The work and ministry of the Holy Spirit began after Jesus ascended to the Father in heaven. He is the One Who reveals the finished work of Jesus, to the Church and the world. Even the life of the believer is dependent upon the Holy Spirit according to John 6:63 (Amplified), which says, "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
Without the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we simply take the Spirit of the Word and create another man-made religion from it. Even though the Word is Spirit, it can only be discerned through the Holy Spirit. His work is cut-out for Him and is an ongoing thing in the world and the Church. Everything in the new covenant must be revealed by the Holy Spirit in order to have it "profit" the family of God or the world.
Most of us can recall trying to read the Bible at one time or another and having it make no sense at all. But, when the Holy Spirit began moving in our lives, the Word became alive. This is the work that He is charged with in this dispensation. Without His illuminating and revealing the Life in the Word, it seems like simply any other book to us. We still struggle with miracles, tongues, healing and prophecy, as though they are "passed away." Until we allow the Holy Spirit His place in the ministry, we will simply not see everything Jesus has actually done for us.
We've mostly limited what Jesus has done for us, to forgiveness of sin and going to heaven. A limited few have gone a little further to the knowing of His voice and fellowshipping with Him in the Spirit. By failing to recognize the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit, we've missed most of what the Father wants in our lives. We've focused more on what we can't do rather than on what we can do. We've dwelt more on the suffering rather than the victory the suffering gained for us.
Many Christians stopped at the cross, instead of being raised together and "Seated together with Jesus at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places," like Ephesians 2:6 says. We've believed that these were future things instead of things that Jesus has already done. Only the Holy Spirit can make these things real in the believer's heart. We've accepted the death on the cross, but haven't always accepted the Life of His resurrection for ourselves.
The Church's thought life and actions have mostly centered on our past life as sinners. Most of our sermons have been about abstaining from sin. Although it is true we should abstain from sin, our life shouldn't be consumed by this. Our life should be consumed by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 (Amplified) says, "But I say, walk and live (habitually) in the Holy Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit) then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh of human nature without God)."
For centuries, the awareness of the flesh has dominated the awareness of the Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit's job to bring forth the revelation of who we are now and not who we used to be. The Holy Spirit has received from the Father, the work and ministry of bringing the Family of God into completeness and maturity. What a frustrating job that would be for anyone but Him. As He reveals a new light on the works of Jesus, we in turn, fight over it because it conflicts with what the flesh relationship with Jesus has conditioned us to believe.
1Corinthians 2:7-10 (Amplified) says, "But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden (from the human understanding) now revealed to us by God - (that wisdom) which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification (to lift us into the glory of His presence). None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory." Verses 9-10 say, "But on the contrary, as the scripture says; What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man (all that) God has prepared (made ready and keeps ready) for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed). Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit. For the Holy Spirit searches diligently, diligently exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the divine councils and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny)."
The above scripture tells us that the work of the Holy Spirit is to (by His Own self), reveal the hidden mysteries and counsels and profound things of God to His people and to the world. Things that man could never know on his own, are now available to the Church by the Holy Spirit. All of the mysteries of God are revealed to us by His Spirit.
As the God's family matures and the End of the Age is being reached, all the things the Father has desired for His children are ready to be revealed. Only the Holy Spirit can show us these things. We must begin to recognize and appreciate His ministry in these last days.
For most of the Church, we have only acknowledge Him in a very limited way. Most of us have been so very unfamiliar with Him that we considered His presence as our "having a hunch" or "something tells me" or "I feel like I was told to do this." We were afraid to even believe that the Holy Spirit was the One Who was dealing and speaking into our lives, lest someone would mock us or disassociate with us. We need to come to know Him.
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