Theology Conference - Session 1

Dr. Haykin's flight was cancelled this morning, so he will not be arriving until late tonight. Instead, Pastor Ryan shared several scriptures that show different aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit from creation through Revelation, thus showing why we need to understand who He is and His work. He quoted from this sermon by C.H. Spurgeon:

[M]y Brethren, our faith stands not in the wisdom of man nor in the eloquence of human lips, but in the power of God, then in vain do we make a profession unless the Holy Spirit dwells in our inner man. So dependent is the Christian Church upon the Holy Spirit, that there never was an acceptable sigh heaved by a penitent apart from Him. Never did a holy song mount to Heaven except He gave it wings! Never was there true prayer or faithful ministry except through the power and might of the Holy Spirit!

Sinners are never saved apart from the Spirit of God. No moral persuasion, no force of example, no pretence of logic, no might of rhetoric ever changed the heart. The living Spirit alone can put life into dead souls. And when those souls are quickened, we are still as dependent as ever upon the Spirit of God. To educate a soul for Heaven is as much a Divine task as to emancipate a soul from sin. To comfort a desponding Christian. To strengthen his weak hands and confirm his feeble knees. To brighten the eyes of his hope and to give him nerve to hold the shield of his faith—all these are the work of the Spirit of the living God!

O Christian, with all the power you have received, you have not strength enough to live for another second, except as the Spirit of God quickens you! All your past experience, all that you have learned and acquired must go for nothing, except, daily and perpetually, moment by moment, the Spirit of God shall dwell in you and work in you mightily,to keep you still a pilgrim traveling to the gate of Heaven .

This was a balm to my tired soul tonight - to praise the Lord in song, to worship Him in the Word, to be encouraged that the Spirit is with us every step of the way, and every step we take is because of His faithful work.

I'm looking forward to learning more about the third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit.