The Holy Spirit’s Work in the Life of the Believer: Romans 15:13
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
—Romans 15:13 (CSB)
Background on Romans 15:13
Bible scholars believe the church at Rome largely consisted of converted Gentiles and that the Jewish population was a small minority. They believe the church was composed of both Jews and Gentiles who were seeking to share the gospel in a very hostile environment. However, at the writing of the letter, the majority of the Jewish population had been kicked out of Rome by Emperor Claudius.
In this environment, the Apostle Paul offered hope to the church and assured them of eternal joy and peace from the Holy Spirit given to them by His power. Paul spoke of this to the church of Galatia as he reminded them that joy and peace were fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Gal. 5:22–23).
Exposition of Romans 15:13
The Apostle Paul offers this verse as a benediction to this amazing letter filled with theological truths. Before he started to name the people he wanted to greet in the church at Rome, he started to bring his theological treatise to a close with this amazing verse. This verse offered encouragement to the church at Rome. It assured them that no matter what persecution or struggle they might face in the days ahead, they would have joy and peace because of the hope that would be given to them by the Holy Spirit.
Paul knew that what he asked them would not be easy, but he also knew they must rest in the promises of God that the presence of the Holy Spirit would give them joy, peace, and hope in the midst of suffering. He encouraged them to rely on the power of the Spirit to give them the fruit of joy and peace, and then to trust that God would help them to love all people, regardless of their race or ethnic background. He knew this trust in people not like them would come from the power of the Holy Spirit. They must trust that God would take care of them until He had completed His work in their lives and was ready to take them home to heaven.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the church at Rome to understand that the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives would give them the ability to share the gospel with others despite their ethnic and social barriers. The Holy Spirit would work in their lives, and the joy and peace of the Spirit would overflow out of them into the lives of others. The lives of others would be touched as the result of the Holy Spirit working in their lives.
Application of Romans 15:13
In our world today, we see God bringing the nations to our doorstep. I recently had the opportunity to visit a large church in New York City, and from where I was sitting, I was one of only a few white men. It was eye-opening to see God’s plan for the nations as I was surrounded by people with different skin colors and cultural backgrounds. Yet, in this environment, I knew I was surrounded by family with whom I shared a bond in Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The presence of the Holy Spirit gives us joy and peace as we seek to share God’s love with the world around us. No matter what happens in our world, may we rest in the assurance and hope that God has a plan, and He has invited us to be part of it — the propagation of the gospel to the whole world!
Bill Halladay serves as the staff writer at Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In this role, he assists in the development of sermon-based curriculum for the discipleship ministries of the church. He believes in the importance of educating the next generation regarding the task of local and world missions.
