The Promised Holy Spirit

“you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5

The most dramatic characteristic of a follower of Christ is the presence of the Holy Spirit in their body. This Holy presence reveals itself in abundant ways.

1. The Spirit makes us new. The old desires are replaced with new and righteous desires.

2. The Spirit builds the life of Jesus in us. It takes time to build these righteous, Christlike desires into life decisions and actions. The Spirit of God is always present to give us both the desire and the power to mature in righteousness.

3. The Spirit convicts us when we stray. The Spirit only has one language, and that is the language of the word of God. He uses that word as we daily access it, to warn us away from sin, and into wholeness.

4. The Spirit teaches us the things of God. Jesus promised us that when He went to the right hand of the Father, they would send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would continue to remind us and advance us in the things of God.

5. The Spirit empowers with the message of the Gospel. The message most important that the Spirit declares through us is the good news in the Son. People are meant to see and hear our particular journey into and in the Gospel about Jesus.

6. The Spirit empowers us with gifts to serve. Each of us has a different mix of abilities to fulfill the tasks that Jesus the head of the body has prepared for us. In fact, these “gifts” are the Spirit working through us differently and uniquely.

7. The Spirit assures us that we are indeed children of God. The still small voice of the Spirit gives us assurance and conviction that we belong to God, in and because of Jesus.