Let’s ponder some of the deeper truths of God’s Word. The more we know these truths, the more we understand the absolute genius of their Author, and the more we love Him.  To truly know God is to love Him. Every believer needs to recognize at least seven ministries of God’s Holy Spirit.

The first ministry of the Holy Spirit is His regenerating work. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, or he would not see the kingdom of God (John 3:6). The Holy Spirit births the believer into the Kingdom of God. This birth – as with any birth – cannot happen without seed. The Holy Spirit guides God’s supernatural seed of the gospel into the soil of minds all over the world – generation after generation. His seed never fails to accomplish its purpose (Isaiah 55:10-11). The Spirt then germinates the seed and God’s life comes. God has clearly taught us this spiritual phenomenon through His word and through His creation: no seed, no birth (1 Peter 1:23-25).  One example comes to mind. God opened Lydia’s heart to heed the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14).  God caused Lydia to be born again through His word (1 Peter 1:3-5).

God’s amazing seed is birthing a new civilization of people, giving us a passport to a new destiny.  Instantly, after hearing and believing the gospel, we are born into a spiritual kingdom here on this earth now, yet we have become citizens of a heavenly kingdom (Philippians 3:20). We are truly pilgrims and strangers here (Hebrews 11:13).  While on this earth, we are to be good stewards of the gifts that God has given to us (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Why? We are destined to face the Judgment Seat of Christ (not based on our sin but our stewardship) and His glorious Marriage Supper. At that point, the King will take His throne and reign over all the earth.  This coming earthly Kingdom is what the majority of the Old Testament is all about: Jesus Christ as King will reign on His throne, and life will be restored to its pre-fall condition.  There will be true peace on earth.

The animals will be at peace. The nursing child will play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand in the viper’s den without being hurt. Why? The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9)

This kingdom will last for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-7). During this kingdom believers will reign with Christ as His heirs. The value of this heirship is being determined now, as we invest the gifts that we have received from the Holy Spirit. We are to do business until He comes (Luke 19:11-28; Ephesians 4:7-16).  

Following this kingdom, the believer’s destiny will change one last time. This universe and this earth will be destroyed in an instant (2 Peter 3:5-10) and we will be jettisoned in our Ark, the Lord Jesus Christ, to a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness will reign not for a limited time, but forever (Revelation 22:3-5).

This all starts with the amazing seed of the gospel. No seed, no birth! No gospel, no birth. Have you been born again?