The Holy Spirit

One of the most comforting prophecies found in the bible involves the promise of Jesus to send His followers the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit of God Almighty, the Holy Spirit’s origins far pre-date those of mankind, having been present from the very beginning:

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2 (KJV)

In fact, even though Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His disciples, the Old Testament provides evidence that those of faith prior to Christ’s coming could also enjoy the comfort and powers of the Holy Spirit. Several ancient figures, including those who penned the various books of the Old Testament, were said to have been filled with this Spirit. As the scriptures say of Othniel in Judges:

“And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.” Judges 3:10 (KJV)

The New Testament confirms this, citing that the origin of all prophecy in scripture is the result of God’s Holy Spirit:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV)

But what’s most intriguing about this indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ paved the way for all of us experience this gift from God:

“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:32-34 (KJV)

John testified that Jesus of Nazareth would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Prophesied The Coming Of The Holy Spirit

Just as John prophesied, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. His ministry, murder, and resurrection changed the course of human history forever. Jesus promised His disciples that, in His absence, He would send them the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of Truth:

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 (KJV)

This Spirit is easily identifiable as He always testifies on behalf of, and about, Jesus Christ.

The Arrival Of The Holy Spirit

This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and filled the believers who were meeting together:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)

Peter then goes on to explain that this experience was also prophesied by the Prophet Joel long ago:

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Joel 2:28-29 (KJV)

This fulfillment of prophecy occurred because of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ:

“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” Acts 2:32-33 (KJV)

Peter could make the above statement with authority, not just because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, but because he was a firsthand witness of the resurrected Jesus and His promise. Christ promised His disciples the arrival of the Holy Spirit, a helper who would provide them with the power to witness to the world on His behalf:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (KJV)

The Purpose of the Holy Spirit

So what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?

The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life will lead to great transformation. Being “born again,” you will become a new creation, meaning the sinful desires of your old life will now yield to the desires of Christ. This process doesn’t require a bolt of lightning or a dramatic Hollywood epiphany. The transformation is sometimes gradual, but it’s nevertheless quite noticeable:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Power Over The Sinful Lifestyle

This baptism by the Holy Spirit is not for the purpose of the cleansing from sin, but for the purpose of empowering us for His service. The blood of Christ on the cross is what washes away the sin of our past life, but acceptance of this gift results in the believe ceding authority over his personal life from himself to the Holy Spirit:

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)

A person directed by the Holy Spirit is truly a new creation! The ways of the old life are discarded in favor of a new life of peace and reassurance based upon hope and trust in the person of Jesus Christ.

A New Life

Paul reminds us that to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, to have Him directing your life, is the same as to have the Spirit of Christ living within you. Those who claim to love Him, but lack His Spirit, do not belong to Him at all. If they did, He would give them new life:

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:9-11 (KJV)

Paul reiterates this concept in His letter to Titus and reminds us that the Holy Spirit comes, not as a result of our own great deeds, but solely as a result of the kindness and love of our great God and Savior:

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Titus 3:4-5 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit Spreads the Gospel

In addition, Paul testifies to the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people into a life of belief:

“Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:19 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit plants the initial seed of the Gospel in the heart of every person. The more a person listens, the more the Holy Spirit reveals to that person. So much so, that those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ are completely unable to understand God’s spiritual truths. They see it all as foolishness:

“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (KJV)

Human wisdom can not understand the Spirit of God. To the human mind, the gift of Christ and His sending of the Holy Spirit is foolishness. They can not make sense of it! But despite their inability to understand, the Holy Spirit is equally available for every person. For the Holy Spirit individually testifies to every person:

“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37 (KJV)

To be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, one must first acknowledge the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Truth testifies that every Jesus Christ said is true. He is the Son of the Living God!

Lifelong rejection of this truth only leads down the road to destruction:

“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” Matthew 12:31-32 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit As Counselor

The Holy Spirit is also an advocate for the teachings of Jesus Christ. Since the Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of Christ, we are never without His counsel:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit provides wisdom and council to those who listen, and the Holy Spirit gives glory to Christ. This is how you will know if the Holy Spirit is your adviser:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-15 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus and the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will always remind a person that he is a sinner in need of Christ’s saving grace. The Holy Spirit, if you listen, will continually speak to you, directing you to follow God’s commandments and love your neighbor as yourself. In these ways and more, the Holy Spirit is the constant presence of Jesus Christ, teaching and instructing us in all manner of godly living.

How Do You Receive The Holy Spirit?

To truly belong to God, a person must be born again. Jesus explained this concept to Nicodemus long ago:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8 (KJV)

When a person believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, accepting His blood as a sacrificial payment for his sin, that person is filled with the Holy Spirit. They then become a part of the Body of Christ, the very children of God:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14 (KJV)

As the very Spirit of Christ, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts is the means by which God identifies those who belong to Him:

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (KJV)

As Peter explains, to receive the Holy Spirit, a person must repent of his sins and turn to God, relying upon the blood of Jesus Christ as payment for his sins:

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39 (KJV)

This is the way to receive God’s Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ prophesied the coming of the Holy Spirit. Before He made this promise, John the Baptist told his disciples the same thing. In fact, he pointed to Jesus as the one who would baptize with “the Holy Spirit and fire”:

“John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Luke 3:16 (KJV)

Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled John’s prophecy, and He spread His blessings of hope and salvation to the ends of the earth, not just to the benefit of the Jewish people, but to all people who are born into this sinful world:

“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14 (KJV)

As a result of Christ’s work, all who believe in Him receive the promised Holy Spirit through their faith, and this Spirit empowers and guides them to holy living. As such, those who are filled with God’s Spirit are empowered to spread this Good News to all people who remain ignorant of the blessings that await them. For the Holy Spirit is freely available in great abundance to all who are willing to seek it and ask for it:

“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13 (KJV)

If you haven’t yet asked God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, ask Him today. Do so with a sincere heart, and He will give a new life beyond that which you could ever dream possible!

Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship between bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com