THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR ASSURANCE Yesterday we saw how the witness of God's word is the basis for our assurance. What other help do we have? Each believer has the Holy Spirit's presence and witness in his heart. The Holy Spirit came into your life when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Read Acts 2:38. 'Repent ... and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' He is in you to make Christ real to you. He is there also to witness to you that you are a child of God. Romans 8:16 clearly states, 'The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.' He witnesses to us in at least two ways - we could call them positively and negatively. In a positive way, He assures you that you are God's child. He encourages you to look to God as your loving Father and He helps you to pray. Romans 8:26 says, 'The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us.' He acts positively. He can give you peace concerning the answers to your prayers. On the other hand the Holy Spirit will also speak to you about the things you should not do. Where He speaks in this way concerning something you have already done, it is called conviction. When you are tempted, the Holy Spirit will remind you that you are a child of God and that it would be wrong for you to act in this way. This is all part of the witness of the Spirit to your heart. There is also the witness of your changed life. Things you loved before have been replaced by new desires. It is all part of the work of the Holy Spirit living within you. REMEMBER THIS VERSE: 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.' (2 Corinthians 5:17) |
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