9 Works of the Holy Spirit Found in Romans 8

Romans 8 is arguably the greatest chapter in the greatest book in the Bible. Am I allowed to say that? Probably. I believe all scripture is God’s word. I believe that it is God-breathed, inerrant, infallible, and inspired. When I say Romans 8 is arguably the greatest, I mean it is packed with a ton of spiritual nutrients. If someone told me I could only have one chapter of the Bible on a desert island, Romans 8 would be in the top five. I have read this chapter countless times, but this time something new stuck out to me: Paul mentions 9 different works of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8. I’m going to break each one down. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, not a force or thing. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “he” in John 16:13, so I am also referring to the Holy Spirit as “he.”

1. He Set Me Free

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

When I placed my faith in Jesus Christ as my savior and made him Lord of my life, I was sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Paul writes about the law often in chapters 1-7, but to sum it up, I am a sinner who broke the law countless times and I owe the penalty for breaking the law: death. Thanks be to God that the Holy Spirit has set me free in Christ from the bondage and penalty of the law. I am a free man!

2. He Guides Me

4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Paul makes it clear that I have two choices in all I say, think, and do: set my mind on the flesh or set my mind on the Spirit. This means that if I set my mind on the Spirit, he guides me, prompts me, and leads me. Setting my mind on the Spirit is how I live and walk according to the Spirit. That’s how we please God, obey God, grow into the image of Christ, and produce fruit. I can either be in step with the Spirit, or hostile to God, these are the only options listed.

3. He Dwells in Me

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

The Holy Spirit works in us, on us, and through us because he in fact lives inside of Christians. Ephesians tells us that the Holy Spirit seals our salvation. He is in me and I am in him.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

This should give great assurance that God never leaves us and is always with us. David knew this:

Psalm 139:7
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

As the seal of salvation, he will never leave the elect, confirming all the promises listed in Romans 8:31-39.

4. He Gives Life

10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

My flesh is dead because of my sin until I am made alive in Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in me because I have been justified and deemed righteous by the blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one sanctifying me daily, breathing life into me, producing fruit, and transforming me by the renewing my mind.

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

5. He Empowers Me to Put Sin to Death

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

I am incapable of moral perfection. I cannot stop sinning on my own. Every time I have decided to start a good habit or stop a bad habit, I trip up and fail. Praise God that he does not expect his children to grow up all on their own. I am able to put to death the deeds of the body, ONLY by the Holy Spirit’s power. Paul makes it clear in Romans 7 that we are at war with sin, and on our own we cannot win. The Spirit renews our mind, stirs our affections for Christ, leads us towards righteousness, and enables us to kill sin.

6. He Confirms My Adoption

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

This one is my favorite. Most of the time when we think about the work of the Holy Spirit we think about the gifts. But, Paul is reminding us in this chapter that the “ordinary” work of the Holy Spirit is more fantastic than we realize. The Holy Spirit is within me constantly speaking truth to my own spirit, reminding me that I am adopted by God almighty. This is supernatural work, and I am grateful that the Holy Spirit is working hard. The world, the flesh, and the devil are constantly feeding me the lie that I must work to earn and keep the love of God. The lie that my adoption is temporary, but I have someone fighting for me. J.I. Packer writes in Knowing God:

“As such, his task and purpose throughout is to make Christians realize with increasing clarity the meaning of their filial relationship with God in Christ, and to lead them into an ever deeper response to God in this relationship.”

If you haven’t read Knowing God by J.I. Packer, please do. I cannot recommend it enough. It is deep and rich and full of gospel truth. Chapter 19, “The Sons of God” talks about the beauty of adoption and our new spiritual family.

7. He Gives Me the Firstfruits

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

God didn’t give us some of the Holy Spirit. Christians are not all using the same power outlet at the same time. God is so big and powerful that I have 100% of the Holy Spirit and so do you if you are in Christ. The first fruits are the best of a harvest. As God’s children, He has given us the best. The first fruits of the Spirit who then produces fruit in us.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

8. He Helps Me

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

I am weak, and I have a lot of weaknesses. The Holy Spirit is called “the Helper” which is his normal work. Jesus sent the Spirit to help, lead, guide, comfort, empower, and convict his disciples. Jesus told us in John 15 that we cannot do anything on our own, so we always need help. Being inadequate is the killer of pride, and the more I grow to understand the Holy Spirit is doing all the actual lasting work the humbled I am.

9. He Intercedes for Me

27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit prays for us! There have been plenty of times that life has punched me in the face and I’m too exhausted to even pray…The Holy Spirit is praying on my behalf in those moments. Are you overwhelmed? The Spirit is praying to the Father for you. We are more loved than we can comprehend, and this gift of God proves it.

Conclusion

Paul reminds us in Romans 8 just how blessed we are as children of God. My prayer is that through the power of the Holy Spirit he would connect this head knowledge to our hearts. I am personally convicted because I usually try and do things on my own, including grow spiritually. Lord forgive me. As disciples of Jesus, we have been gifted the Holy Spirit. He is the one who gives life, the one who reminds me of my adoption, he empowers me to love and obey, and he even prays on my behalf. Let him lead.