Bible, and prayer
You will observe that certain things which are attributed to the Holy Spirit, are also attributed to the word of God. The conclusion best drawn from this observation, is that the Spirit accomplishes certain things through the word which he inspired.
So it is just as true to say that the word accomplishes these things, as it is to say that the Spirit accomplishes them. This is the 11th of 17 principles concerning the promise, oath, and seal of God.
11th principle: The Spirit Works With the Word.
In this lesson we consider four aspects of the Holy Spirit’s work: He calls us; he gives us life; he sanctifies or makes us holy; he empowers us.
I think you will agree with me, that those four blessings form a very large and important part of the Holy Spirit’s work. Yet in all these things we find the Holy Spirit acting through the word.
The Spirit, the Bible, and Prayer
God communicates with us through his word, and we communicate with God through prayer. The gift of the Holy Spirit operates within this system. Everything that the Bible says about the gift, work, and seal of the Spirit, the Bible also places within the mechanism of Bible study and prayer. The more we give diligence in Bible study and in prayer, the more we are filled with the Spirit.
The Spirit Working Through the Word
The comparisons made in the chart below, indicate that the Holy Spirit does not work in us directly apart from his word, but rather works in us through his word. However this does not mean that the word alone does these things without the Spirit.
To illustrate, when I say "I am hammering in a nail" it is true that both I and the hammer are driving in the nail. I am driving in the nail with the hammer as my means and instrument, and I do not drive in the nail without the hammer, nor does the hammer without me.
Now here's the chart...
The Comparisons
1 The Call of the Spirit
The call of the Spirit comes through the word.
- The Spirit convicts (John 16:8), The word convicts (2Timothy 4:2, Acts 2:37)
- The Spirit calls (Revelation 22:17), The word calls (2Thessalonians 2:14)
- The Spirit produces faith (Galatians 5:22,25), The word produces faith (Romans 10:17)
2 The life-giving Spirit
The Spirit regenerates us through the word
- The Spirit gives life (John 6:63), The word gives life (John 6:63, Psalms 119:50)
- Born again of the Spirit (John 3:5), Born again of the word (1Peter 1:23)
3 Sanctification of the Spirit
The Spirit sanctifies and saves through the word
- Washed by the Spirit (1Corinthians 6:11), Washed by the word (Ephesians 5:26)
- Sanctified by the Spirit (1Corinthians 6:11), Sanctified by the word (John 17:17)
- Justified by the Spirit (1Corinthians 6:11), Saved from wrath by the word (James 1:21)
4 The power of the Spirit
The Spirit empowers us through the word
- Made free by the Spirit (Romans 8:2), Made free by the word (John 8:32)
- Strengthened by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:16), Strengthened by the word (Acts 20:32)
These comparisons make it clear that the Spirit is not acting without the word, and the word is not acting without the Spirit. Rather the Spirit is acting through the word.