THE NATIONAL HOLY SPIRIT CONFERENCE
Theme: THE MYSTERY AND MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Keynote Address
(1st – 4th September 1993)

SYNOPSIS
This Keynote Address asserts that faith in Jesus Christ is the key to understanding and
partnering with the Holy Spirit for the Church’s mission.

PREAMBLE
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the Most High God for the grace of the hope of the high calling, for the spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, and for the eternal inheritance in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We thank the Lord for yet once more this Special Annual Gathering of the People of God
to consider the place and nature of the Divine Dimension in Christian life and Christian
service.
For it is for this cause the Holy Spirit has come, to endue mortal man with Divine Power
for his worship of the Living God, for the meeting of the needs of men in their
confrontation with nature, including man’s own powerlessness and frailties, all in
witness of the salvation of God and the Rich Inheritance in Human Redemption in and
through Faith In Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Spirit and Key of life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, Love and
Power. These constitutes the basis of the Peace, Joy and Trust in God in the Christian
Faith and Christian Hope as a whole.
However, the annual gatherings of the church at the National Holy Spirit Conference are
not so much for the celebration of our God and our Salvation as for the consideration of
Christian responsibility in society and Christian mission in the world as a whole in the
building of the church and of the Kingdom of God on earth.
As the scripture reveal the primary characteristics and function of the Holy Spirit in God’s
dealing with man and the rest of creation is the revelation and working out of the WILL
and purpose, and the works of God. This is evident at creation, in the ordering and
maintenance of the natural order and in God’s dealings with man over the ages through
His chosen vessels of priest, prophets and kings, and also the apostles and Jesus Christ
Himself.
Jesus stated in John Chapters 14, 15 and 16, and Acts Chapter 1, the main task of the
Holy Spirit in the church and in the church mission in the world as follows:
1. To teach the truth
2. To testify of and glorify Jesus Christ
3. To convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement
4. To reveal the will and things of God to the church
5. To endue the church with power for the church mission and
6. To generally direct and superintend the affairs of the church and the church’s
mission in the world.
The main purpose of the conference has been therefore to promote education on the
Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit and to create a platform for open discussion of the
church in Mission in Ghana, Africa and the world.
INTRODUCTION
The 1991 Conference is a re-visitation of the basics of the Person and Ministry of the Holy
Spirit. It might be recalled in this regard that since 1988, the conferences have been
mainly concerned with the broad perspectives of the Church’s Mission in Africa,
developments in the political, economic and socio-cultural and the broad encounter of
the African Reality with the total Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The original plan of the organisers of this year’s conference, The Ghana Evangelical
Society, was therefore to return to the basics again, with teachings on the Person and
Ministry of the Holy Spirit and operation of the Gifts of the Spirit.
The objective is not only to reinforce knowledge and consolidate the gains of the
Evangelical-Pentecostal-Charismatic movement in the church but also to help iron out
some differences and curb reportedly untoward development in the movement.
The Society believes she has a moral responsibility to streamline things having been in
the forefront of the current explosion in Evangelism-Pentecostalism and Charismaticism
in the Church. We also want to help consolidate the Revival and Unity springing up in the
Church via the general adoption of Evangelical-Pentecostal Theology and Practice in the
Church.
First of all, as the brethren would agree, the return to the basics of the doctrine and
practice of the Holy Spirit in Ministry is a necessary and responsible feature of the Church
in mission. Such in fact is the practice with Revival Services in the Church. There is
always the need to return to the basics of the faith for the benefit of all, old, young and
new, clergy and laity, teachers and students, so we all keep faith with the Truth and of
the Faith and the true and proper perspectives of the Church.
Before we could announce this year’s conference, however, a serious debate had
erupted in the Church and the religious world in the nation on Speaking in Tongues.
Following the debate, it would appear that the basic issue at stake is Knowledge of the
Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit and conversance with the operation, exercise and
administration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Praying over the issue, the Lord directed that the theme for this year’s conference should
be The Mystery and Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
In response to this direction, we have thought that the way to unravel the mystery behind
the ministry of the Holy Spirit is a keen search into the scriptures and the story of the way
God has revealed Himself to and dealt with His people, that is, in the history of Israel and
the Church.
On the other hand, one cannot understand and explain the practical realities of the
nature, or if you may, The Personality and Ministry of the Holy Spirit unless one has
undergone the anointing and built up an effective working relationship and experience in
ministry with the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus pointed out in John Chapter 4, God is Spirit and they that worship Him must
worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. In other words, the Divine system is a spiritual
proposition. It is a Divine ordained, ordered and controlled spiritual system. It is not
human. It is also different from the idolatrous and rebellious satanic system.
The Holy Spirit led Paul to re-echo this and warned against dependence upon human
wisdom and the false systems of the world in 1st Corinthians Chapter Two:
“And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom,
But in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature,
Yet not the wisdom of this age, who are coming to nothing
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom
Which God ordained before the ages for our glory (verse. 4-7)
Now, we have received not the spirit of the world,
But the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things
That have been freely given to us by God,
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches
But which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual
(NKJV verse. 12-13)
Thus, as the scriptures reveal, there is a mystery behind the Gospel and the practical
worship of God and ministry with the Holy Spirit, in short, in the whole Divine system.
This mystery and practical realities thereof can only be understood with the mind of
Christ and practiced or engaged in through the teaching and enabling grace of the Holy
Spirit or the Spirit of God.
That is to say, to unravel the Mystery and Ministry of the Spirit of God, we need both an
analytical and systematic study of the scriptures as well as practical knowledge of an
experience with the Holy Spirit in ministry.
Accordingly, this year’s conference has been designed to introduce participants into
both aspects of the subject; the search into the scriptures for the Mind of God and the
practical realities of God’s dealings as SPIRIT with His chosen people and creation, and
exposure to the practical relationship with, and the operation, exercise and
administration of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
We trust that the re-visitation to these basics will not only help iron out any difficulties in
understanding and approach to the Holy Spirit and His Ministry in the Church and with
the Church, but also introduce those saints desirous of entering into and/or engaging in
the practical realities of the Divine System of SPIRIT and TRUTH and the Demonstration
of the Spirit and Power of GOD.
We are aware in this connection that many a ministers, both in the
Pentecostal/Charismatic and Evangelical/Mainline Churches, and we cannot talk any
more of Catholic vis-à-vis Protestant churches, those terms are irrelevant and
misleading, many a ministers are genuinely concerned with the practical realities of
operations and administration of the Gifts of the Spirit, in the proper teaching and
equipping of the saints for the edifying of the Body and the work of the ministry, and the
maintenance of order in the midst of change and growth.
The world-wide revival in the Church with special reference to the Person and Ministry of
the Holy Spirit and the Church growth connected therewith is not only because this is the
will of God concerning the Church but also because the Church needs the Spirit and
Power of God for the battles of the latter days, if the Church will be able to go through the
trying times of these evil day, and maintain truth and integrity, if the kingdoms of this
world will become the Kingdoms of God and His Christ, and in any case, and above all
else, Jesus is Soon Coming.
We are of the conviction therefore that the wind of change sweeping the Church and the
world at large is the work of the Spirit of God. No one can stop this movement. Yet, we
know that as always, this is a battle ground. Men will not only resist the change, the
forces of evil will even enter and have entered the ranks of the Church with false
doctrines, false practices and false signs. Men assisted by devils may like to take
advantage of the movement to get following and enrich themselves. On the other hand,
Satan would like to tamper down the sweeping effect of the change, and if possible,
playing on the whims and frailties of men to hijack the whole system.
The Bible has revealed and emphasized the fact that the whole of Christian mission is
warfare and that those engaged in the mission must not only be called and chosen but
must be faithful to the end.
This is why it is necessary to return to the basics and to take time to refresh our minds
and spirits on the realities of the Divine system in Christian worship and service.
In this Keynote Address, we will not undertake the usual overview of the fields of
discussion, we will only highlight some of the issues in the current debate.
Our objective here is only to provoke thoughts and the prayerful consideration of matters,
and research into the scriptures during and after the conference. Churches and
Fellowships may organise special teaching sessions and seminars of their own later.
We also want to leave the speakers free to survey the grounds at the feet of the Holy Spirit
so He Himself leads us all gradually to the unraveling of the Mystery behind and Nature
of His Ministry.
THE NATURE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
The first issue which is manifest in the current debate on Speaking in Tongues is the
Nature of the Spirit of God.
Here we will quote from the open announcement letter issued by the Planning
Committee of the conference:
“It is very interesting in this connection that the MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT in
Evangelism, in Worship, in Church Building and Ministry in the Church and in Church
Mission as a whole has come under special discussion this year, in the Media, in Church
gatherings and conferences, in private discussion, et al.”
In the course, there has arisen serious controversy over the nature, manifestation and
exercise of and ministry with the Gift of Tongues by the saints and in the Church.
The current debate is no doubt proof of the fact that there is some Unknown or Unraveled
Factor in the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit. In fact, there is confusion.
For example, there are many schools of thought on the Person and Ministry of the Holy
Spirit. There is the Holy Spirit Non-Existence School as against the Holy Spirit Incarnate
(in spiritual leader) and spiritual leadership (guru-type) school. Then there are the
Energy-force school and the All-Spirit All-Operation Holy Spirit School. Again, there is yet
still the No Honour No One but Written Word School. All these are being canvassed.
Where is the TRUTH?
The fundamental issue we need to resolve here is whether in talking about the Holy Spirit
or Spirit of God, we are referring to God or Spirit Person with mind and power and
operational ability and dexterity of His own or whether we are only referring to a SpiritForce or Energy without mind, and whose internal dynamics if any are predetermined and
circumscribed and in any case are subject at best to the mind of the operator, whether
man or God or both who are external to that force.
In answering such a basic question, we can also deal simultaneously with related issues
such as whether the Holy Spirit can and does act independent of the saint or agency upon
which He/it rests, and therefore whether the person or instrument on whom He/it rests
becomes only a “robot” or is free and able to affect Him/it.
From the scriptures, we can say positively that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit-Person with will,
mind, ability and dexterity of His own, and that in His dealing with man, although the Spirit
of God is of a higher power and can and does influence the spirit and mind of man, He
nevertheless normally operates purely on co-operative basis with and subject to the will
and spirit of man.
Introducing the Personality and Ministry of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and Church,
Jesus said:
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper,
That He may abide with you forever,
Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
Because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;
But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you
And that day, you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,
He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance
All things that I said to you” (Jn. 14:16-18, 20, 26).
It is the self-same Holy Spirit or Spirit of God as He is sometimes described in the
scriptures that Paul was led to refer to when discussing the mystery of the SPIRIT and
POWER of GOD in 1st Corinthians 2 quoted earlier:
“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
But the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches,
comparing spiritual things with spiritual”

(verse. 10-13)
Please note, the Spirit searches, the Spirit teaches. It is this self-same Spirit, that we the
saints have received or are promised to receive, who when He comes will abide in us and
with us, and work the works of God with us through our yielded will, mind and spirit and
faculties.
The Bible teaches and experience has confirmed that The Spirit of God does not merely
come upon us, on and off. He abides with us. He is a Person with whom the Church
works and who, given the chance can and does direct the affairs of the Church as the
direct representative of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:29-34, Math. 3:16-
17; Luke 24:49; Jn. 16:13-15; Acts 2:17-19; 15:28).
The prophecy of Joel in Chapter 2, quoted on The Day of Pentecost by the Holy Spirit
through Peter testifies of two things, that the Holy Spirit is to be poured upon all flesh,
that is, The Holy Spirit will come unto and rest upon all who believe in Jesus Christ, the
One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and not upon an exclusive class of learned men or
spiritual giants/gurus.
Thus, on the Day of Pentecost all who were in the Upper Room experienced the Baptism
with the Spirit and not the eleven Disciples alone. So also, was the case in Cornelius
House (Acts Chap. 10), a Gentile community who had no fore knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Such also is the Samarian community in Acts

Chapter 8.
That is to say, the coming down of the Holy Spirit in a life form of a bird(Dove) at the
Baptism of Jesus Christ and Jesus’ own ascribing of Personality to the Spirit of God
throws away the Spirit-Force/Energy school, while the Day of Pentecost and subsequent
experience expose the falsehood of the exclusive “guru” school. In any case, if there be
any “Holy Spirit incarnation” as such then it will apply to all the true prophets of God and
all believers in Jesus Christ truly BORN OF and FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
Note the expression SPIRIT not force nor power. Power after and with The Spirit Coming
or Baptism.
On the other hand, to suggest that The Spirit of God is outside God who is Spirit is to
suggest for example that the Spirit-force and energy in any man is and can operate
outside the spirit and mind of such an individual. That is to say God’s Spirit is God in
action, even as man in action is man’s spirit in operation. But God actually speaks
through men and animals, not just through principles or natural law or order such as with
the solar system, or vegetation or animal world (Acts 2:4; 2nd Pet 1: 21; Numbers 22: 28).
But we are speaking of a Divine system where authority, power and ability are beyond
human understanding. For example, the Spirit of God being of a higher spiritual order can
play upon the faculties and hence limbs of man independent of and aside from the mind
of man and for that matter any of God’s own creation. (Demonstrate speech….and give
testimony of SPIRIT-POWER of GOD). The Gift of Prophecy – 2
nd Pet. 1: 21 yet a cooperative process)
Authority and power is the essence of Divine system yet this is the exception rather than
the rule with God’s dealing with man. God does not make robots of His servants and
people. He needs their surrendered will and their yielded spirits, mind and bodies as
LIVING SACRIFICE, in short, the co-operative of His servant is a necessary and Godordained condition for the working out of His purposes. (Consider the anointing on
Samson. The Samson system is different from the David system, yet the same SPIRIT).
GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
This brings us to the Gifts of the Spirit.
The main issue for discussion in this Conference is not so much the nature of the gifts as
whether the gifts are subject to the sole control and operation of God, that is the Holy
Spirit, or whether they are subject to the spirit and mind of the vessel of God. There shall
be discussion of the operation, exercise and administration of the gifts. The symposium
on Speaking in Tongues we hope should help clarify things and settle issues.
We view the current debate on speaking in tongues as a symptom of a more general
issue, knowledge of and conversance with the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
For example, anyone truly knowledgeable about and conversant with the operation of the
gift of tongues knows that the exercise of the gifts of tongues is fundamentally a cooperative act between the Holy Spirit and the saint, that either the Holy Spirit or the saint
can initiate action. That, as far as the human agency or servant of God is concerned
engagement in or practice of the system is through and by an act of faith.
This is the secret or seeming mystery behind the operation of all the gifts of the Spirit. The
servants when born again by the Spirit of God by Faith can by definition see and enter the
Kingdom of heaven (John 3: 3-5). In other words, only the born again can enter and
operate in the heavenly realms of Divine supernatural powers as a child of God, and in
the Name of Jesus Christ, to whom all authority and power have been given and is seated
on the right hand of the Father (John 14: 12-14; Ephesians 1: 17-23)
That is to say, the saint enters the Divine Supernatural power by faith and can operate
same by faith and in the authority and power of a Child of God.
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on His Name. These became the joint-heirs of the Divine
supernatural powers with Jesus Christ” (Rom. 8: 15-17; Gal. 4: 4-;). This is the Divine
Dimension of the Christian faith, of the church in service. The children Born of God in
Christ partake of the Divine nature and the authority and power thereof. We are children
of God. The children of Satan manifest the powers of Satan so also the children of God
the power of God. But now are “WE SONS OF GOD.”
However, even though the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit is largely through faith, the
Divine system is under the ultimate control and supervision of God. The faithful servant
therefore seeks to abide in the will of the Master. The responsible child exercises his
authority and power with restraint and in strict conformity with the will of the father. The
prince exercises his authority and power in responsible conduct and in any case with
strict adherence to the rules and tradition of the Kingdom. We serve God on His terms.
We strive lawfully.
In other words, whether we are Trinitarian or Unitarians, we cannot deny that the Spirit of
God has a mind, operational system and agenda of His own and that as servants we
cannot operate the gifts of the Spirit as though it were a resource pool of power, force or
energy from which the saints can draw at will and without reference to the Lord Jesus
Christ Head of the church and the companion and enabler in mission, the Holy Spirit.
We are labourers together with God, and according to the grace given each of us. Other
foundation can no man lay that that is laid which is JESUS CHRIST. Every man’s work
shall be made manifest at the end of the day (1st Cor. 3: 9-15)
THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
If the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit has a mind and agenda of His own, and if the saints
are co-labourers with the Spirit of God in the pursuit of Divine objectives, in witnessing of
Jesus Christ and in Church mission in the world as a whole, then it goes without saying
that the servants of God would not only need to know of and buildup effective working
relationship with the Holy Spirit, they will be required to get properly acquainted with the
whole edifice of the Presence of and obedience to Jesus Christ in Christian service.
Thus, except one establishes a sound basis of faith in and love of Jesus Christ in
obedience to His commandments, all in absolute trust in God, the Person and Ministry
of the Holy Spirit will surely become a serious area of mystery for only intellectual
acceptance but a “No-Go” or non-interference system, even rejection by the nonyielding, self-dependent but otherwise called-out servants of God.
To be sure the idea of man and God in joint co-operative action in the affairs of men and
creation is a mystery, which only faith, love and obedience can unravel. For example,
how can man yield his spirit and mind to an external power for such a per to operate
through the human agency unless the external power takes full and complete control of
the human agency, such as is the case with mediums and robots. But men must first
“will” to be or yield their spirits before they can be used as mediums. Robots have no will
of their own, not man.
Thus, even though a saint may be happy for the Spirit of God to make intercession for him
even if with groaning (Rom. 8: 26) pride and self-trust may prevent such joyous, profitable
and God-ordained adventure.
There is as much mystery behind the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the whole
Divine supernatural system, even as it is the case with the “WORD” becoming flesh and
dwelling among men. But belief, love and obedience can unravel all things.
Belief in the scriptures through faith in Jesus Christ unto salvation and through that we
have begotten unto the Father. Similarly, belief in the scriptures, trust in God through
faith in Jesus Christ can and does bring us into the supernatural, via the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Faith in Jesus Christ alone is the way and basis of salvation, declares the scriptures.
Thus, when men believe and build their faith in Jesus Christ, when they believe and obey
His Word and Commandments, Jesus Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit and take
them safely across the mystery land of the Spirit of God and lead them into the Kingdom
of heaven.
Faith in Jesus Christ and trust and obedience of His Commandments:- “Wait…….till ye
be endued with power………..Wait for the promise of the Father…………….For John truly
baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost…………ye shall receive
power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
Me………unto the uttermost part of the earth” is the open door of glory land.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we can say that Faith in Jesus Christ is the key to the Mystery and Ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Faith in Jesus Christ opens the door not only of son ship, authority and
power, but also of joint-and corporate works between man and God for the working out
of Divine will and purposes for human redemption, and for the destruction of the works
of the devil.
Towards this the Holy Spirit has come to assist, accompany and direct the redeemed of
the Lord to transfer all loyalties to God the Father through the subjection of all things at
the feet of Jesus Christ.
The Divine System of Spirit, Truth, Love and Power and the supernatural are the realms
of the Holy Spirit input or dimension in the Church’s Worship and Service of the Living
God and mission in the world.
Jesus is the Spirit of Life and Power behind the Word, Wisdom, Authority and Power base
of the church. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, Love and Power in the Divine dimension
in the church’s mission. Without the Holy Spirit the church shall only operate, floating on
the fading and fainting memory of Jesus and in the power and wisdom of man. The Holy
Spirit keeps the knowledge of Jesus Christ active in the church and directs the church in
her WORSHIP and in her response to the working out of the mission of Jesus Christ in the
world. Above all, the Holy Spirit makes Real the Habitation of God in the Spirit in the
Church (Ephesians 2: 22).
At the individual level, one must Be Born of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ
and belief and obedience of the scriptures to be able to enter into the Divine system. The
individual believer whatever his/her standing in the church can only enter and operate in
the Divine system when he/she surrenders his will to Jesus Christ and yields his/her spirit
and mind and body to the Holy Spirit as a true and Living Sacrifice.
The Mystery of the Holy Spirit is thus in His Relationship with believers and Ministry in and
with the church, how He is able to Transmit Himself and influence into the human spirit
and mind system and work in a co-operative way with man to effect divine purposes. So
much power bundled in human frames in time and space is the mark of The True Divinity,
Humility and Love of The Holy Spirit.
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of
God and not of us.” (2nd Cor. 4: 6-7)
It is the humble, willing and submissive believer that can Walk with God (2nd Tim 2: 20-
21). It is by faith that we enter the Divine system. It is by faith that we can walk with and
be translated by God (Hebrews 1: 5-6)
This is an open door to all believers and not to any exclusive class. That is not to say that
there are no disparities in the graces of God upon men nor of operational hierarchy in the
ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church. We are given gifts and operate the Divine graces
in the consummate will and counsel of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, the power of the Holy Spirit is the basis of the GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST which He
has shared with the church (John. 14: 12-21; 17: 22-26).
Essentially therefore we are set in the 1993 National Holy Spirit Conference to the
discovery of God as a moving and working spirit in and with the church in the affairs of
men and creation.
It is my very earnest hope that we shall all leave this conference in the blessed and active
memory of Jesus Christ, clothed anew with His Glory of Truth, Love and the Power of God,
and the Peace, Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
Jesus once said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…. Let us also having been renewed in
our spirits and minds, yielding fully say with Jesus with all assurance of faith THE SPIRIT
OF THE LORD IS UPON ME…………”
Blessed be God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen!!