03-08-2008, 04:04 AM
L E S S O N 13
“He Must Increase” – The Instrument
We are talking about that first universal spiritual principle – 'the law of
increase' – which states that Jesus must increase. We said that
revelation is the beginning of this increase, discipleship is the
process of this increase, and the full knowledge of Christ is the goal of this
increase – individually in every disciple, corporately in the body of Christ, and
ultimately in all creation. Now we want to discuss the instrument God uses to
accomplish the increase of Christ. Maybe you've already figured it out by now, but
let's take a look at it.
You may be relieved to know that God's purpose does not depend upon the
weakness and frailty of men and women like you and me! Remember these
spiritual principles are laws that operate whether we understand them, agree with
them, or even know that they exist. These spiritual laws were operating before you
learnt about them and they'll continue to operate. He must increase, therefore He
will increase and He is increasing.
But what is the instrument of this increase? What method does God use to work
this increase of Christ so powerfully? What is the driving force behind this
increasing of Jesus? The instrument of the increase of Christ is the Holy Spirit!
In John chapter 14, beginning in verse 16, it says: “I will pray the Father and He
will give you another helper that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of
Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
Verse 26 of John 14: “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things
that I said to you.”
John 15:26: “But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of me.”
John 16:13: “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you
into all truth. For He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears,
He will speak. And He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will
take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
Now remember in Ephesians 1:17 Paul prayed for the Ephesians to receive the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. Now these are not all
the passages that speak of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but just from these
passages alone, we can conclude these things about the Holy Spirit: He is a helper:
He is a counselor: He is a comforter: He is a teacher: He will testify of Jesus: He
will glorify Jesus: He will give us understanding and reveal the depth of Christ to
us: He is the Spirit of Truth and He will lead us into all truth. And, since Jesus is
the Truth, the Holy Spirit will increase Jesus.
The scriptures that tell us about Jesus are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The ability to
understand those scriptures is given by the Holy Spirit. The fruit that comes from
abiding in Jesus is the result of the Holy Spirit. And so the Holy Spirit is the
instrument and the method and the means through which God accomplishes His
purpose of increasing Jesus.
And according to Jesus, this helper, this counselor, this comforter, this teacher will
abide with us for ever and will help us as we walk the narrow path towards the full
knowledge of Christ.
How wonderful are God's ways! His plan is perfect and His purpose will be
accomplished.
In our next lesson, to illustrate The “Law of Increase even further, we'll take a look
at some biblical examples of the increase of Christ.
QUIZ
Lesson 13 – “He Must Increase” – The Instrument
1. The driving force behind the increase of Christ, the instrument God uses to bring about this
increase of Jesus, is
a) Christian television
b) the Internet
c) the Holy Spirit
2. Jesus said the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and will lead us into all Truth. Jesus said He is
the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So the Holy Spirit will
a) lead us deeper into Jesus
b) glorify Jesus and seek His increase
c) continually reveal more of Jesus to us
d) all the above
3. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ in a number of ways. They include
a) understanding into the Scriptures
b) teaching us through our circumstances
c) counseling us when we seek direction
d) all the above
4. All the various workings of the Holy Spirit have one goal, one purpose, one mission: that is
a) the increase of spiritual experiences
b) the increase of charismatic churches
c) the increase of Christ
“He Must Increase” – The Instrument
We are talking about that first universal spiritual principle – 'the law of
increase' – which states that Jesus must increase. We said that
revelation is the beginning of this increase, discipleship is the
process of this increase, and the full knowledge of Christ is the goal of this
increase – individually in every disciple, corporately in the body of Christ, and
ultimately in all creation. Now we want to discuss the instrument God uses to
accomplish the increase of Christ. Maybe you've already figured it out by now, but
let's take a look at it.
You may be relieved to know that God's purpose does not depend upon the
weakness and frailty of men and women like you and me! Remember these
spiritual principles are laws that operate whether we understand them, agree with
them, or even know that they exist. These spiritual laws were operating before you
learnt about them and they'll continue to operate. He must increase, therefore He
will increase and He is increasing.
But what is the instrument of this increase? What method does God use to work
this increase of Christ so powerfully? What is the driving force behind this
increasing of Jesus? The instrument of the increase of Christ is the Holy Spirit!
In John chapter 14, beginning in verse 16, it says: “I will pray the Father and He
will give you another helper that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of
Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
Verse 26 of John 14: “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things
that I said to you.”
John 15:26: “But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of me.”
John 16:13: “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you
into all truth. For He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears,
He will speak. And He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will
take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
Now remember in Ephesians 1:17 Paul prayed for the Ephesians to receive the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. Now these are not all
the passages that speak of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but just from these
passages alone, we can conclude these things about the Holy Spirit: He is a helper:
He is a counselor: He is a comforter: He is a teacher: He will testify of Jesus: He
will glorify Jesus: He will give us understanding and reveal the depth of Christ to
us: He is the Spirit of Truth and He will lead us into all truth. And, since Jesus is
the Truth, the Holy Spirit will increase Jesus.
The scriptures that tell us about Jesus are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The ability to
understand those scriptures is given by the Holy Spirit. The fruit that comes from
abiding in Jesus is the result of the Holy Spirit. And so the Holy Spirit is the
instrument and the method and the means through which God accomplishes His
purpose of increasing Jesus.
And according to Jesus, this helper, this counselor, this comforter, this teacher will
abide with us for ever and will help us as we walk the narrow path towards the full
knowledge of Christ.
How wonderful are God's ways! His plan is perfect and His purpose will be
accomplished.
In our next lesson, to illustrate The “Law of Increase even further, we'll take a look
at some biblical examples of the increase of Christ.
QUIZ
Lesson 13 – “He Must Increase” – The Instrument
1. The driving force behind the increase of Christ, the instrument God uses to bring about this
increase of Jesus, is
a) Christian television
b) the Internet
c) the Holy Spirit
2. Jesus said the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and will lead us into all Truth. Jesus said He is
the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So the Holy Spirit will
a) lead us deeper into Jesus
b) glorify Jesus and seek His increase
c) continually reveal more of Jesus to us
d) all the above
3. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ in a number of ways. They include
a) understanding into the Scriptures
b) teaching us through our circumstances
c) counseling us when we seek direction
d) all the above
4. All the various workings of the Holy Spirit have one goal, one purpose, one mission: that is
a) the increase of spiritual experiences
b) the increase of charismatic churches
c) the increase of Christ