How The Holy Spirit Empowers You For Good Works

Hi, Jesus loves you

It is good to do good works and glorify the name of God. But how do you ensure that your works are good and acceptable before God? Acceptable works not only imparts lives at the present but also continues to speak long after you’ve gone. This post gives the place of the Holy Spirit in doing great works.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him – Acts 10:38 (NKJV)

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead – James 2:14-17 (NKJV)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

Jesus Christ was known for His good works and while on earth, He told His disciples in John 14:12, that anybody who believes in Him will not only do what He was doing but would do greater works because He was going to His Father. Christ departed to the father and the Holy Spirit, the Helper was sent to believers (John 16:7, Acts 2:1-4).

What are good works?

Good works comprise your everyday activities, Evangelical and charitable activities and signs and wonders that are good before God. They are not just good deeds but also your daily conduct before God: your thoughts, words and actions. They are things that are pleasing and acceptable before God.

They are your witnesses to the unbelievers, edifying examples to your fellow Christians and ways of representing Christ wherever you may be. They are proofs of your faith in Christ, for faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:14-17); and without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 6:11)

Also, good works are means of meeting the needs of others especially those of the Christian-fold. In addition, they are channels of manifesting God’s love and power.

Created for good works

As a Christian believer you are created in Christ Jesus for good works – Ephesians 2:10. It is part of God’s ordained plan for redemption. Christ gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself people who will be zealous for good works – Titus 2:14.

Good works have their root in Jesus Christ and are the resulting fruits. Therefore, acceptable works are only possible in Christ. You are able to do good works because you believe in Christ. Paul prayed in Colossians 1:10 that you walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

You should not neglect to do good and to share what you have because such works please God (Hebrews 13:16). In fact, as a Christian, you should be ready at all times for every good work – Titus 3:1

Holy Spirit empowers you for good works

The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus to do good works, He was anointed and He went about doing good – Acts 10:38. Pleasing and acceptable works are only possible through the help of the Holy Spirit, for it is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God – Zechariah 4:6. Works done in the flesh can never please God, it will only gratify you.

The Spirit of the Lord empowers you through:

• The word

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that you may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work – 2 Timothy 3:16-17. And prophecy of Scripture was given by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit through the word of God equips you for every good work. He gives you revelation and understanding of the scriptures, and the wisdom to apply them in your life – Ephesians 1:17-18. He brings to your remembrance the word of God at the time you need it so that you can bring forth good fruits.

• Anointing

Through the anointing of the Holy Spirit you can do the works that Jesus did and even greater works like He said in John 14:12. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will preach the gospel with boldness, heal the brokenhearted, set the captives free, give sight to the blind and set at liberty those who are oppressed – Luke 4:18.

Peter denied Christ publicly but when the Spirit of God came upon him, He stood before multitudes and witnessed for Christ and three thousand souls gave their lives to Christ (Acts 2:1-41). With the anointing upon them, many signs and wonders were done by the apostles – Acts 2:43

• Prayer and fasting

Through prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit tells you or makes clearer to you the good work God wants you specifically to do for Him. It makes you more sensitive to spiritual things and that makes it possible for the Spirit of God to reach out to you to teach and guide you.

In Acts 13:2, as Paul, Barnabas and some other prophets and teachers ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit confirmed that He had called Paul and Barnabas for a specific work. Fasting coupled with prayers empower you to access the deep things of God, by the help of the Spirit of God.

• Fellowship and Testimonies

Fellowshipping with people who do good works gives the Spirit of the Lord the opportunity to talk to you about them. It is also an avenue for Him to give you a better understanding of the benefits of good works and how to go about them, by what you see and hear from the people.

The scripture says in Proverbs 27:17 that as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (to show good or bad expression) and if the man is wise, his friend will be wise – Proverbs 13:20. So also if you fellowship with people who do good works, the Spirit of the Lord ensures that your works are good too.

Furthermore, testimonies are sure word of prophesy (2 Peter 1:19), which the Holy Spirit also uses to make clear to you the good works you should engage in. They are channels through which the Spirit of God tells you the steps or directions to take to arrive at your own testimony.

Good works attract applause from people but if it is not led by the Holy Spirit, it will only satisfy the flesh but will not be acceptable before God, for God looks at the heart and not at the outward appearance – 1 Samuel 16:7. The Spirit empowers you to live a life of good works no matter where you may be, enabling you to be an epitome of Christ in all that you do; for you will do things as unto the Lord – Colossians 3:23. You will be servant, boss, child, parent, teacher or pastor with good works to show.

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Ngozi Nwoke

Grace and peace of God be unto you.

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Image by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue