The Holy Spirit

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all. . . And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him" 1 John 2:20,27

Devotion #8 of 14

THE MINISTERING SPIRIT, #3 Vivifying hope

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom 8:15-27). This is an insightful segment of Scripture. It provides us with required perspective, as well the environment into which faith has ushered us. Notice the prominence of God's Spirit in this passage. "The Spirit of adoption . . . the Spirit Himself . . . the firstfruits of the Spirit . . . the Spirit . . . the mind of the Spirit." God has related the Holy Spirit to our sonship, the confirmation of our sonship, the possession of the divine nature, assisting our condition of infirmity, and involvement with God in our behalf. All of these considerations are weighty; none are trivial. Although we are greatly handicapped by inability in the matter of expression, God has provided a means for our deep yearnings to be articulated to Him. The purpose for this arrangement is the allocation of resources to us, required to make it safely from earth to glory. The Holy Spirit is integral to every facet of our hope. We live in a universe that is also dominated by hope. The impersonal creation was cursed because of man's sin; destined to pass away. Creation was subjected to this vanity "not willingly," i.e., not because it rebelled against its Creator. Although unintelligible to us, the "whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now." It is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed, because at that time it also will be delivered from "the bondage of corruption," i.e., enslavement to death. The objective of this passage is the confirmation of our hope. In Christ, we are presently the sons of God. Although we are presently in an alienated world, we live in anticipation of "the world to come," in which infirmity will be utterly banished. Although we groan under the weight of corruption, the Spirit aids us in focusing upon the glory that is set before us. It is true that He uses means, the chief of which is the Holy Spirit. However, He also uses our desires, inclinations, and deep longings that transcend our abilities of utterance.