Today is the day of Pentecost. We remember the events that happened when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and they began to speak in tongues. But who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Bible teach us about this person of God? He is called the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost. What is His role in our salvation? How do we receive Him? How do we become filled with Him?
We read in the passage today, that the disciples were “all filled with the Holy Ghost”. But you see this was not on that day that they received the Holy Ghost. You remember when the Lord appeared to the Apostles after His resurrection, when they were gathered in a locked room for the fear of the Jews. Lord Jesus stood in the midst and breathed on them and told them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” J. 20:22
This was the moment when they received the earnest of the Spirit. It was when they believed that Lord Jesus was alive, they received this seed of His promise in their hearts. So it is with us, when we believe the gospel, we receive this seal of God, the earnest of the Spirit: “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 2 Cor. 1:22
Before His ascension to heaven Lord Jesus told the disciples “wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:4-5
If you believe the gospel, you need to wait for the promise of the Father. Have all the promises and blessings of the Bible been fulfilled for you yet? Wait for it. There is more in your life to come. Receive His grace and you will receive more every day by growing in the knowledge of God. The Holy Ghost who teaches us all truth is the greatest gift a man could possibly imagine. God promised that He will come upon every one who believes in the name of Jesus.
On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were all with one accord in one place. The were gathered together, they were united in the same truth: Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried and rose again on the third day. Being together and praising God, they are filled with the Holy Ghost and begin to speak in tongues.
This teaches us something important. Receiving the Holy Ghost and being filled with the Holy Ghost are distinct events. We receive the earnest of the Spirit when we believe the gospel. We should however look forward to that promise of the Father, to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Paul writes to Timothy: “stir up the gift of God” 2 Tim. 1:6. This is why we come to worship. We have this deep desire to be in presence of the Lord, we want Him to fill us with His Spirit.
The Lord said: “wait for the promise of the Father, which, […], ye have heard of me.” Let us remind ourselves some of these things that the Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples.
Reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment
God’s presence through the Holy Spirit, was the intended way for our salvation and indeed the very central part of Lord Jesus’ mission on the cross. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” J. 16:7-8
Receiving The Spirit of Truth is only possible thanks to what Jesus Christ did on the cross, when He took the sins of the world upon Himself. Our conversion is the work of God. We do not see ourselves as we are – sinners in the need of grace. It is the Holy Ghost who needs to reprove us of sin, of righteousness and of judgement. The Holy Ghost needs to take us, bless us, break our hardened hearts and bring us to repentance so that we may be comforted.
Whom The Father Will Send In My Name
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” J. 14:26
We learn, that the Holy Ghost is sent by the Father, in Jesus name. If you receive Christ by faith, if you believe in His name, you will receive the Holy Ghost. This is the promise God made to you. The Father will send you the Comforter in the name of Jesus.
The Comforter
He is called the Comforter. He will comfort us through our pilgrimage here on earth. In all tribulations and oppressions we can find the comfort of God’s presence in our life. Lord Jesus also confirms that although the Comforter is a different person of God, He is one with the Godhead and by being filled with the Comforter, we are indeed filled with Christ Himself: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” J. 14:18
Therefore, although we are sad because we have to patiently wait for the Lord Jesus to come back for us, we find this comfort that we are not abandoned, as He lives in us through the Holy Ghost.
He Shall Teach You All Things
Following Jesus is the way of constant learning. We need to learn the holy character of God, His mercy, love and grace. We learn to repent, we learn to pray. We go through many trials of our faith and also we learn how to choose that which is good and dismay that which is evil. We are learning obedience to God’s Word. We are learning the righteous way. All this learning process is the work of the Holy Ghost. “He shall teach you all things.”
The teaching we receive through the Holy Ghost is the fulfilment of the promise given through prophet Isaiah:
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Is. 30:21
Bring All Things To Your Remembrance
“Whatsoever I have said unto you.” The Holy Ghost gives us not only understanding of the Scriptures, but also practical application of all the things we are learning. He enables us to love God’s Word and empowers us to follow its commandments in our daily life. “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” J. 14:23
He Gives Us Peace
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” J. 14:27
He Shall Testify of me
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” J. 15:26
The Comforter gives us the testimony about Jesus Christ. It is through the Spirit of truth, we come to this revelation of who Lord Jesus truly is. Body and flesh cannot reveal this to us, it needs to be a divine revelation and it would not be possible if not the work of the Holy Ghost.
He Empowers Us
“And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” J. 15:27
The testimony we receive from the Holy Ghost comes directly from God. This is what we share with the world. It empowers us to share the gospel as something experiential and real, something we learned from God whom we have known directly through this Spirit of Truth.
We read earlier: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Our testimony would not be possible if it was not for the witness of the Holy Ghost that we receive. It is Him who enables us to be witnesses unto Jesus Christ unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Bear Record in Heaven, Bear Witness in Earth
Turn with me to 1 John 5:6-9:
“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.” 1 J. 5:6-9
The Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. The three that bear record in heaven. The three that are one. One God, revealed to us in the name of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost bears record in heaven, the Spirit bears witness in earth. This Spirit is our direct link to the heaven. The most incredible thing about being filled with the Holy Ghost is that we receive a part of heaven while being here on earth. We have this direct connection with our Creator.
He Will Guide You Into All Truth
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” J. 16:13
When Lord Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Pilate asked this question: “What is truth?”. We know that God is truth. The Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost testify the truth. The Holy Ghost is also called the Spirit of truth.
We find the truth in the words of Jesus, in the Word of God, in the Bible. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth;” J. 16:7
When we seek truth, we seek God. We study the Scriptures for we are looking for answers, we want to know the truth and to know God. The Holy Ghost guides us. “He will guide you into all truth”.
He opens our hearts and enables us to discern that which is true from what is false. We can know what is the sound doctrine of faith and immediately reject that which does not align with the Word of God and step away from a heresy.
He Shall Glorify Me
“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:14
Finally, the Holy Ghost glorifies Jesus Christ in us. In the worship service the Word of God is preached. We read from the Bible and show that which is revealed through its testimony. “He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” This is the presence of the Lord among His brethren. We remember when we studied psalm 22: “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” Ps. 22:22
Preaching the Word of God is the work of the Holy Ghost. It is this stirring up of the gift of God. If you have received the gospel testimony about Jesus Christ you have the earnest of your salvation. Hold to this promise of the Holy Spirit. Wait for it. Pray for it. Listen to the Word of God. The Lord rewards all them who seek Him diligently and reveals Himself to them who put their trust in Him.
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Cor. 1:20
Let us pray fervently that the Spirit of God may come to us today and guide us into all truth and knowledge of God. Pray that we can be obedient to His Word and preach the gospel to the world.
Let Jesus Christ be glorified in us through the Holy Ghost. Give thanks to Him for this wonderful salvation He prepared for us that our relation with God can be restored. Thank you God for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
