The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not weird – people are weird.
The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God at work in our lives. Jesus sprung this idea on a man named Nicodemus. John tells the story of how this important leader approached Jesus in the darkness of night. Jesus immediately said, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.” This statement startled Nicodemus, so Jesus clarified it by saying, “Unless you are born of water and of the Spirit, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
In this passage, Jesus makes it clear that being “born of the Spirit” is both a promise and a requirement. It is a promise to any who desire it, and it is a requirement to any who desire to enter the kingdom of God.
The opportunity for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit is a promise. In the following verses, Jesus says:
John 14:16-17 (ESV), “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
John 14:26 (ESV), “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 16:7 (ESV), “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
Luke 11:13 (ESV), “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Acts 1:4-5 (ESV), “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”
John the Baptist also promised that Jesus would baptize with the holy spirit.
Matthew 3:11 (ESV), “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
The Holy Spirit was even promised in the Old Testament.
Joel 2:28-29 (ESV), “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.”
Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV), “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
The Apostles and the early church experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which is considered to be the birth of the New Testament church.
Acts 2:1-4 (ESV), “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Notice three supernatural things that happened in this example:
There was a mighty, rushing wind that filled the house.
Something that looked like fire rested on them.
When they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in an unknown language.
The Samaritans were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:14-17 (ESV), “Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”
Cornelious and the Roman Centurian’s household were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:44-48 (ESV) , “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”
Notice again – a supernatural sign of speaking in unlearned languages.
The Ephesians were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:1-6 (ESV), “And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?’ They said, ‘Into John's baptism.’ And Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.”
Here, there are two supernatural signs that marked the receiving of the Holy Spirit – tongues and prophecy.
As a recap, notice the words that are used to describe the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist said we would be “baptized” into the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 2, it says the Holy Spirit “filled” them.
In Acts 8, it says they “received” the Holy Spirit when the disciples laid hands on them.
In Acts 10, it says that the Holy Spirit “fell”.
In Acts 19, it says that the Holy Spirit “came on them”.
In another place, it says that the Holy Spirit was “poured out”.
Same message – different verbiage. All attempt to convey an incredibly wonderful and unique experience that is available to anyone who wants it.
WHY SHOULD I WANT THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Because it is by the Spirit we:
are born into the Kingdom of God (John 3:5),
are guided into all truth (John 14:26; 16:13),
are refreshed (Acts 3:20),
overcome sin (Romans 8:4),
will be resurrected (Romans 8:11),
live righteously (Romans 8:13),
are helped to pray (Romans 8:26),
are adopted into the family of God (Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:5-6),
are sanctified (1st Corinthians 6:11; 1st Peter 1:13),
are baptized into the body of Christ (1st Corinthians 12:13),
have power (2nd Timothy 1:7), and
produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR?
“To all” (Acts 2:39). The Holy Spirit is a gift that we do not earn and it is for anyone and everyone.
HOW CAN A PERSON RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The Bible does not give a specific formula. However, we know that we must have faith, repent, and receive the gift.
If you do not have faith or believe in the Holy Spirit, obviously, you cannot receive.
Repentance is a must. To repent comes from the Greek word metanoeo, which means “to change one’s mind.”
Any gift must be received – “Father, I receive …”
We can also look at the four examples give in Acts 2, 8, 10 and 19.
In Acts 2, they were in a prayer meeting.
In Acts 8, they were in a church service.
In Acts 10, they were in a small group meeting.
In Acts 19, they were in a small group meeting.
In every case, they were praying and worshipping God.
HOW CAN I KNOW THAT I HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?
First, our lives will be changed. If we have been born again, we will be different.
Second, part of that difference comes from the fact that if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Third, the Jews knew that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit because they spoke with tongues (Acts 10:45-46). Speaking in tongues is yielding to the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is a supernatural gift – supernatural, meaning above the natural.
Speaking in tongues is speaking to God.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (ESV), “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.”
Who knows better how to pray? Me, or the Holy Spirit of Christ within me? The apostle Paul said that praying in tongues builds up a person and that he wished that all would speak in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:4-5 (ESV), “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself … Now I want you all to speak in tongues,”
When we pray by speaking in tongues, we are praying in the Spirit.
Jude 1:20 (ESV), “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.”
Ephesians 6:18 (ESV), “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
HOW CAN I PRAY IN TONGUES?
First, know that the Bible doesn’t give a prescription for how to pray in tongues. There isn’t a magical formula; do these three things and you will be given the gift of tongues.
However, the Bible does give us information that we can use to help us pursue the privilege of speaking in tongues.
First, we know that speaking with tongues is a promise from God and we know that many of the New Testament characters spoke in tongues.
Second, the Bible lets us know that we are in control when we speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:32). God will not force Himself on you. I’ve heard people say, “I’m not sure I was speaking in tongues, because I knew I could stop.” Exactly, you are in control of when you pray, of when you worship, of when you speak with tongues.
Third, in my experience, as I pray, I feel like saying syllables or words I don’t understand. My human nature is to suppress these feelings. However, I choose instead to verbalize those words. I recognize that I am speaking the languages of men and angels (1 Corinthians 13:1).
CONCLUSION
I encourage you to repent and to ask God to fill you with His Spirit. When you pray this prayer, believe that He desires to give you the gift that He has already promised.
I encourage you to believe in new birth, that God has made you new.
I encourage you to look for the fruit of the Spirit that will be produced in your life (Galatians 5:22-23).
I encourage you to pursue the privilege of speaking in the language of the Holy Spirit, other tongues.
Believe and receive.