Holy Spirit and Other Spirits

¹³ For you have been called to live in freedom (liberty), my brothers and sisters. But do not use your freedom (liberty) to satisfy your sinful nature (flesh, selfish human nature without God). Instead, use your freedom (liberty) to serve one another in love. ¹⁴ For the whole law (considering human relationships) can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you are always biting and devouring one another (in partisan strife), watch out! Beware of destroying one another. ¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit (continually) guide your lives. Then you will not be doing what your sinful nature (flesh) craves. ¹⁷ The sinful nature (flesh, selfish human nature without God) wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature (flesh) desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed (guided) by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law of Moses. ¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (flesh), the results are very clear: sexual immorality (adultery, fornication), impurity, lustful pleasures (indecency), ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery (witchcraft), hostility (enmity), quarreling (strife), jealousy, outbursts of anger (ill temper), selfish ambition (selfishness), dissension, division (factions, sects with peculiar opinions), ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. ²² But the Holy Spirit (God’s inward Presence) produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance, longsuffering), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, ²³ gentleness (humility, meekness), and self-control (self-restraint). There is no law against these things! ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus (Messiah) have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature (flesh, selfish human nature without God) to His Cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke (irritating) one another, or be jealous (envious) of one another. Galatians 5:13-26 (NLT)

There are many spirits in our world. The Evil One sends his evil or unclean spirits (e.g., see 1 Samuel 16:14-16; 1 Samuel 19:9; Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 9:25; Ephesians 2:2-3) while the Holy One (God) sends His Holy Spirit to His faithful people (e.g., see Acts 10:44-47; Acts 15:7-9; Acts 11:17-18). The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity, also known as the Godhead. The Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son-Jesus, and God the Spirit (e.g., see Genesis 1:1-3; 26-27; Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:16, 26; John 16:13-15; John 20:21-22; Romans 15:16, 30; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 4:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 John 4:2, 13-14; Jude 20-21).

Through the Holy Spirit, the true and living God discloses His personal Presence and power in the world, especially in the church. The Holy Scriptures most often present the Holy Spirit as present to do God’s works and will in the world through His faithful people such as the apostles and the prophets (e.g., see 2 Peter 1:21). After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit is now the primary manifestation of the power and presence of God (see Acts 2).

Everyone can freely receive God’s Holy Spirit when one genuinely repents (ask God for forgiveness), turn from sin, and turn to God in Jesus with wholehearted trusts and obedience (e.g. see, John 3:5-8; John 7:38-39; Acts 2:38-40; Acts 11:15-17). With our genuine repentance and faith, God graciously regenerates believers (by which God imparts a new life to us), justifies believers (by which God graciously gives us right legal standing before Him and declares us righteous), and brings adoption (in which God makes believers members of His family) (e.g. see, John 1:12-13; John 3:15-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 3:26-29). God through His Holy Spirit comes to live within a believer’s heart reminding believers of God’s continual love and presence (e.g., see Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19). All of these blessings occur at our salvation when we trust God’s Son Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the fullness and likeness of God (e.g., see 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:1-4).  

With all the blessings that come by faith, the next step is sanctification. Sanctification is a progressive work that continues throughout our Christian lives. With sanctification, God and believers cooperate, unite, and work together to continually turn believers away from sin and give believers God’s character and Jesus’ likeness in their thoughts as well as their words, and deeds (e.g. see 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Justification (salvation, born again) is ENTIRELY God’s work through faith in God’s Son, Jesus (e.g. see, Ephesians 2:8-9). Thus, God saves no one by good works but God does save us for continual good works and deeds (see Ephesians 2:8-10). Once we have been born again by God’s Holy Spirit, a believer cannot continue to sin as a habit or pattern of life (e.g. see, 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18).

In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul instructs believers in Jesus to follow wholeheartedly the ways of the Holy Spirit and not our previous selfish natures. Through our faith and obedience in God’s Son Jesus, God the Father has made us free from sin, declared us righteous, and bring His Holy Spirit to live inwardly within our hearts (Galatians 5:1, 5, 11; see also John 8:31-32; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:1-5, 9). Now, the Apostle Paul encourages all believers of Jesus to use our freedom and grace to love and help one another (Galatians 5:6, 8; see also Matthew 22:34-40; Ephesians 2:10; James 2:18-22). The true and living God has not given believers freedom and His grace to do wrong and evil but freedom to love and serve each other (see Galatians 5:13). The Apostle Paul remains the early church that the whole Law can be summed up in this one command: “Love others as you love yourself” (Galatians 5:14; see also e.g., Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43-48; John 13:34-35; John 15:17; Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 9:19). Thus, the Apostle Paul teaches the church to show genuine love and kindness towards others and not to be critical and judgmental and such behavior hurt one another (see Galatians 5:15).

Moreover, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church to make an effort to obey and follow the Holy Spirit’s instructions (see Galatians 5:16). According to the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit, which is the very Presence of God, will lead and guide all believers of Jesus in the ways of God and away from evil and sin (Galatians 5:16-17, 25; see also Romans 8:5-14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 5:11). The Apostle Paul warned the church to actively turn away from evil and selfishness because evil and darkness always produce the following evil deeds and fruit:

“. . . being sexually unfaithful (fornication), not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshiping gods (idolatry), doing witchcraft (sorcery and magic), hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. . . .” Galatians 5:19-21 (NCV)

Then, these Apostle Paul warned the church that those who do such evil and selfish deeds will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21; see also e.g., Colossians 3:5-6; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 21:8, 27; Revelation 22:15).

Next, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church to follow God’s ways and live with our whole hearts and minds by God’s Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22; see also Matthew 7:15-20; Romans 8:5). God’s Holy Spirit will lead to faithful believers of Jesus to produce the following good deeds and fruit:

“. . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . . .” Galatians 5:22-23 (NCV).

The Apostle Paul reminds the church that there is no law that says these good deeds and actions are wrong (Galatians 5:23; see also Colossians 3:12-17). Everyone who genuinely loves and obeys Jesus actively turns from evil and selfishness and actively turn to God found in Jesus by God’s Holy Spirit inwardly working inside one’s hearts and minds (Galatians 5:24; see also John 14:15; Romans 6:6-7; Romans 8:3-5, 8-9; 12-13; Romans 13:14). The Apostle Paul wants ALL believers of Jesus to focus their hearts and minds on God by obeying and following God’s ways and not evil and evil deeds (Galatians 5:25; see also Romans 13:14;  Philippians 4:8-9). Evil leads to death, depression, and destruction but following God’s ways lead to life (see Galatians 6:8).

Finally, the Apostle Paul encouraged believers in Jesus NOT to become prideful troublemakers filled with jealous and envy (Galatians 5:26; see also Philippians 2:1-4). The Apostle Paul taught that Jesus, being in very nature God, humbled Himself and also walked in loving obedience to God ( see Philippians 2:6-11). As believers of Jesus, we have a new life from God’s Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25). So, we must follow God’s Holy Spirit and produce good fruit and good deeds because such goodness brings glory to God (Matthew 5:3-16; Luke 6:23; see also Psalm 34:11-14; 1 Corinthians 10:31)! Every believer can produce good fruit living by the Holy Spirit’s power and wholeheartedly seeking God in Jesus (see Romans 8:2-4, 12-17).

References

Amplified Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987).

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994).