Awesome, Wonder-Working Power - Holy Spirit

But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: . . .

Acts 1:8

There are four baptisms mentioned in the New Testament:  

¨ baptism of suffering (experienced by Jesus), 

¨ the baptism of John the Baptist, 

¨ baptism in water and 

¨ baptism of the Holy Spirit.

One of these baptisms was promised to us.  After the resurrection and prior to His return to Heaven, Jesus gave important instructions to His followers:

And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.   Luke 24:49 

The promise to which Jesus referred was the Holy Spirit.  Jesus had spoken of this previously to His followers:

And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless.    John 14:16-18

→  One of the main purposes of the Holy Spirit is given in the passage just quoted:   To comfort believers

But the Bible gives many other purposes for the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit is to:

*    Fill and baptize him:                                                                      Acts 2:4                                 

*    Dwell in him:                                                                                   1 Corinthians 6:19

*    Unite him in one spirit with God and other believers:           1 Corinthians 6:17

*    Pray for him:                                                                                    Romans 8:26                       

*    Guide him:                                                                                       John 16:13

*    Show the love of Christ to him and through him:        Romans 5:5

*    Conform him to the image of Christ:                              2 Corinthians 3:18

*    Reveal Biblical truth to him:                                            1 Corinthians 2:10        

*    Teach him:                                                                           John 14:26

*   Inspire him to true worship:                                            John 4:24                          

*    Strengthen him:                                               Ephesians 3:16

*    Quicken him:                                                    Romans 8:11                                    

*    Sanctify him:                                                     2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

*    Change him:                                                      Titus 3:5                                                   

*    Convict him when he does wrong:                John 16:8-11

*    Give assurance of salvation:                          Romans 8:16                   

*    Give him liberty:                                               Romans 8:2

*    Speak through him:                                         Mark 13:11                                   

*    Demonstrate God's power:                             1 Corinthians 2:4

*    Give him power to witness:                            Acts 1:8                            

      *    Inspire him to worship:                                  John 4:24

The Holy Spirit has many purposes in the lives of believers, but the main purpose and true evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit is to make the Christian a powerful witness for the Gospel:

But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me...to the uttermost part of the earth.   Acts 1:8

The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was present immediately in the life of the Apostle Peter. Before the Day of Pentecost he had fearfully and angrily denied that he knew Jesus.  After his baptism in the Holy Spirit, Peter stood and gave a powerful witness to the Gospel that resulted in the salvation of 3,000 people. It was the power of the Holy Spirit in the early church that resulted in the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. The book of Acts is a record of this powerful witness which was evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

                                                           

There are seven passages in the New Testament where the word "baptize" is used in relation to the Holy Spirit. Four of these are the words of John the Baptist recorded in the Gospels:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.    Matthew 3:11

I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.   Mark 1:8

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

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.   John 1:33

Jesus also spoke of the baptism of the Holy Ghost:

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  Acts 1:5

When Peter spoke of events which took place in the home of Cornelius, he quoted the words of Jesus:

Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.    Acts 11:16

Apostle Paul also used the word "baptize" in relation to the Holy Spirit:

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.   1 Corinthians 12:13

Use of the phrase "to baptize into" the Holy Spirit is the same as when it is used to describe baptism in water. In both cases 

baptism is an outward confirmation of an inward spiritual condition.

The Holy Spirit descended from Heaven on the disciples on the day of Pentecost and completely immersed [or baptized] them in the Holy Spirit. Peter said this experience was the fulfillment of God's promise: "In the last days...I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh”:

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  Joel 2:28

The Holy Spirit is invisible to the natural eye. He was compared by Jesus to the wind:

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 3:8

Although the wind is invisible, the effects which it produces can be seen, felt and heard.  When the wind blows the dust rises from the ground, the trees all bend in one direction, leaves rustle, the waves of the sea roar, and clouds move across the sky. These are all physical and visual signs of the wind. So it is with the Holy Spirit. Even though He is invisible, the effects which the Holy Spirit produces can be seen and heard.  The question becomes:  is the Holy Spirit residing in you filling you with dunamis power that can be seen and heard?

(Biblical Studies)

04/22/14
04/06/15

09/01/16
08/05/19

02/12/21