TEN WORKS OF THE HOLY GHOST

IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

INTRODUCTION

Act 2:37-42 

37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart [convicted], and said unto

Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in

the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of

the Holy Ghost.

39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that

are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save  yourselves

from this untoward generation.

41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 Matt 3:11-12                                                                                                                                         11 I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:                                                                                                                                          12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

 Our salvation begins biblically with hearing the Word unto conviction followed by repentance.  Now upon our water baptism we are promised that we will receive the Holy Ghost as a gift.  This gift of God to us brings at least the following ten works in our lives to help us toward maturity in Christ.  He, the Holy Ghost, at this point is the Father’s gift to us; He is as a well of water within us.  Initially He refreshes and cleanses us internally as individuals, applying the will, the Word, of God to our lives, specifically to our soul, our intellect, emotions and will.  Perhaps because of the very real misunderstandings, abuses and distortions of this gift, many of us never allow this personal well within ourselves to do more than minister a confidence that we are somehow saved and on our way to heaven.  However, this well can become a river springing to an overflowing and out flowing ministry of the ten works mentioned below; and, this overflow is not just for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.  Setting the abuses and distortions aside, this river alludes to the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  That is, just as the good work of God that has been done by the gift, the well on the inside of us, that very gift is now pouring as a river out from us to the help of those around us.  Let us consider this truth as we look at these ten works.  Remember, the gift of the Holy Ghost (the well of living water inside us; John 4:14) does these ten works inside of us for our personal benefit; and, the baptism of the Holy Ghost (our personal well becoming a public river of water flowing out from within us; John 7:37-39 below) is the outworking of these same ten works for the benefit of others.

John 7:37-39

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast [Feast of Tabernacles], Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

CONTINUIED