So much can be said about the Person and operation of the Holy Spirit. This essay aims to highlight some of who the Holy Spirit is, and what He does. Who is the Holy Spirit? Is He a ghost? One of the reasons I don’t use the King James translation of the Bible is their reference to the Spirit as a Ghost. Historically, ghosts are associated with the dead; believed to be the soul of a dead being. I don’t like this portrayal. I much prefer to speak of the third person of the Trinity as the Holy Spirit.
First off, the Holy Spirit is God. Sometimes the Bible refers to Him in a way which stresses His character and essence, using words like Holy and Spirit. Other times the Bible might emphasize His power and operation, describing Him as the Spirit of truth, or the Helper. At no point though does the Bible depict Him as an impersonal force, or merely as a power wielded by God. He’s not God’s power, He actually is God. He is worshipped by the first and second Persons of the Trinity, the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is eternal, self-existent, all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing, and co-equal to the Heavenly Father and the Son of God. All three are God and all three of these persons are distinct. For example, the second Person of the Trinity, Jesus, spoke of the Holy Spirit as a distinct Person in John 14:26, “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 said to you.” Again, in John 16:7 & 13, Jesus says, “But 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. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as another person who is sent from the Father and not as a force that stems from the Father. The Trinity emphasizes three independent persons; none stemming from another.
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Some tend to think that the Holy Spirit is inactive in the Old Testament, and that His presence and operation are really a New Testament reality. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Old Testament believers were very aware of the Holy Spirit and His operation. Additionally, they knew He was not a force of God, nor a power from God, but that He was a distinct divine Person within the Godhead. For example, Moses writes in Numbers 11:16-17, “The LORD therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them.” This verse speaks of the Spirit as a distinct person, in the same way the Spirit is spoken of as a distinct person in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things….”
From the first five books of Moses, into the wisdom and poetry books, and throughout the major and minor prophets, the Old Testament clarifies the reality of the Holy Spirit and His distinct personhood. From the days of Adam until the days of the written Word, the Holy Spirit would have been made known through revelation or spoken testimony. After the written Word was given, Old Testament believers had the Scriptures read to them by prophets like Moses, the priests, and other teachers of the Word. The Scriptures they heard clarified who the Spirit is. Below is a short list of examples from the Old Testament that would reveal to believers the Spirit’s reality and operation, among which include; His activity in creation, His being active in sustaining life, His indwelling of at least some believers, His empowering people to accomplish His purposes, His convicting man of sin, His equipping of individuals of spiritual gifts, His constant presence, and His operation as Counselor and Teacher.
Genesis 1:2, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”
Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”
Genesis 6:3, “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”
Exodus 31:1, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship.”
Numbers 24:2, “And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.”
Numbers 27:18, “So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.”
Judges 6:34, “So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.”
Judges 13:25, “And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him (Samson).”
1 Samuel 11:6, “Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily.”
1 Samuel 16:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.”
1 Samuel 16:14, “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul.”
2 Samuel 23:2, “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.”
1 Kings 18:12, “It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you where I do not know.”
Nehemiah 9:30, “You bore with them for many years, and admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets.”
Job 33:4, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Psalm 51:11, “Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
Psalm 106:33, “they were rebellious against His Spirit.”
Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”
Isaiah 11:2, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him.”
Isaiah 30:1, “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD , “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin.”
Ezekiel 2:2, “As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.”
Ezekiel 3:14, “So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away.”
Joel 2:28, “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
Micah 2:7, “Is it being said, O house of Jacob: ‘Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these His doings?’ Do not My words do good to the one walking uprightly?”
Haggai 2:5, “As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!”
Zechariah 4:6, “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
Zechariah 7:12, “They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.”
Reading these and other Old Testament passages, it would be difficult to conclude that Old Testament believers didn’t know who the Holy Spirit was.
The Operation of the Holy Spirit in Different Dispensations
A dispensation is a period in time when God engages people differently; operating in a unique manner compared to other times in history. For example, under the dispensation of the Law, God gave Moses hundreds of ceremonial rites that had to be followed in order for people to live in obedience and to appropriately engage the Lord. At Jesus’ death, the dispensation of the Law ended and a new dispensation of grace began, during which, at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers in a magnificently new way. This new outpouring marked a change in the way the Spirit of God operated in and through believers. So, how did the Spirit’s operation change post-Pentecost?
First, let’s look at what the Old Testament says will happen when the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost. Joel 2:28, “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.” Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:36, “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.”
The apostle Peter confirmed that the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost was indeed, “what was spoken of through the prophet Joel,” (Acts 2:16). Pentecost ushered in the days that Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Joel spoke of and desired greatly to see themselves. Pentecost marked a new degree to which the Holy Spirit would engage believers, but what exactly changed? First, it needs to be made clear that there was no new way in which a person is to be saved. Salvation has always been by faith alone and by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life to bring about what the Bible calls “new birth”; renewal, recreation, renovation, the product of a new life consecrated to God. Regeneration completely transforms the condition of a person from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive. Regeneration is the glorious change which gives eternal life to the believer. The word regeneration appears twice in the Bible, Matthew 19:28, “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel,” and Titus 3:5-7, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
When Jesus speaks to Nicodemus in John 3, He makes clear that regeneration has always been necessary for salvation, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was confused by these statements, to which Jesus responded, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Jesus points out that as an expert in the Scriptures, Nicodemus should be well acquainted with the concept of regeneration by the Spirit. Jesus wasn’t telling Nicodemus a new teaching, but a familiar teaching. In short, every believer in history has experienced regeneration by the Spirit. There’s no other way one can be born again. Furthermore, without regeneration, a person couldn’t possibly yield to God’s commands and walk in righteousness. Man couldn’t accomplish these things by himself. A person who isn’t born of the Spirit cannot accomplish anything right and pleasing to the Lord, as we see in Romans 8:8-9, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
As it says, “if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you,” do these verses in Romans mean that Old Testament believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit? If not, could they please God without His indwelling? While regeneration has always been God’s mode of salvation, did regeneration necessitate the Spirit’s permanent indwelling? Scholars debate this. We know for sure that believers are indwelt from Pentecost forward, but if believers have always been indwelt, then Pentecost was about a greater outpouring that goes beyond indwelling. There are two positions on this subject. First, that regeneration has always been coupled with the permanent indwelling of the Spirit, and when the Spirit came at Pentecost, indwelling continued but with a greater measure of the Spirit’s influence poured out onto believers. Second, while regeneration has always been required for salvation, the Spirit’s permanent indwelling was selective pre-Pentecost. The Spirit has always had a type of abiding with all believers, but it was not until Pentecost that the Spirit permanently indwelled all believers, introducing a greater communion and operation in believers that had been previously known.
The following are arguments both for and against the pre-Pentecost permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Arguments that Old Testament Believers Were Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
We know that the Holy Spirit anointed certain Old Testament believers for particular ministry purposes. This fact doesn’t necessarily negate that they were without the Spirit before the anointing, only that the new anointing commissioned the believer to a new role and operation. For instance, when the Holy Spirit anointed Saul for the purpose of his kingship (1 Samuel 10), and later departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16), some argue that the Spirit departing was not leaving him entirely, but simply removing his anointing as king. In the same way, as David was king and cried out to the Lord in Psalm 51:11, “do not take Your Holy Spirit from me,” some argue that only his kingly anointing was at risk of being taken, not the Spirit’s indwelling altogether.
Some argue that indwelling is required for regeneration, and that salvation cannot come about without indwelling. If regeneration can be experienced without indwelling, how can one live in obedience to the Lord without the Spirit within? This leads some to believe that it’s more consistent to say that the Holy Spirit indwelt everyone who has believed in God. We do know that Old Testament believers had the ability to serve the Lord. Deuteronomy 30:11, “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.” What would give mankind the ability to keep God’s commandments, if the Spirit was not indwelt within?
Another argument for Old Testament indwelling makes the claim that Pentecost provided a greater measure of the Spirit for those who were already indwelt. While Old Testament believers were promised a future outpouring, this doesn’t necessarily imply that they themselves hadn’t already been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Those making this argument will add that neither Jesus nor Paul ever claimed that the Old Testament believers were not indwelt by the Spirit, but rather that the Spirit will be doing a new and greater work in believers at Pentecost.
Arguments that Old Testament Believers Were NOT Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
To start, there’s no promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for believers in the Old Testament as there is a promise for believers in the new covenant. For instance, Jesus says in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit presently abides with them, but will later be in them. Another passage suggesting this is John 7:37-39, “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ “But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” When it says the Spirit was something believers “were to receive,” doesn’t mean the Spirit hadn’t been active in the lives of believers pre-Pentecost, only that He would do more and greater things after Jesus is later glorified and ascended into heaven.
Indwelling appears to be limited in the Old Testament, as Numbers 27:18 says, “So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.” By highlighting that the Holy Spirit is in Joshua, it’s implied the Spirit is not in all who believed in this age, otherwise why state the obvious. The fact that Joshua has the Spirit of God living in him is noted as a qualifying condition to be God’s next governing commander over Israel. The Spirit’s indwelling is not Joshua’s only qualifying consideration, but indicates that above all else, Joshua is a vessel in service to the Lord, and governed by the Spirit. While God’s Word doesn’t specify that all Old Testament believers were indwelt, it does note that key leaders in the service of the Lord were; men like Moses, Joshua, holy prophets, and holy kings. 1 Peter 1:11 reiterates that prophets of God had, “the Spirit of Christ within them.”
Others in the Old Testament apparently had limited indwelling. Saul had the Spirit depart from him, and David cried out that the Spirit not be taken from him. The Spirit departing from a believer is not taught under the new covenant dispensation, no matter how far a believer may wander.
Additionally, in the new covenant, the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a gift, “you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” Acts 2:38. Gift implies the idea of permanence; as one receives a gift, it’s now his. This language isn’t used in Old Testament times.
Another argument is that the Old Testament promised a future indwelling. Ezekiel 36:26-27, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” This implies no present permanent indwelling existed.
Lastly, when Paul compares the old and new covenants, he notes that the new covenant is a covenant of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” This may imply that believers under the old covenant didn’t enjoy the indwelling of the Spirit. What we know for sure is that believers today are born of the Spirit, baptized/indwelt by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, and empowered by the Spirit.
Indwelling Versus Filling
Aside from the Spirit’s indwelling, He also fills believers. I know that sounds like the same thing, but it’s a separate operation. As the Spirit’s indwelling is a singular one-time action at the time of one’s salvation, being filled with the Spirit is something we can experience anew every day. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Here, alcohol is the thing that an individual may yield control to. Who will be in control over your life? Will it be a drug or a drink, will it be yourself or another person, or will it be the Holy Spirit? “Be filled with the Spirit,” is a command to believers. If I’m not daily yielded to the Spirit governing my life, then I’m in sin. The Spirit’s filling comes by way of our daily act of surrender, as an act of our free will; a decision to relinquish our control so that the Spirit can govern and operate within us. When He governs, the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) are manifest through us. Fruit means evidence of the Spirit’s governing, which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” Galatians 5:22-23.
Aside from daily governance, being filled with the Spirit sometimes means that He comes upon a believer with a special outpouring for the purpose of doing something radical in the moment. We see occasions of this in the book of Acts, were certain believers (those already indwelt with the Spirit) are being filled with the Spirit in order to meet the demands of the moment. The Apostle Peter lived as one governed by the Spirit, but in Acts 4:8, when he addresses the Sanhedrin (the judicial court over Israel) something unique happens. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said…” The Spirit gave a unique filling for the purpose of delivering a powerful message at that moment. In Acts 7, we find Stephen being stoned to death because of his faith in Jesus. As this happens, the Holy Spirit fills him (7:55); giving Stephen a unique spirit of peace (Galatians 5:22), and creates a supernatural window into heaven so that Stephen can focus on his Savior amidst his suffering, “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” These things wouldn’t have happened to Peter and Stephen if they had not submitted themselves to the filling of the Spirit by voluntarily letting the Spirit operate through them. Another example comes in Acts 13:9, as the Apostle Paul is filled with the Spirit so as to discern and rebuke a false prophet, “But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him…”
The Holy Spirit, and the Laying On of Hands
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit will work through the laying on of hands by the apostles. This can be somewhat confusing, as some wrongly assert that the apostles inputted the Holy Spirit into people, which has never happened. Let’s look at what’s really happening when we see instances of laying on of hands. Sometimes, the laying on of hands was done by the apostles to confirm an office onto someone. Acts 6 speaks of Stephen as he was conferred as a deacon within the church. It describes him as, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,” (6:5). The next verse says, that Stephen and other believers were, “brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.” So here, the laying on of hands is limited to conferring an office, as the laying on of hands served no other purpose in this instance.
In a similar circumstance, but one that can appear more confusing if read at a surface level, comes in Acts 8, where apostles are deployed to the Church in Samaria for the purpose of endowing Christians with the gifts of offices. This passage can be wrongly understood as though the apostles were dispensing the regenerative action of the Holy Spirit. Here’s what the passage says in Acts 8:14-17, “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.” Let’s unpack what’s happening here.
In Samaria, the church is growing as a result of Christians having left Jerusalem and evangelizing in Samaria. However, the disciples who evangelized in Samaria were unable to confer the gifts of offices to the Samaritan believers. These offices were needed to establish and strengthen the local churches, and at this time, those offices were administered at the hands of the apostles. Therefore, the apostles John and Peter are called, who come to Samaria, and lay hands on some believers as the Spirit directed. Bringing in apostles from Jerusalem for this ratifying act was important so that the Jewish and Samaritan converts saw that God had united them, and for the apostles to have confirmation that God was indeed now moving in Samaria, as the Lord prophesied (Acts 1:8).
It would be wrong to imply that these converts to Christianity didn’t already have the indwelling of the Spirit within them, as indwelling is a central act to conversion since Pentecost. Luke, who writes Acts, expects his readers to know this, given the context he’s provided in prior chapters. This same passage in Acts 8 makes another curious statement when it says, “they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” This means that the baptisms they’d already experienced were the indwelling of the Spirit (at their conversion) and water baptism as a profession of their newfound faith. “Simply been baptized” infers that none yet had experienced the Spirit’s conferring gifts of office. With no apostles at the time in Samaria, none were their presently who were qualified to confer these gifts. Thus, the Spirit had not yet descended on them for such purposes. The phrase, “simply baptized in the name of Jesus“, doesn’t refer to a limited type of water baptism, as if this water baptism excluded the Father & Spirit. These disciples were no doubt baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It only means they were yet lacking certain giftings of the Spirit, as represented in a type of baptism of the Spirit which was not yet administered to them. In fact, the phrase “baptized in the name of Jesus” is common; Acts 2:38, 10:48, 19:5. In summary, the Samarian church was increasing in the number of regenerate/indwelt believers whose water baptism showed a desire to follow Jesus, but who were yet unfurnished with demonstrative gifts and offices. We see in 1 Timothy 4:14 even more clearly that the laying on of hands is for conferring gifting, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”
Other accounts in Acts regarding the conferring of offices can be found in Acts 13:3, “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away,” and in Acts 19:6, “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.” Here, the speaking of tongues was a visual confirmation that these offices had indeed been confirmed by the Spirit. Today, the laying on of hands continues to be a common practice for the conferring of church offices, as pastors and elders may lay hands and pray over a new pastor on staff.
Another confusing text, associated with Acts 19, comes in verses 1-6, specifically in verse 2, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Both verses 1-2 indicate that Paul is talking to Christians. So, by default, this type of receiving of the Spirit couldn’t be the act of regeneration/indwelling, which already took place. The Christians remarked, “No, we have not yet even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” This doesn’t mean that they’ve not heard of the Person of the Holy Spirit, which they’d have known about by either the Old Testament or from the ministry of John the Baptist teachings, which had reached them according to verse 3. John the Baptist was of course well acquainted with the Holy Spirit, as he was uniquely indwelt by the Holy Spirit since his conception. Additionally, John the Baptist had seen the manifestation of the Spirit at Jesus’ baptism, appearing as a dove. These believers here talking to Paul may also have known of the promise of the Holy Spirit to come, from Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-29, which Jesus said would come after Him, and which Peter preached had been fulfilled (Acts 2:16-18). Some had heard the Spirit had come at Pentecost and other believers had not. Furthermore, it has to be understood that even if these believers literally mean, “Who is this Holy Spirit you speak of? The words ‘Holy Spirit’ has never crossed our ears!” Even if that was the case, their lacking knowledge of the existence of the Holy Spirit would have nothing to do with them being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, as one doesn’t need to understand the Spirit to be indwelt by Him. For example, if I’m sharing the gospel with a person who has no knowledge of the Bible at all, and I tell him about the work of Jesus and Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and then the man entrusts himself to Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins, then that man is immediately indwelt with the Holy Spirit, even if I don’t mention the Holy Spirit at all in my presentation. So, we must apply context when studying Acts 19, and remind ourselves that these believers are already indwelt before Paul lays hands on them.
Like the believers in Samaria, the gospel had been preached, received, and submitted to. Now believers in Ephesus were ready to function as a church and needed the bestowing of offices and the gifts that enjoined the calling at this time. When Paul asks “Into what then were you baptized?” The men said they were only baptized “into John’s baptism.” Realizing they had not yet taken the step of obedience to get baptized as born-again believers, Paul sees fit that they are baptized as professing believers in the name of Jesus. John’s baptism, was a confession of sin but didn’t acknowledge the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It was important before Paul conferred offices upon them in verse 6, that they first take an important step in obedience, publicly acknowledging their allegiance to the Father in heaven, and being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which took place in verse 5. After their water baptism as professing believers, then Paul saw it fit to confer offices to some for the establishment of the organized church in this region. To demonstrate that these offices had indeed been conferred, those with offices conferred onto them spoke in tongues and prophesied.
External demonstrations like tongues were not an uncommon demonstration at this time, as it often marked that one had been conferred with the gifts of offices. We ought not be confused to think that the speaking of tongues is an expected experience that one has at the moment of regeneration. When someone comes to saving faith in Jesus there aren’t outward supernatural signs that validate one’s salvation, at least not typically. That being true, tongues were used to validate the salvation moment in Cornelius’ house in Acts 10, for the purpose of showing Peter that Gentiles were now indeed indwelt. Outward demonstrations like at Cornelius household, and at Pentecost in Acts 2, show the Holy Spirit had done something unique to introduce a new reality, but in both of these cases there was no laying on of hands, as again, no apostle has ever imputed the Spirit into another person.
Before moving on, several things need to be understood. We would be wrong to assume that the Holy Spirit couldn’t operate within an individual until an apostle was present to lay hands. That would simply be false. God sometimes uses laying on of hands, and other times no apostle is used at all, such as in Acts 10:44. Regarding Samaria, with Peter and John (Acts 8), and much later at Ephesus with Paul (Acts 19), it’s fair to say that laying on of hands was in part to illustrate the oneness of the church, as the apostles could ratify and bring word back to Jerusalem that Jesus’ prophecy of taking the kingdom to Samaria and into the remotest parts of the earth was being fulfilled (Acts 1:8). Additionally, it would be wrong to assert that Samaria and other nations beyond, had their own separate “Pentecost.” This means that what happened at Pentecost in Acts 2, was the official and global mark of a new outpouring of the Spirit onto believers. Pentecost was not simply a regional act for Jerusalem which would be replicated elsewhere as the gospel spread.
Sometimes the Spirit operates through the laying on of hands for the purpose of healing. In Acts 9:17, we see that both the conferring of Apostleship and the physical healing of eyesight were achieved by the laying on of hands through Ananias, “So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Another example of the Spirit operating through the laying on of hands is in Acts 28:8, “And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.”
Quenching and Grieving the Holy Spirit
The Bible says, “Do not quench the Spirit,” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) which is a metaphor meaning to extinguish or suppress His divine influence. The Bible also says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 4:30). Grieve here means to cause grief or to offend. To quench or grieve the Spirit are closely related actions; two feathers on the same bird so to speak. Let’s unpack a bit of what the Scripture says about them.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” Here, we see that a person might be compelled by the Holy Spirit to rejoice, pray, giving thanks, or speak a prophetic word. But in the moment, the believer might not feel like doing that. In other words, one might resist what the Spirit is wanting to proclaim through them. This would be an act of quenching the Spirit, an act of disobedience. Verses like this reveal the Spirit’s nature, in that He allows us to exercise free will even at the expense of suppressing His work in us. We do this to our shame. Keep in mind though that the Spirit can also bring us to a place of humility when needed. In fact, in only by the Spirit’s doing that we come to a place of repentance and surrender at all (2 Timothy 2:25).
Paul continues in verses 21-22, “do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” Paul starts this dialogue in verse 12 by saying, “appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction.” Some in the church at Thessalonica had been dismissing the instruction given to them by the pastors/elders of the church, having “despised prophetic utterances.” Here, the church is warned against that, as doing so quenches the Spirit. Instead, if you have trouble receiving a corrective or challenging word, “examine everything carefully.” Seek the Scriptures to see if the prophetic utterance is of God. And when you do, “hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” Embrace the ministry of the Spirit, which is for your benefit. Rejoice, pray, and give thanks when you receive a prophetic word of truth from the Lord! When some among you have a gift of preaching, prophecy, or teaching, don’t suppress what the Spirit is doing through them.
There’s another way we can quench the Spirit, which is to dismiss the gifting that He’s given us. 1 Timothy 4:14, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.” Christians are all given a spiritual gift, or gifts, upon their salvation. This gift is the divine enabling to serve the church within a specialized capacity. Some gifts mentioned in the Bible are administration, serving, teaching, etc. So, why would a Christian neglect their gifting? Some Christians remain naïve, never having become students of the Word, and by default aren’t aware they have been given a unique gift for the purpose of serving others. Others are aware of their gifting, but are simply not yielded to the Spirit governing their lives, and therefore pursue their own selfish desires. Either of these reasons quenches the Spirit.
Looking at Ephesians 4:29-31, we get an idea of what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit. It says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Verse 29 speaks of appropriate speech; edifying and graceful. Verse 31 speaks of inappropriate speech; slander, bitterness, etc. Sandwiched in between these verses it says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.” How does our poor speech grieve the Spirit? We know that when the Spirit is governing our lives, the evidence of that will be, in part, kindness. Kindness means to give grace in the face of sin. As an example in this context, if I’m being cussed at by someone, my flesh would desire to respond with verbal bitterness and malice. However, if I’m governed by the Spirit, what will come out of my mouth is kindness, grace in the face of sin, words of edification which “give grace to those who hear.” So, to grieve the Spirit would be to counter how the Spirit would operate through me, by instead acting according to the flesh. Such choices are sinful.
All of this shows us that the Holy Spirit desires to be constantly governing over us. For this to happen, I have to daily chose to yield myself to His control. I can’t simply assume that as a believer, the Spirit will automatically operate through me. Like a gentleman, He operates through us as we surrender control; He doesn’t control us like one would control a puppet. I might yield to the Spirit’s operation one day, but the next day let my earthly passions reign. This is why being a Christian isn’t a “thing I did” once, but rather, Christianity is a daily choice to be a follower of Jesus, under the governance of His Spirit.
The Spirit – Strengthening Believers Amidst Persecution
Have you ever wondered if you’d be able to stand firm in your faith amidst serious physical persecution? I’m talking about the kind of faith that can suffer under incredible pain, even unto death, all for the name of Jesus. Sometimes in our comfort we boast about how we’d never crumble under the threat of pain or death. The Bible talks about the Spirit giving strength to endure if great moments of persecution should befall us. I say this because of what I read in 1 Peter 4:12-14, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” These verses say that if a believer is facing a “fiery ordeal,” such as intense physical persecution, we can have assurance of the following truths. First, that this sort of ordeal, “comes upon you for your testing.” It’s not to break us or defeat us, but to test us to see if we will rely on the Spirit. Second, “to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ,” is a statement that says that to whatever degree you’re suffering, God will meet that level of suffering with the correctly prescribed strength to enable you to hold firm in the faith. No matter how intense one’s suffering for Jesus gets, “keep on rejoicing,” don’t shrink back or recant the name of Jesus! The believer can handle this because he is “blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” God’s Spirit rests upon those amidst persecution, supplying what measure of grace and strength is needed according to the degree of the suffering. He’ll supply what’s needed, so that it’s not up to us to wonder if we have what it takes. Of course, it’s still an act of the will for the believer to choose to endure or not, but at least the believer will have what is needed if he decides to stand firm.
Another way the Holy Spirit meets us in the moment is when He brings to a believer’s mind whatever truth needs to be said when that believer is put on the spot. An example of this is seen in Acts 4, when Peter and John were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin (the governing court over Israel). Acts 4:13 says, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…” The Spirit gave Peter what was needed in the moment to speak the appropriate truth to this counsel. When put on the spot, or unexpectedly called upon to defend the faith, a believer can be assured that God’s Spirit will equip us. Consider also Mark 13:11, “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.”
Now, this doesn’t mean that the Spirit only equips those that are put on the spot. He also equips and gives His truth to many who are preaching and teaching His Word. However, some Christians wrongly assume too much regarding this operation of the Spirit. I’m talking about those believers who know they are scheduled to preach or teach the Word, yet they don’t prepare ahead of time and simply believe, “The Spirit will give me the words when I get there.” This is not what the Bible implies. In fact, this sort of thinking is contrary to the Bible, as we see in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” Verses like this show us that the ministry of teaching God’s Word is a critical work, and one that must be handled with accuracy and diligence. One can’t simply think he can forgo preparation and expect God to use him as a powerful teacher/preacher.
Two things need to be understood here. First, a Christian who is scheduled to preach, had better come prayed up and prepared. Second, the Christian who is unexpectedly called upon to speak, shouldn’t be afraid to engage the moment, but should trust that the Spirit will remind him of the things he’s studied and learned. A believer put on the spot ought not to think, “Oh no! What if they ask me something I haven’t studied in a while?” The Lord will bring to mind what’s been studied. However, the Spirit doesn’t provide answers to things we haven’t studied. For example, if I’m asked a question and the answer is unknown, I ought to humbly say, “I’ll have to do some additional study and get back to you about that.” The Spirit isn’t going to just give the answer to a question where knowledge is missing.
The Holy Spirit – Equipping, Enabling, Empowering Believers to Victory
So much more can be said about the operation of the Spirit, but here’s a snapshot of additional works of the Spirit in the life of a believer. One important function of the Spirit is how He creates a supernatural affection in us for one another. This is evident in the immediate change in believers post-Pentecost. In Acts 2 we see how the Christian church “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people,” Acts 2:42-47. The Christians didn’t act like this toward one another pre-Pentecost, at least not to the degree we see here. What changed? For years Jesus had been telling them to love one another and serve one another, etc. But now, it’s being lived out in a radically new manner. This newfound obedience and affection for one another was the fulfilment of what was said in Ezekiel 36:27, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Other ways the Spirit equips, enables, and empowers believers is the ability to have victory over sin, as we read in Romans 8:13, “For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Additionally, a saint’s sanctification (meaning, consecration or purification), is a result of the Holy Spirit, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” A saint’s gifting is from the Spirit, “to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Eternal life is achieved by the operation of the Spirit working in us, just as the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you,” Romans 8:11.
Seeking the Spirit
The Word describes how we can have more of the Spirit. It starts when one desires more of the Spirit. When a Christian wants to be a champion for Christ, a soldier for the Lord, a godly father, a Christ-like husband, etc., then he will desire more of the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” Your desire will be for something, either the Spirit, or the flesh. The word desire means to turn upon a thing, as to seek it. Do you desire all that God has for you? If not, ask the Lord to increase your desire for Him.
Jesus says in John 7:37-39, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit.” Are you thirsty for the Spirit? If not, ask the Spirit to create a thirst for Him. Remember how the Psalmist had a thirst for the Lord, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You,” Psalm 63:1.
An act of seeking the Spirit is to study the Spirit-inspired Bible. We cannot seek the Spirit if we aren’t studying the Bible, as the Spirit and the Bible can’t be disconnected. Consider the value of studying and meditating on the God’s Word, as directed by the following verses. Deuteronomy 6:7, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” And, Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” The Spirit most readily speaks to us through His Word.
When studying God’s Word, have faith in what you read. This step may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Many people can tell you what the Bible says, but are they living it out? Faith is putting to practice what you believe. We must couple hearing with faith (Galatians 3:5), and must “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves,” James 1:22. A person deludes himself if he thinks that hearing and agreeing with God’s Word is enough. Adding faith is critical. Consider the examples of Stephen and Barnabas, both are said to be full of the Spirit and faith (Acts 6:5, 11:24). That inclusion, “and faith,” implies that one can have the Spirit, but have little faith operating in his life. We don’t want to be that person! A person with the Spirit, yet with little faith, is like having a power drill in your hand but never pressing the button. Instead, one uses the drill by simply spinning the drill around in his hand as though it were a mere screwdriver. The power is there but not being utilized, hindered by a lack of faith.
We benefit as we understand more of who the Holy Spirit is, and as we yield to His operation in and through our lives. It’s to our advantage to do this. While there is so much more that can be said about the Holy Spirit, let me conclude this essay with an illustration that attempts to demonstrate the benefit of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Imagine that two cars are driving down a long highway. One car is driven by a Christian, and the other car is driven by a non-Christian. Both are driving alongside one another, headed in the same direction. As they drive onward, a massive storm rolls in. Soon, the sky is darkened by the thick clouds, and heavy rain begins to fall. This storm represents the trials that come upon all people, Christian and non-Christian alike. However, the Christian has an advantage that the non-Christian doesn’t have: the guidance and assistance of the Holy Spirit. Let’s pretend that the Holy Spirit is represented by the headlights and windshield wipers, which the Christian has in his vehicle, but that the non-Christian doesn’t have. In either case, the storm remains and both cars must navigate through it. But, for the Christian, the operation of the headlights and wipers make navigating the storm a whole lot easier.
When trials come, and they will come, are you equipped with the Holy Spirit, and are you letting Him guide and direct you? Even greater, are you saved by the regeneration that only comes through the Holy Spirit? If not, that’s the most important decision that you can ever make. Salvation comes by entrusting yourself to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. When you do, the Holy Spirit indwells and regenerates you; creating a new life in you that is no longer dead to sin, but is now alive in Christ!