Topical Bible: The Power of the Holy Spirit: Exhibited in Working Miracles

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The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, is a central figure in the Christian faith, known for His role in empowering believers and manifesting the divine will through miraculous works. The power of the Holy Spirit is vividly displayed throughout the Scriptures, particularly in the New Testament, where His presence is associated with the performance of miracles that affirm the message of the Gospel and the authority of Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Foreshadowing

While the explicit mention of the Holy Spirit is more prevalent in the New Testament, the Old Testament contains instances where the Spirit's power is implied in miraculous events. For example, the Spirit of God is said to have come upon individuals like Samson, enabling him to perform feats of strength beyond human capability (Judges 14:6, 15:14). These instances foreshadow the more direct and widespread activity of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

The Ministry of Jesus Christ

The Gospels provide numerous accounts of Jesus performing miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him like a dove (Matthew 3:16). This event marks the commencement of His public ministry, characterized by miraculous signs and wonders. Jesus Himself acknowledges the Spirit's role, stating, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor" (Luke 4:18).

Throughout His ministry, Jesus performs miracles such as healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead, all through the power of the Holy Spirit. These acts serve as a testament to His divine authority and the inbreaking of God's kingdom. In Matthew 12:28, Jesus declares, "But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" .

The Apostolic Age

After Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the apostles at Pentecost, empowering them to continue His work. Acts 2:4 describes this pivotal moment: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" . This event marks the birth of the Church and the beginning of a new era of miraculous activity.

The apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, perform numerous miracles that confirm their message and demonstrate the power of God. Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple gate (Acts 3:6-8), and many signs and wonders are performed by the apostles, leading to the growth of the early Church (Acts 5:12-16). The apostle Paul, too, is empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform extraordinary miracles, such as healing the sick and casting out evil spirits (Acts 19:11-12).

The Purpose of Miracles

The miracles performed through the power of the Holy Spirit serve several purposes within the biblical narrative. Primarily, they authenticate the message of the Gospel and the messengers who proclaim it. In Mark 16:20, it is noted, "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it" .

Additionally, miracles demonstrate the compassion and love of God, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of individuals. They also serve as a foretaste of the coming kingdom, where suffering and death will be no more. The miraculous works of the Holy Spirit point to the ultimate restoration and redemption that God promises to His people.

The Continuation of Miraculous Gifts

The New Testament suggests that the power of the Holy Spirit to work miracles is not limited to the apostolic age. In 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit, including the working of miracles, as manifestations given for the common good. This implies that the Holy Spirit continues to empower believers to perform miraculous works as He wills, for the edification of the Church and the advancement of God's kingdom.

In summary, the power of the Holy Spirit, as exhibited in working miracles, is a profound testament to the active presence of God in the world. Through these miraculous acts, the Holy Spirit confirms the truth of the Gospel, demonstrates God's love and power, and provides a glimpse of the future glory that awaits believers.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 15:19
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

John xvi. 6-Apr
... He is able to do with the Father, and the Holy Ghost the ... ye may know that the Son
of Man hath power on earth ... cx10.) Now let us see the Spirit also performing ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily lxxviii john xvi 6-apr.htm

Acts XVII
... sake." [393] The power of the Holy Spirit, working miracles before them ... waiting for
them in Athens, his spirit was roused ... to all other gods in power and majesty ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvii.htm

Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha ...
... They were Fathers, who, as they exhibited only one ... protection defended, by his mighty
power preserved in ... make Satan's ministers the organs of the Holy Spirit! ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/of passages from the holy.htm

The Universal Gift
... the secular, if we may use that word, as exhibited in the ... Power is duty; endowment
is obligation; capacity prescribes work. ... 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the universal gift.htm

Acts XIII
... to this time, while they both exhibited miraculous powers ... and be filled with the
Holy Spirit." [263] Immediately ... of the apostolic office was the power to work ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

Matt. I. 17
... dominion over them, then to display His own power; which he ... How, I pray thee, did
the Spirit frame that Temple? ... Having said that it was of the Holy Ghost, and ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily iv matt i 17.htm

The Mind which was in Christ Jesus. Rev. George Wood.
... or altogether indifferent, to the temptations to popularity and power to which ... sympathy
is the very genius of our holy religion"the spirit which it ...
/.../king/the wesleyan methodist pulpit in malvern/the mind which was in.htm

Acts II
... soon as they became possessed of the promised power, exhibited to the ... uniform testimony
of recorded facts, that the power of the Holy Spirit took immediate ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts ii.htm

Of the Words of St. Matthew's Gospel, Chap. Iii. 13, "Then Jesus ...
... saith He,"to lay down My life, and I have power to take it ... down the soul;" believe
that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be exhibited separately, by ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon ii of the words.htm

The First Sign --The Marriage in Cana.
... was given of the ends for which that power would be ... that to be holy as He is holy
we are ... by entering into these with a gladdening, purifying, elevating spirit. ...
/.../v the first signthe marriage.htm