The “priority” of the Holy Spirit!
How important is He in the lives of believers?
One verse, Old Testament, helps put the answer in perspective.
Nehemiah is praying. He is thinking of God’s goodness to the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. Then he observes: “Thou (Lord) gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.” Nehemiah 9:20
Look at the “list” in the verse.
“Thy Spirit,” the Holy Spirit is first!
Then “food and drink” follow!
As if to say that the Holy Ghost is far more critical to a Christian than is his or her very diet! More significant than the food one eats! Wow!
And isn’t that, in essence, what Jesus said to the devil long ago? During the temptation in the wilderness? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4, God’s Words (spiritual things) sustain life … more than daily bread?
Again …
Our Lord was teaching us how to pray. Matthew 7:11 has His words recorded: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give GOOD GIFTS unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give GOOD THINGS to them that ask him?”
But look how Luke records the same event, the same response. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the HOLY SPIRIT to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13
All good things in sum … THE HOLY SPIRIT!
The Best Gift of all!
The “Spirit” here outweighs the body (food and drink), obviously!
Now let me try to equate the Holy Spirit and the very Word of God!
In Colossians 3:16-17 we are told: “Let THE WORD of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
But in Ephesians 5:18-20 (the parallel passage) we read: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with THE SPIRIT: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In Colossians the Word does these wonderful things, triggers them.
In Ephesians the Holy Spirit does!
Amazing!
So, back to the first line in today’s lesson, THE PRIORITY OF THE SPIRIT!
I hope I have proved my case.
He (the Holy Spirit) is indispensable in pursuing the Christian life.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell