A New Experience

As we carefully study the Bible, we discover that historically, the Holy Spirit came upon a select group of people for limited periods of time. However, before ascending to heaven, Jesus made a remarkable promise regarding the Holy Spirit:

“The Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.”  John 14:17

He distinguished between two key experiences concerning the Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit living "with" us and the Holy Spirit being "in" us. "Living with" indicates that the Holy Spirit is present alongside all believers who accept Jesus Christ. In contrast, "being in" us signifies a profound new experience where the Holy Spirit takes residence within believers:

“Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1: 4-5

Jesus instructed his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, marking the first time believers were filled with the Holy Spirit:

^“Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.” Acts 2:2-4

This promise was not meant solely for the disciples but extended to the entire church, encompassing all believers. As described in Scripture, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not limited to a single historical event; it has occurred repeatedly throughout history. For instance, we see the Holy Spirit descending upon Christians in Acts 8:14-17 and Acts 10:44, and this same phenomenon continues even today.

The Apostle Paul devoted chapters 12 and 14 of his first letter to the Corinthians to instruct early Christians about the role and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter referenced the prophetic words from Joel 2:28-29, emphasizing the significance of this experience:

“It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.” Acts 2:17-18

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a one-time event. As recorded in Acts 2:2-4, 4:8, and 4:31, the same believers experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions. Therefore, Scripture encourages us to be filled continually with the Spirit:

“Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18

The influence and work of the Holy Spirit are clearly evident through the "gifts" and "fruit" that He provides. According to 1 Corinthians 12:11, the Holy Spirit bestows special abilities upon believers as He sees fit, known as the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In contrast, the fruit of the Holy Spirit—manifestations such as love, patience, and kindness—arises as a byproduct of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and our obedience to His guidance. This fruit reflects our spiritual maturity and the depth of our dedication to God.

It's important to note that while the gifts are given at the discretion and foreknowledge of the Holy Spirit, the fruit displayed in our lives is a sign of our growth in faith. Therefore, someone may receive extraordinary gifts without necessarily exhibiting greater spiritual maturity. This concept can sometimes be challenging to grasp, but we will delve deeper into it in the following chapters, supported by references from the Bible.

Please click on “Fruit of the Spirit” to continue.

Questions: 

1. The Holy Spirit provides wisdom, strength, and courage to live a purposeful life.
2. The Holy Spirit enters our lives the day we sincerely decide to trust and follow Jesus.