The Holy Spirit: The Testifier

John 15:26-27 ESV
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds
from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with
me from the beginning.

-Other translations use the word “Testify” and “Testifier.” It is a legal term that means to corroborate, back up, give evidence to.

1. The Holy Spirit is God With Us.

   • Matthew 1:23: “Immanuel,” or “God with us”
   • John 16:7, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
   • The Holy Spirit is not a “junior partner” in the firm. He is God and He dwells within us!
   • Romans 8:16… “His Spirit testifies with our spirit” This is called Partnership!

2. The Holy Spirit is our “Testifier.”

   • There is a realm that the Holy Spirit can operate in that Jesus could not in His physical capacity. That
     realm is the infilling of the Holy Spirit in all believers!
   • Through believers, the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit of the kingdom.
   • This happens through testifying of who the Father is and what Jesus has done to bring us back into relationship with the Father!
   • You and I are needed as vehicles to produce fruit in our partnership with the Holy Spirit!
   • “The Holy Spirit is a force of boldness that empowers the believer to do what you could not do under your own limitations of your humanity! God operates through you!”*

3. The Holy Spirit and “Empowering Boldness”
   • Acts 4:7-8
   7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…
   • Acts 4:13
   Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
   • Acts 4:29-31
   29 “… And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are
   performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

“Our injustices do not hinder us from boldness and testimony.
Our injustices are where God shows up the strongest!”

• Peter and John were on mission! Their mission was not to win the hearts of the religious council, their
  mission was to operate in boldness as they partnered with the “testifier” who lived with them! Their
  mission was to see men saved and filled with the Holy Spirit!

• Acts 4: 33
  *And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.*