Because the Spirit is at work in our lives, we can become more like Christ. His work, however, demands a response. We must renew our minds with Scripture, submit to the wisdom of God’s Word, and prayerfully depend on God’s Spirit to empower us to grow in grace.

Spiritual growth is possible because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit actively works in our lives to make us more like Christ. He accomplishes His sanctifying work in a number of different ways:

He Intercedes for Us – Ro. 8:26-27

There are times when we simply do not know what we should pray for. Life becomes so overwhelming that we feel like we can’t even find the words to pray. In those moments, we can take heart in the fact that the Spirit overcomes our weakness by praying on our behalf. With full knowledge, wisdom, and power, He prays for those things that perfectly match God’s will for our lives. As one Bible teacher notes, “Our failure to understand God’s purposes and plans, to ‘see the beginning from the end,’ does not mean that effective, powerful prayer for our specific needs is absent.”[1] Knowing that the Spirit is praying for us gives us quiet confidence in the power, presence, and purposes of God in times of uncertainty or suffering.

He Assures Us – Ro. 5:5; 8:15-16

Through His assuring ministry, the Spirit makes us increasingly aware of God’s unwavering love for us in Christ. He plants within our hearts a love for the Lord and a growing understanding of His love for us. The Spirit confirms the genuineness of our salvation by the fruit He produces (Gal.5:22-23) and the power that He supplies for holiness and service (Acts 1:8; Ro.8:13).

The Spirit assuring us is part of His teaching ministry. He enables us to lay hold of the precious promises of God’s Word. As our minds are renewed through the Scriptures, He assures us that we are indeed God’s children.

He Comforts Us

The Spirit gives believers a joy and peace that the world cannot understand (Jn. 14:27; 15:11). In times of trouble and distress, the Spirit ministers His life-giving presence, peace, and comfort as we draw near to the Lord through prayer and the Word. In fact, one of the names of the Spirit is Comforter / Helper (Jn. 14:26; 15:26). The Spirit not only provides comfort, but also joy in the midst of our struggles.

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