Fruitful Living
Holy Spirit
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: In regard to sin, because men do not believe in me, in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what He hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you – John 16:7-15 NIV
INTRODUCTION
How can we think of the Holy Spirit as a Person rather than an impersonal force? What does it mean to be baptized by the Spirit, to be filled by the Spirit? Are the gifts of the Spirit for today?
On Sunday May 31, 2020 we celebrate Pentecost but for many of us the true meaning is lost on us. Let us therefore spend a little time meditating on the essence of Pentecost; the fulfillment of God’s prophesies in both the Old and New Testament.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared to the apostles like “flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person there” – Acts 2:3. The church age began as the apostles were “filled with the Holy Spirit” and “began to speak different languages by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them” – Acts 2:4. Then, and now, people are dramatically changed as the Spirit enters their lives.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON
But who is the Holy Spirit, and is the same power that came upon the apostles at Pentecost available to us today? To begin with, the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity: He is God-coequal, co-existent, co-eternal with the Father and the Son. He possesses all the attributes of deity.
He regenerates the believing sinner. He baptizes us into the universal body of Christ. He indwells all who have been converted. He seals us, keeping every believer securely in the family of God. He fills us, taking control of our lives as we remove any impediments and yield to Him.
OUR HELPER
For us as believers, the Holy Spirit is more than a theological construct. He is the One sent to us by the Father and the Son to be our Helper – John 14:15. The Greek root from which the English word “Helper” comes is a combination of two Greek terms, para (alongside) and kaleo (to call). He is the One whom our Lord “calls alongside” for the purpose of giving us assistance in our Christian lives. He is the flame whose presence within gives us eternal life.
HE BAPTIZES US INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST
In 1 Corinthians 12:13, we are told that we have been “baptized” by the Spirit into the universal body of Christ, the church – For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greek, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Every child of God has been identified with and made a part of the body. Romans 8:9 says the same thing in different words. If you are a Christian, you have the Spirit living within you at all times; if you are not a Christian, you do not have the ]Spirit.
WE ARE TO BE FILLED
God wants the flame of the Holy Spirit to ignite our lives. But we must fly closer to the flame to have that experience. Ephesians 5:18 contains a command that we are to be filled, and keep being filled, with the Spirit. Interestingly, in the Scriptures we are never commanded to “be baptized” or “be indwelt by the Sprit! or “be gifted!” or “be sealed” But here in a context of various commands, we are clearly commanded to “be filled with the Spirit!” To obey this command certain conditions must be fulfilled:
- We cannot be filled with the Spirit while we have known and unconfessed sin present within us.
- We cannot be filled with the Spirit while we are walking against God’s will and depending upon ourselves. So the filling of the Spirit not only means our lives are totally available to God, but it also includes such things as keeping short accounts, being sensitive to whatever may have come between us and Him, and depending on him for our daily living.
WE ARE TO BE CONTROLLED
When we are “following the Spirit” when “the Spirit is leading” us – Gal. 5:16, 18, we are filled with the Spirit. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature, vs 18 – But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
He is then able to work through us, speak through us, use us, direct us without restraint, and empower our gifts and our efforts in ways we could never accomplish on our own. It isn’t that we need more of the Spirit (an impossibility); it is that we need His power, His working, His cleansing, His freeing. And as He fills us, all that and so much more takes place:
HOLY SPIRIT’S MINISTRY
A Christian who is baptized and filled with the Spirit is also gifted and taught by the Spirit – But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: In regard to sin, because men do not believe in me, in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what He hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you – John 16:7-15 NIV
Some of the results of the Holy Spirit’s ministry include:
- Biblical insights we would otherwise have missed.
- A sudden awareness of God’s will or the presence of a danger or a sense of peace in the midst of chaos.
- A surge of bold confidence in a setting where there would otherwise have been fear and hesitation.
- A quiet, calm awareness that we are not alone, even though no one else is actually with us.
- The undeniable, surrounding awareness of evil, even the dark sinister presence of demonic forces.
- An awareness of our own sinfulness and need of repentance.
- An understanding of the gifts the Holy Spirit has imparted to us, and of the power He provides to exercise those gifts as we read in Romans 12:6-8.
Stay Blessed!
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Health experts generally agree that mental health is not simply the absence of illness but the presence of qualities that allow individuals to live fulfilling and purposeful lives. Among the most recognised components are:
Wellbeing – This refers to emotional stability, peace of mind, and the ability to maintain balance during life’s ups and downs. In Islam, gratitude (shukr) is emphasised as a foundation of wellbeing: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour].” (Qur’an 14:7). A thankful heart fosters optimism and resilience, reducing stress and anxiety.
Personal abilities – Mental health involves recognising one’s strengths and limitations and making productive use of them. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. highlighted the value of strength, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664).
Coping strategies – Resilience is essential for managing stress and adversity. The Qur’an provides reassurance: “Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (Qur’an 94:6). Effective coping prevents temporary setbacks from becoming long-term crises.
Productivity – A sound mind enables individuals to contribute positively to their work, studies, or trade. Islam values effort: “And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives.” (Qur’an 53:39).
Contribution to society – Good mental health extends beyond the individual, fostering social harmony. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught: “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.” (Daraqutni, Hasan Hadith).
Together, these components demonstrate that mental health is both a spiritual and practical pursuit, aligning Islamic principles with modern psychology.
The Islamic perspective on mental health
Islam does not deny the reality of psychological suffering. The Qur’an and Sunnah acknowledge sadness, anxiety, and grief as natural human experiences. For example, Prophet Yaqub (Jacob, peace be upon him) cried until he lost his eyesight due to grief over Yusuf (Joseph) (Qur’an 12:84). This demonstrates that emotional distress is not a sign of weakness in faith but part of the human journey.
The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم also recognised worry and sadness. One of his daily supplications was: “O Allah, I seek refuge in you from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by men.” (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 6369).
Classical scholars also wrote extensively about emotional balance. Imam Al-Ghazali, in Ihya Ulum al-Din, discussed the purification of the heart from diseases such as envy, arrogance, and despair, which today parallel cognitive and emotional disorders. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya emphasised patience (sabr) and hope (raja’) as remedies for distress, noting that despair is among the gravest of spiritual illnesses.
Crucially, Islam encourages seeking medical treatment. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 3855). Thus, combining prayer, counseling, and medical care is part of a balanced Islamic approach.
- Imam Alhaji Saeed
Abdulai, the Author
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Finally, how can we become holy? Holiness only results from a right relationship with God by believing in Jesus Christ as Saviour (accepting His gift of eternal life). If we have not placed our faith in God’s Son alone to save us from our sins, then our pursuit of holiness is in vain. So, we must first make sure we are born again believers – John 3.
If we truly are believers, then we recognise that our position in Christ automatically sets us apart from the world – 1 Peter 2:9. After all, we have a relationship with the living God! Then we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to “blend in” with the world, but instead living according to God’s Word as we study the Bible and grow in it.
In Mark 7:9-16, the Lord Jesus tells us that the way we think is what defiles us and robs us of truth and holiness. The Pharisees had replaced God’s rules of faith and holiness with their own rules and regulations which they tried to force people to follow.
They saw themselves as experts of God’s word but promptly added so much to it that it was no hope of God. It is idolatry to claim that our interpretation of God’s word is as important as God’s word itself, and it is especially dangerous to set up unbiblical standards for others to follow.
We should always look to Christ Jesus for guidance about our behaviour, for He alone is the visible image of the invisible God as we read in Col. 1:15-19:
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.”
Walking in the truth and holiness
Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians speaks a lot about walking in truth and holiness. I would like to focus on what he says as a means of grasping the sheer privilege of being God’s channel for truth and holiness. This is found in Eph. 4:17-32 and I shall take it by the verses.
Introduction
- In Eph. 4:1, we saw where Paul began to describe our “duty” to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”
- In doing so, he first called us to “walk together in unity” by admonishing us to:
a. Display the “attitude” crucial for maintaining unity – Eph. 4:2-3;
b. Understand the “basis” of the unity we have in Christ – Eph. 4:4-6;
c. Utilise the “gifts” given by Christ to His church that serve to keep the body of Christ together and growing – Eph. 4:7-16. - In the last half of chapter four – Eph. 4:17-32, Paul continues to describe the sort of “walk” that is worthy of our calling, especially as “a holy temple in the Lord.”
a. Whereas the first half emphasised “Walking Together in Unity;”
b. This section emphasises “Walking in Truth and Holiness.”
- Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee,
the author
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