If we desire to be spiritually minded, it is critical that we understand the power of the
Holy Spirit. The following article is extracted and edited from notes taken from
Tabernacle BPC’s Church Camp 2006 entitled, “Life in the Spirit”. The camp speaker
was the late Dr. S H Tow, whom we fondly remember for His labour of love for Christ
among the saints. This section of his speaker’s notes gives a snapshot of some aspects
of the Holy Spirit’s power working in our lives. I have also added some of my own
comments to further supplement the good work which he had done.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace.” (Romans 8:6)

Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew

THE SPIRIT’S POWER
Dr S H Tow
Extracted and edited from notes given in
Tabernacle’s BPC Church Camp 2006

His Sanctifying Power
In God’s salvation plan, we are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit …” We are chosen and set apart by God as
His children in the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Spirit continues to work in the
believer’s life by giving him power to resist temptation, to deny self and to mortify the
deeds of the body. “… if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall
live.” (Rom. 8:13) “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of
the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) The Spirit’s presence empowers us to walk in newness of life,
glorifying the Father.

His Strengthening Power
The Spirit is sent to us from the Father to stand by our side in the place of His Son, as
our COM (alongside of) FORTIS (strength) or COMFORTER, or STRENGTHENER.
The blessed Spirit is able to aid all believers in all places at all times. Therefore, He
strengthens us in our weaknesses, consoles us when we are down, illumines us when
we are perplexed, teaches and guides us into all truth, supplies grace in time of need,
and keeps us safe until we arrive Home. “HIS POWER CAN MAKE YOU WHAT
YOU OUGHT TO BE.”

His Transforming Power
By the Spirit’s working power in our lives, we are gradually changed to be like our
Lord, for it is God’s plan that we should be, “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom.
8:29). This moral transformation is sometimes painful. Nevertheless, it is present in
every true believer as he submits to the Spirit. By His transforming power, the believer

(a) learns to love and obey God’s law, to “delight in the law of God after the
inward man.” (Rom. 7:22)
 
(b) sorrows for sin in his life (Rom. 7:14, 24)
 
(c) learns genuine humility, abhors his own proud looks and high thoughts (c.f.
Prov. 6:17)
 
(d) increases in reverence for God and appreciation of His holiness, majesty,
power and love. So as we yield to Him, we are changed into the same
image from glory into glory by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18). For
we are His workmanship (Eph. 2:10).
 
His Enlightening Power
Until the Spirit of God came into our lives, we were spiritually blind. We could not
understand nor see the things of God. Now the Spirit has brought us spiritual
enlightenment, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words
that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (Jn. 6:63) By the Spirit’s
enlightening, we begin to see the things of real worth. Eternal issues come into view.
We see our own sinful, depraved condition, and the constant need of cleansing at the
cross. The Spirit reveals to us the deep things of God, prepared for them that love Him
(1 Cor. 2:9-10). As the Spirit teaches us, we begin to appreciate spiritual things, which
are meaningless to the natural man (1 Cor. 2:13-14).
 
His Intercessory Power
Prayer is a God-ordained means of grace, most powerful and readily available, yet
often not utilised. The natural man cannot pray acceptably before God, for he is still
dead in sin. On the other hand, as believers who are cleansed by the blood of Christ, we
can always seek God at the throne of grace. Yet how little we pray! Prayerlessness is
sin. We need help urgently. To our aid, God sends the Comforter, “Likewise the Spirit
also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And
he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26-27)
 
If you are hardly praying or merely paying lip service with inconsequential and
superficial prayers, seek the Spirit’s help tonight, on your knees. Plead with Him
earnestly, urgently, and penitently. Cry out to Him to deliver you from the sin of
prayerlessness. Submit to the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. As the
gracious Spirit begins to stir in your breast, to remind you that the Father awaits you at
His throne of grace with blessings beyond expectation, He gives you strength and
desire to seek the Father’s face. This is the work of the Spirit, aiding us in our prayer
life, and also interceding for us with “groanings which cannot be uttered”, and with
power which cannot be resisted. Thank God for the Spirit’s intercessory work.
 
His Evangelistic Power
Our Lord committed the task of soul saving and world evangelisation to mortals such as we.
To us have been entrusted the precious gospel message. The Apostle Paul recognised the
enormity of the task and his own inadequacy. Hence, he wrote, “But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Cor. 4:7)
Thank God the power for soul winning rests not with us, but with the Spirit. Our Lord’s
promise in Acts 1:8 was fulfilled at Pentecost and ever after. Filled with the Spirit, the
Apostles soon turned Jerusalem upside down with their preaching. They were men
transformed, possessed by the Spirit.
 
The Spirit also calls out men for certain tasks. At Antioch, the Holy Ghost said, “As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called them.” (Acts 13:2) So they being sent forth by the Holy
Ghost, departed. All of us who engage in evangelism would do well to constantly seek the
Spirit’s help, for it is He who calls, sends, directs, open doors, prepares hearts and
prospers the work. At Philippi, He opened the heart of Lydia to receive the Gospel
message from Paul (Acts 16:14).
 
His Sustaining Power
How can we be sure that we follow the Lord and persevere to the very end? The Christian
life is no bed of roses; the strait and narrow path is no easy road. Paul the Apostle was
concerned for the Roman Christians. To them he wrote, “Now the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost.” (Rom. 15:13) The Spirit in us is well able to sustain us by His power, to keep us
from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy
(Jude 24).
 
Your Response
The indwelling Spirit is no temporary visitor or tenant, but He is the rightful MASTER and
gracious LORD. Our Saviour has done for us something no one could have done. He won
for us our eternal redemption. He has given us His Representative to complete or perfect our
salvation. To the Spirit we must give equal attention, allegiance and honour. Do you?
The Comforter is the Spirit of Power. His Power is for every situation. Without His power
we can do nothing! Too many Christians are living a weak, sickly, oft-defeated Christian
life, simply because they are strangers to the Spirit of Power. Does this speak of you?
Head knowledge must be translated into heart response. Some Christians attend classes in
theology, enlarge their Bible knowledge, pass examinations and excel in knowledge – at
head level. Such knowledge avails little. It must be translated into action: it must excite
loving obedience from the heart, knowing that little else will please and honour the
Comforter within.