Person & Work of the Holy Spirit

We were just about to question six on lesson four of the person of the work of the Holy Spirit, going over the book with Rideout's book. Okay, question six. Actually, we just finished at five. Did the resistance continue to the early church? This resistance to the Holy Spirit. We kind of went through right after the fall, and then the early church, we touched on that. And now, question six. Does this resistance to the Holy Spirit continue into today?

Now it's fine. It's clear sailing, right? Just coming along. All those early church people, they were just no gooders. Deadbeats who challenged and tried to quench the Holy Spirit, right? But we, we today, we are enlightened, right? So there is no challenging of the Holy Spirit today. And the world today has gotten better, correct? And the Holy Spirit is not challenged. Okay. We're good.

We can move on to the next one, right? No. In the last few questions we looked at how the Holy Spirit has been resisted from the fall of Adam from before and after the flood in the early church and through today. I guess my question is how do you explain the consistent resistance to the Holy Spirit? How do you explain that?

We all want to be in control. I said it must be the sin nature. That's the underlying one of why we want to be in control, is the sin nature. Ever since the fall, the sin nature has been against the Holy Spirit. Ever since the fall, the sin nature has been in enmity or against the Holy Spirit. That doesn't change today. It's still the same. I'll read it, but if you look at Romans 8, 6-8, I think it puts it in perspective. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. Because what? The mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God. For it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. And those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

So, hence why today, even today, the sin nature is still resisting the Holy Spirit. It cannot be in sync with the Holy Spirit. It is always going to be at enmity to the Holy Spirit and God. So, our sin nature still strives. The world, still today, the sin nature still fights the Holy Spirit. So, there's no change. Ever since the fall, the sin nature has been emanated to God and the Holy Spirit. So, it hasn't changed today. Hence, we're still resisting the Holy Spirit, or the world, and the sin nature is still resisting.

So, question seven. What would be the next logical step for those resistors to take in regards to the Holy Spirit? And this, if you want to look, it's around page 18, around the second paragraph of Rideout's book. So what will be the next logical step? We've resisted, we've done all this, what will be the next one? Blasphemy. Blasphemy. But the next consistent step for people who had always resisted the Holy Spirit to go further and blaspheme Him. So that was the next, we've resisted, we've resisted, and then now we blaspheme.

And if you look at Matthew 12, 22 through 24, it basically says, this is where you can pull it out, where they actually, they've taken it to a whole different level right now. If you look at Matthew 12, 22 through 24, Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and he healed him. So that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed and were saying, this man cannot be the son of David, can he? Now the good part.

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, this man casts out demons only by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. So now, what have they just called the Holy Spirit? Beelzebub, the ruler of the saints. They have now called the Holy Spirit the ruler of the demons. I mean, that's taken it to a whole different level. So, the Pharisees went as far as calling the Holy Spirit the ruler of the demons. Again, this demonstrates how powerful the sin nature is, and how resistant it is to the Holy Spirit.

You would think, you would think, here's a man casting at you, or making this blind man see, and what would your first reaction be? Oh, he's casting out demons! But the Pharisees, their first reaction was, the people were amazed, but the rulers, the ones who had the knowledge, all the knowledge, their first reaction was, oh, he's demon possessed, he's thrown out. Would that be your first reaction to see somebody who you saw healed?

I'm amazed at how deep the sin nature is, and also from the supposedly educated, the supposedly most knowledgeable ones. What does that tell you about, you know, I guess we kind of see that today, what does that tell you about the rulers or those who highly esteem themselves?

They're the first ones to knock down anything else about the Holy Spirit, anything, they are not very humble when you put yourself at the highest level. These guys are the first ones, I can't believe it, when I was reading that I was like, your first reaction is to say this is the rumor of the demons casting out demons. sort of read in some stuff and I know I gave one to Mike he's my whatever anyway it's interesting how it says that the blasphemy is against the Holy Spirit the blasphemy isn't against Jesus and so it shows how Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit right? Yeah, well, are you saying just how they're parsing it, that they're not attacking Jesus, but they're attacking the Holy Spirit? They're parsing that out, they're not attacking Him? A bit, yeah. I mean, I know they're together and the same, but it's because Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit. Yeah, we'll talk about this a little bit later, and somewhat of the division there. We'll get to that a little bit later. Did you have something, Gary? I guess a good way to describe it would be educated derelict. Educated what? Educated derelict.

Again it just shows to me how powerful this in nature is. To go to the extent of calling the Holy Spirit the ruler of the demons. To see a wonderful act being done and yet You know, this is also steeped a little bit in their laws and that it was on the Sabbath, I believe this was. Was this the one on the Sabbath? I can't remember. I think it was. But anyway, why they're fighting it, you know. Even when they did the healed on the Sabbath, they go after them. It's on the Sabbath. You're doing work on the Sabbath. What kind of mindset is that? You know, again, to me, that shows the power and the strength of the sin nature. How desperately wicked it is. and how at enmity it is against the Holy Spirit. It really shows that.

Even today in the church, academia tends to grab hold of various things and hair splitting and all these things that are highfalutin theological concepts and they almost belittle grace. They belittle the work of the Holy Spirit because that's trivial and while that is beneath what we are doing in seminary, what we are doing in places. And yet, as a believer, my daily walk, my daily functioning has to be in that context. Not in the highfalutin, hair-splitting stuff.

We get distracted from that, which is actually wealthy and rich in our lives. Well, you know, you touch upon that. I think a lot of that is the pride. And it's just like the Pharisees. If he's doing this, it takes away their power. Because everybody had to come to the Pharisees. Well, if this guy is doing it out there, kind of for free, it knocks them down.

It's like in seminary. You've got to come back to them to get the wisdom and all this. And what, if the Holy Spirit is directing you? And you're a new creature in Christ? Oh no, come back to us. We have these three programs for you. And it knocks down their power. And I think it's all pride related, which again, what goes back to self, which goes back to the sin nature. So I think it's all wrapped up into that. It all goes back to the sin nature. It's an enmity to God, which is an enmity to the Holy Spirit. Plain and simple. So that's really the key. So, question eight. What is the unpardonable sin? The blasphemy. Blasphemy. Again, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

That's Matthew 12, 31. Okay? So it's well for us, and he puts in there, it's well for us clearly, for us to see clearly what the impartable sin is. It is often explained in ways such as contradicts the gospel itself and throws the precious truths of grace into the utmost confusion. Do you understand what he's saying there? Well, we get to the next question. Hence why the confusion.

Is this sin possible now? No. Why not? Because Christ isn't here on earth. Isn't it? Basically. The Holy Spirit is here. You know what I mean? It was kind of that little difference between well Jesus isn't here and Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit is still here so maybe wouldn't it be possible to still bless for me? No. Anybody else? I mean I know that isn't what is said but I was just kind of thinking about it now.

Well it's not true. It can't be true. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us now and it didn't So how does that make the unpardonable sin? Can you still blaspheme the Holy Spirit today? No. But I don't know why. Any other thoughts? So to blaspheme means to give credit to Satan for what the Holy Spirit is doing, right?

Any others? I think sure, you can do it. There you go. How? Just discredit the Holy Spirit's work. Presence, whatever. That God is sovereign, that God is who He is. People do it all day long. So that sin was left off the cross? I've got one. How could the Holy Spirit discredit the Holy Spirit? I wanted to answer that question. That one was just left off there. It was down on the ground. Couldn't do it, right?

It may be forgiven globally but people can still do that act. Participate in it. But is it unpardonable? No. I think in the context here you have a public demonstration of God's power over the works of the devil. by the casting out of demons, by healing the guy.

And so when it's brought to the public eye, what the Pharisees did is they gave credit for the event to Satan. And that kind of thing doesn't happen today. There isn't a public demonstration of God overcoming the power of Satan. And so there isn't the possibility of someone saying well I saw this miracle happen or I saw this circumstance happen it must have been Satan who did it when in fact it was the Holy Spirit who did it.

Wouldn't that be possible like let's say all right you know I know probably most of the like those laying hands you're cured people are just doing it for the show but what if there were some that were legitimate and we said oh that guy's just a quack. I can't I can't comment on a hypothetical. You've been watching the politics. How political answer I've ever heard. No comment. We can't hypothetical is there.

I used to live in Texas where Benny Hinn's ministry is based out of. And people would go to one of his events, and I remember one gal that had a co-worker that she was like, oh, I could just feel Benny Hinn's spirit here. She could feel the spirit of Benny Hinn, not the Holy Spirit, not this is the work of God. There was an obsession with Benny Hinn.

Most of those scenarios are people that are addressing a person rather than the Godhead. And that's one of the major problems in those scenarios. So the hypothetical element of it is simply that in those contexts, that's not likely that the Holy Spirit is going to be like, hey, this guy's totally carnal. He's really doing this for his name. But I'm going to do this one. So I think it's not likely.

The other issue here is that, like you were bringing up, is that the work of the cross defeated Satan. So and when this event happened in Matthew, the cross hadn't happened yet. So the prince of the power of the air still has rain around here, but he's a defeated foe. He wasn't before before the cross. He is now. Yes.

And I guess I go back to my my and I'll get to that. Let me read one one passage from right out and then I'll at least the way I answered this and it comes back to what I was Tell them, Carol, is there an unpardonable sin? Is there something that wasn't covered on the cross? Number one. So when you say the unpardonable sin, I kind of go, well, wait a minute. That was left on the ground over here, which then leads me on to some other things. But Rydapp basically puts a couple of things. He says, a little careful reading of the connection of the passage will show what this awful sin was. I say was, for in a very real sense, it's impossible for this sin to be committed now.

He goes on later to say, but you will perceive that this particular form of blasphemy was necessarily confined to the time when our Lord was upon the earth. His work had to be seen. His power over Satan clearly manifests in a miracle. Before this climax of wickedness and enmity could find expression, none could commit the sin against the Holy Ghost now.

A little nebulous on what that really means. I was reading that. But my question is, whatever, or my point, Again, an unpardonable sin. There is no unpardonable sin. Every sin was paid for. The other question is, what is the only question now? What is the only question to every single human being? Have you trusted in Christ? Who is Christ? The Savior.

That's the only question left. Because as we said, every sin was paid for. We always use the guy across the street. His sins are paid for. downtown Denver, whoever the worst criminal you want to think of, his sin was paid for, her sin was paid for. Correct? All of them were paid for. So what is the only question left?

Who is Christ? So you are distinguishing between paid for and pardoned. So even a person who does not believe in the person and work of Christ That in itself is a sin that was paid for. But it can't accrue to his benefit because he doesn't have faith.

Correct. It still comes down to faith in Christ. So, the scripture I pulled up was Hebrews 10, 28-31. I'd like to try and base my opinions on scripture. That's a good idea. That's always good. I try to. You know, Rhino doesn't have many scriptures in here, so I always go and pick up a bunch. which I wish he had a lot more further references in here. Hebrews 10, 28-31. Now we are going to ask a question afterwards.

Anyone who set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severe punishment do you think you deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. What does this passage state with respect to Christ and the Holy Spirit? It's subtle, but what does it say?

If you don't believe you're dead. Don't believe you're dead? Correct? What else? How did I figure the unpardonable sin part of this? They're all miffed. See, my brain went off on this. You guys obviously didn't follow my trail on this. It is about Christ, trampled onto the Son of God. That's the key question. Again, it comes back to what is the only question? It's about Christ. But it goes on to say, and has insulted the Spirit of Grace. Can we insult the Spirit of Grace now? Can we quench the Spirit? We can do all those things, but again, the only question is still, who is Christ? Son of God, And, you know, how much severe punishment do you think he would deserve if he traveled underfoot with the Son of God? That's the question. Who is Christ?

But, it goes on to say, and has regarded unclean blood covenant by which he is sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace. So, we can still do that. We can still insult the Holy Spirit. We can quench the Holy Spirit. We can do a lot of things. But is it an unpardonable sin? To the unbeliever, yeah.

Because they're still attached to what? The flesh. And if they haven't had the identification proofs, haven't been crucified, separated from that sin nature, all that's going to go with them. All that's still attached to them. We who have been identified with Christ, crucified, separated from judicially separated and now placed into Christ, we don't have that. We're a new creature in Christ. We're not attached to that. I was thinking on that. We're studying Hebrews on Tuesday and we just were in this passage not too long ago. The deal here was that the book of Hebrews is written to Jews who had become Christians. And the danger was that they were going to walk away from salvation by faith through grace and go back to the mosaic system. And that's what this warning is really about.

If you do that, you don't have a sacrifice for sins anymore. What are you going to do if you go back to something that you walked away from? But again, the point of this one is, it's still Christ. It's the only question left to every human being is, who is Christ?

You can insult, and the point of this is that it's all about Christ and trying to get back or go, you know, as Mike said, we went through this, it really is for the Jews who are trying to go back to the old sacrifices and things like that. You couldn't do it. What do you mean you couldn't do it? We got into this. We'd be in two weeks of discussion here. I'll just let that couldn't do it go. We have lots of discussion on this whether you can actually go back or not. We got into different points on this. This was about a two or three week discussion. It was dealing with the Jews and them trying to go back to the sacrificial system. And whether you could or couldn't or why. So there's a whole issue there. Mine is you can't.

Once you're in Christ, it doesn't matter what you do. You can go back and sacrifice bulls, goats and whatever. It doesn't do anything. It doesn't mean anything. I can go and sacrifice a bull today. And a nice spotless lamb somewhere. Shine him up real good. It doesn't do anything. And that was kind of what Vern said the other week. It's like Jewish people who convert are still going to be doing their Jewish stuff. But it doesn't mean anything. It's just a habit or whatever. Okay, so are we good on the Infargible Sin? Alright, question 10.

What is the first word of the Holy Spirit when it comes to salvation of the lost sinner? And this is about page 19, third paragraph. For those of you who wrote a track. What does it say is the first word of the Holy Spirit when it comes to salvation of the lost sinner?

Conviction of sin. Yep, that's what he brings out. And so what does the word conviction mean? Oh, you're really quick to say conviction, but you don't know what it means, huh? What? Make them believe it. Make them believe it. No, you can't make somebody believe it. So what is conviction? Guilty. Guilty. Others? See, you're really easy to read this. Conviction of sin. Conviction is a judgment. Judgment. Okay. Gary? Be made aware of. Would that be part of it? Be made aware of. Others?

Because we're really easy on conviction of sin, but we don't know what that means. It's more like convincing them of their position. Okay, convincing. Okay. Yeah. I mean, these are, you know, I go on these, you know, when I say these terms, what does it really mean? Conviction.

So I actually went to the world famous Webster's Dictionary. Oh, well, that's a good start there. The Webster's first is the act of convincing, especially in court. The second was the state of being convinced belief. I think that's relatively close and kind of a combination of both of those actually.

Convict, and if you look what convict means, convict means to prove or find guilty. So, prove or find guilty, convict of sin. I think that works. It means to prove or find guilty of sin. So, the first work is to convict of sin. So if you look at the basis of this, and what he brings out, we'll go over three different convictings he's going to go over, stems from John 16, 7-9. I'll start at verse 7. But I tell you the truth, it is your advantage, this is Christ speaking, it is your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

And when he comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." Concerning sin because they do not believe in me. So, the first part of this shows the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. That's where Riddack comes out with these three divisions of what the Holy Spirit will do in convincing and convicting. So, why will the Holy Spirit convict or convince of sin? Why does he do that? Lead them to truth. Lead them to truth?

It was just in the verse that I read. They're all madly looking. Which verse? John 16, verse 9. When he comes, we'll convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, why? Because they do not believe in me. That's why. They don't believe. So he's convincing them, convicting them of sin. Because they don't believe in him.

Okay? Again, I go back to my point. What is the only thing individuals can be judged on right now, today? Whether you know Christ or not. Okay? Whether or not they believe in Christ. Their sins have been paid for and now it's all about accepting the free gift of salvation through believing in the gospel message. Who is Christ? That's the key. Remember that with respect to the unpardonable sin. The only question still is who is Christ? Our sins will be convicted and convinced of our sins apart from Christ.

The reason why he does that? Because they don't believe. That's what it's done. So, this is brought out in page 20, paragraph 4. I'll write it out. One second. So, now the spirit in his work of conviction brings to this one fact to bear upon man's conscience. What has he done with Christ? What has been his thought of Christ? Basically the same thing that I say. The only question now is who is Christ? Yes? I guess I would go a step further then. You always do this. Why?

Because they don't believe in him. So being convicted of sin then helps people to believe? Yes, it's drawn to him. Because they don't believe. He's convicting them of their sin. How did you come to know the Lord? Did you just out of the blue say, hey, there I am? Yeah. Usually, it's brought to you, you're a sinner. Yeah, I got that big time. I tell you what. So this verse, Holy Spirit was really on you for that one. You didn't believe he's going to ramp it up four degrees on you. Yeah, for sure. It was everything I believed was wrong.

Right, but usually it's conviction of sin that you're a sinner, that you need a Savior. The Holy Spirit is here. Okay, so it's to say you have this sin and so it's because you don't believe and then you don't know that you need a Savior. Well, the convicting is that you do need a Savior. Right, and so that's how you would believe, to say like, you on your own are nothing. That's what the Holy Spirit is here to do. Got it. It's to say, convict you of your sin, because you need a Savior now. You can't be a good person and get... On your own, right.

Would you think that the word guilt, as far as the function of guilt factors into this at all? I hate the word guilt. Guilted in heaven. I think it's convicting. Going back to that Webster, the state of being convinced, belief, rather than guilt, I think that's more convincing you of who you are in Adam. You're a sinner. There's nothing you can do. There's a gulf between you and God that can't be bridged without Christ. So I think that's really what, it's a convincing, not as much guilt.

I mean there is, you know, I think the old man feels more guilt than, you know, I don't know, I just don't like guilt. Guilt is kind of... The way I understand it is conviction is the Holy Spirit drawing us to relationship. Guilt is the flesh trying to make us feel better next time. Exactly, I guess that's a good way to put it. I mean guilt is more the old man. Oh, you need to do a few push-ups.

You need to go do 15 confessions. Do you think that the Holy Spirit convicted or convinced Osama Bin Laden about the Lord Jesus? I don't think he did. But then if he didn't, then this isn't right. What? He said he's going to convict the world of sin. Yeah, he will convict them. He will convict the world. Okay. That's the judgment side. Well, our boy Osama was... He was convicted. Of? Sin. Sin. Yeah.

Because he didn't believe in Christ. He will convict... It's the convincing is of your sin, but he will convict them of their sin. See, I don't, in a lot of places if you look for the physical evidence that the Holy Spirit is doing his job, you don't see it. Because you look at Islam and Mormons and whatever. But the point is that if God says it in his word, then the Holy Spirit is doing his job. And I go back to even if, and this was last week's lesson, we're not Autobots. This is where all the selection, pre-selection, this still comes down to man's only non-meritorious act of faith. Do you believe or do you not? That's the only question.

And otherwise he wouldn't take it like you and he'd convict everybody and we'd all be in the family of God and we're down the road. So conviction doesn't necessarily mean salvation, it's just a persuasion that you're separated. Going back to the definition, it's a convincing, it's a belief. Say to being convinced, belief. I go into it, it's like the Holy Spirit, we use the word woowee. He's drawing you to, convincing you of your sin and drawing you to who? The Savior. So it's a convicting and a convincing. That's why the definition, when they look at it, the act of conviction, especially in a court, the legality of convicting you, but convincing you is the other, is the state of belief.

So when we get to the Great White Throne Judgment and these trillions of people show up before Christ, they're all going to acknowledge the fact that at some point they were confronted about Christ or to some degree or maybe their lack of relationship with God. And we talked about this last week, how strong the sin nature is, even at that point they are going to choose hell.

How do you see face-to-face with him and still choose him? There's no choice though, is there, at that time? They still will make that choice. It will still be, I'd rather choose hell than be with you. Yeah, that's right. And that just is mind-boggling to me. But they will. That's, again, how strong the same nature is. And why? When you really put all this together, it just makes so much sense.

The reason why we have to have the identification. The only and best thing for us was crucifixion, our co-crucifixion on the cross. The sin nature will never be better. Never. So God in his infinite wisdom gave us the ability to get out of Adam through co-crucifixion and be placed into Christ. It's the only way it can work. The only way.

There isn't a program out there that's going to fix up the sin nature. We've had 2,000 plus years since Christ. We've had 5,000 or 10,000 years since the fall to prove that the sin nature is not going to get better. No matter how many purpose-driven life programs we have, knowing God, whatever program you want, it's not going to help. The best and only solution is co-crucifixion with Christ. Separated from Adam. Done. Placed into Christ. It makes sense. All of this fits together.

So, hit the brakes. You mean to tell me, what does it say in the Bible that after we die and we come face to face with Christ or whoever judges us, however that works, that if a person that didn't make that choice is going to be given another chance? They won't be given another chance because of the fact they're still attached to Adam. They are still attached. And that's the thing.

No, no, they do not have... You were saying if they could choose. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, that was not a hypothetical. We don't deal with hypotheticals. But you said that. Thank you. Yeah, that's what I meant. That was what my question was. Did we get another choice? That was a hypothetical. That was not a valid choice for anyone. Okay. Let's see.

The reason why he does this is because they don't believe. So he's convicting it. I like, this is right on page 20, paragraph 4. So now the spirit, this is right out. So now, the spirit in his work of conviction brings this one thought, I read that, about man's conscience. What is done with Christ? What is his thought of Christ? It still comes down to that. Continuing on, on page 20.

Here is common ground for all, the lofty moralist, the delicate, refined woman, and the gross sensualist, all are alike concluded under sin, because they have not believed in Christ. Unbelief makes common company of all men. They would not have recognized the common tie in any other way.

They can look up and down those inferior in position and lower in morals, but here they are all together alike in this one fact which God has made the pivot. The argument is that when our Lord died, he bore and poured away all sin, that God does not look upon men as sinners because of what they have done, but simply because of their rejection of Christ. The only question left today is who is Christ?

I don't care if you're leading the Salvation Army, you've walked a thousand people across the street, you've been a firefighter, or you're the grossest Osama Bin Laden, whatever. You're all in the same boat. In the flesh, you're all in the same boat. This is the commonality, he's saying. It still all comes down to one question.

Who is Christ? What is He? Question 11. So what is the entire work of the Spirit with regards to the world? This goes back to John 16. It will be noticed that the entire work of the Spirit so far as the world is concerned is conviction or reproof in 16 ages. And He when He comes will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin. So whose work is it to convict the world of sin? Ours or his? What? Not us? What did he leave us here for? Aren't we supposed to be the champions out there? Is it our work? No. What? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit?

Wow, that takes me out of it. Knocks me right off my pedestal. Do you understand that? We've had that a couple of times in here about, you know, the worry of us trying to witness to somebody. That it's our responsibility. I did, you know. Who's that? I just talked to somebody the other day about that. And it was like, oh, you know, I said all the right things I tried to do, you know, and he just didn't respond. So, was that your duty? It was your day? Did the Lord put a little note on yours that it was your day to convict them? That it was your duty to convict them this day? I think you have to be careful there because you don't want to leave the impression that you don't do anything. The apathy aspect of it.

I'm just going to let God. I'll sit in my room and let God. Is that what happens? It's like Paul said in 1 Corinthians, or 2 Corinthians, he said he watered, or he planted, and Paul's watered, but it's God who gives the increase. So God may use you. as the conduit through which the words are presented. That's what I brought up last week.

Our good friend Sam Dalton, he's with the Lord now, as I said last week, he carried around a little flexible tube, and that's who he is. He's a little flexible tube to be used by God. He's nothing. He's just a conduit for the Holy Spirit to be used. So it's not that you just sit back and let God You're actually at a point where you realize that it's not you and it's the Holy Spirit. It takes all the pressure off. Now you can witness, do whatever, be used of God without any pressure. Because it's not your responsibility. It's the Holy Spirit. You're just to be used. When He puts you in a position to witness to somebody and you do, great. He had you there for a purpose. To be used.

But you're still sad when they don't. Oh yeah. The hardest ones are your family. Family who don't know, it's the hardest ones. But it's not your responsibility. You just be used flexible like a tube. When you're there, when you witness, you do it. But it's not your responsibility. And that takes the pressure off, which then allows you, I find, to witness much more effectively, because I'm not worried about it.

I've got to say those exact words or they're not going to come to know the Lord. And it's those exact words that turn people away. I know, but having my background, I know, you know, there's like the five steps. Well, you've got to say it just right, and the right verses, and the four spiritual laws, and I've got all those down, and here it is. And if they don't respond in the right way...

It's your responsibility. Now, that's the whole deal. That's why we're going through a lot of this with the Holy Spirit. Whose work is it? We're just to be used as a condiment. And when we're there, it frees us up. It's so much freeing to realize it's not. And it says God will bring to your remembrance scripture. So for that day, that purpose, that time, he had you there to say one word to one person. You know, that's true. One time I had occasion to meet an atheist. You know I'm kind of shy, basically. And I was saying things I had no idea of why or how they came out. And I thought, is that really me? And his wife kept saying, keep it up, keep it up. I think you're used to that point, that time.

There's other where it may be just a word. It may be your life is an example. That's what your function that day is. You know, I think, Mike, it was in the hope of whoever was saying, you know, your purpose maybe in life is just to be a flower along the road.

Just to be, witness the beauty in it and the fragrance. You know, we put all this burden on ourselves that we have to do this. That's the whole point of this. Is we don't just relax. Let God use you as a flexible condiment. You know, and don't feel the guilt. You know? God's in control of this.

And the Holy Spirit is the one driving it, convicting, convincing. It's His Word. What's interesting is that we're told that we should be prepared to give an account for why we believe in season and not of season. So that for us should draw us into God's Word and have an understanding of what is true and why it's true. But it is still fundamentally the Holy Spirit that will draw out that truth and convict a person. See, through the Identification, through all this, and knowing the Holy Spirit is doing it, it's freed me up much more to witness to people.

I don't have to worry about it. Did I say the right words? I don't worry about it. I may have, and as I said last week, I'm pointing to you for the witnessing, but three of them are coming back to me. Maybe I said the wrong word in my head, but that was to minister to me at that time. I just use it all because he's in control and using all these circumstances and all these different things for his purposes, both for the one you're witnessing to and to yourself. Why are you feeling guilty? You shouldn't feel guilty. I'm the one doing the work, the Holy Spirit.

There's so many things like this that I think the reason why we have this class is to understand that it puts you in a position of rest. You are just a vessel, a little tube. to be used whenever and wherever. I was going to say that several people I've talked to, it's that time that someone has with someone added to the 10 other times later that pieces it together. And then that person gets them to actually get saved if you are part of that plan. And that's the whole, as I said last week, we're a fast food generation. We want it now. God works in a whole different time frame. In the Corinthians, Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God is the one who does it. It's not like it's just watering one time. It's watering and watering. The whole thing is, He uses all of us.

Did you come to know the Lord the very first time the person said something to you? Gosh, no. I mean, you didn't respond to me. You didn't see the first word. I wouldn't be 48. How did that person feel? Because you didn't come to know the Lord that day.

Well, guess what? That was part one of 29. You know, the other thing that's rich is in Romans 8, 28, it says that the Lord uses all things. Yeah. And I look back at my own life, and even the times when there's the flesh, the Lord can still use that even if it's part of your testimony. So delaying your salvation. I look at Mike's life as an example. He's been in labor 35, right Mike? Yeah. So you have 35 years that the Lord could still use.

It's not a waste. We need to talk. I just want to do something real quick. I know we're late, but this was really good. I think this helps in our discussion. This was from The Hungry Heart yesterday, which I think would really hit home about what we are talking about today.

Faith does not create or produce, but rests and rejoices in what God has already done. His finished work at Calvary was the basis for our birth, and His completed work in our risen Lord Jesus is the source of our growth. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through death of His Son, it is much more certain now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved, daily delivered from sin's dominion through his resurrection life.

That's Romans 5.10. I like this. A great many people have the faith that seeks, but they have not a faith that rests.

Rest. The Lord Jesus is here. Rest in him. Let the burden go. Lord, I trust thee now. I abide in thee now. Lord, as I think about my home problems, My business pressures, my personal difficulties in every sphere of life, I bring them all and give them all to Thee.

And believe that He keeps you. I am sure this rest of faith is the center of all activity. You cannot work without friction until you have this rest of faith. Complete dependency not only on what the Lord has done, but on what He is to you this very moment.

Rest in Him. God is able to make all grace abound to you, that ye always, not sometimes, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound. unto every good work." That was great. Rest in faith. Faith doesn't produce anything. It just relies on what God has already done.

Alright, let's close and then we'll hand out some things. Father, we thank you for this time. Thanks again for all that you have spoken to us in your word about the Holy Spirit and the Helper that we have right now. We are merely conduits for you that the Holy Spirit can work through. We rest in that fact. We thank you that it is not our responsibility. We are just to be used as vessels in your hand. Father, so we just pray now just for Vernon upstairs again just to clearly bring us your word and prepare hearts to receive it. Father, we thank you for this time in Jesus name we pray. Amen.