The Power of the Holy Spirit

Ps Koay Kheng Hin

If you remember, the years in TOP I have not preached on the power of the Holy Spirit. Today I am led to teach on this. It will not be something that covers everything on the Holy Spirit but have taken snippets out on what I think the Lord wants us to be aware of.

As the church prepares for 2018, there is this consciousness or awareness of the reality of the person of the Holy Spirit. I know there is the Holy Spirit but I want to go a step further. That he is working in you and the church on a daily basis. He is there all the time even if you cannot see it. Even as I sat there and asked the Lord to anoint me, he is there in our midst.

We serve one God but in the Bible, we know that God is three persons. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. How do we square all this? I've been working at this for a long time. I rest on the fact that there is one being of God but there are three persons of God.

My mum asked me and I tried to explain to her in Hokkien. After one hour she looked at me and said she's more confused.

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

All of you will know this verse as a cardinal verse for the Assemblies of God.

Acts 2:4 (NIV)

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Holy Spirit is a person and not a force. The Jehovah Witnesses will tell you the Holy Spirit is a force and not a person. I want you to think. The Bible describes to us that the attributes of God is present in all three persons. There is no lack of holiness in all three persons. But having said that, we have to understand that in each of these person there is a focus on their attributes.

When we think of God the Father, what do we see? What comes out is what we call the transcendence glorious majesty of God. The almighty comes to the fore. Transcendence means there's an otherness to it.  He is the infinity of God and beyond comprehension.

What about Jesus? When we look at God the Son, what comes into focus is the imminent agape love of God. In him he exhibits and expressed in Romans 5:8. He is incarnate to be a man and we can relate to him. We sense and become aware of the imminent agape love of God. What about the Holy Spirit? When you read and look at the Holy Spirit what do we see?

It's in Acts 8:1. It says you will receive power. It did not say you will see love or the perfect glory of God. He is meant to manifest to us the dunamis power of God. When we say anoint us we are looking at the power of the Holy Spirit.

What power is in the Holy Spirit? It's not a natural but a supernatural power of God. It is spiritual power of God. And this is what TOP needs for 2018.

I want to look at this supernatural power. In the Old Testament it's been expressed in so many ways.

Judges 14:6 (NIV)

The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.

The Bible describes the lion as a matured lion. A strong lion. But the Bible wants to give us this impression that this lion was being torn apart with his bare hands as if it was a goat. In those times, the lion was seen as a powerful beast.

Today when you pray to the Holy Spirit, I don't think you'll pray to be like Samson as you can just use a gun. So how do we get empowered through the Holy Spirit?

This scripture talked about Peter and John.

Acts 4:8 (NIV)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

Acts 4:13 (NIV)

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

In verse 8, Peter talked to these religious leaders who are daunting during those times. These leaders saw the courage of Peter and John. He saw them as unschooled ordinary men yet they saw him talk with boldness and that they had been with Jesus.

I had been asked by this nephew of mine. I had a good time with him. I told him that in my years in working with the word of God and have been asked so many questions there is nothing new under the sun. The one question I've been asked on and off is how to have the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.

Verse 13 is the answer. That this man has been with Jesus. This is the first insight I want to impart to all of us. If you have really spent time with Jesus that power of the Holy Spirit will grow in your life. Jesus works in tandem with the Holy Spirit. As a man spend time with the Lord, and we all do it differently. If you ask Alvin, I think he'll say he play the guitar and spend time with God. Some like me will be in the word. And for others it will be in prayer.

If you spend time with the Lord the power of the Holy Spirit will be in you.

Acts 4:31 (NIV)

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

It is manifested in boldness. If you look at me up here you think I'm confident. But I want to tell you I'm not a bold or confident person. Every time I come out, I always tell myself Jesus must become greater and I must become less.

The other is Moses. The Lord has sent me up here. It gives you a sense of boldness. To all the cell leaders, do not think you don't know the Bible enough or you are not good enough. On Friday, just say the Lord has sent you. The power of the Holy Spirit will rest upon you with boldness.

Now let's talk about this little monk called Martin Luther. He was speaking against the Roman Catholic Church. Going against the church means he was also going against the Roman emperor. He was summoned and all they wanted him to do was to say he was wrong. The Pope and the Roman emperor agreed to this. History tells us that Martin Luther was a great man of God. His answer was barely audible. All those who went against the church was burnt at the stake or killed. He asked to be given more time and the emperor gave him 24 hours.

Something happened that night. The next day he came and there was a supernatural power. He confronted the emperor and the whole assembly. Finally he said, my conscience is kept intact and I cannot recant and unless you can show me in the word of God that I am wrong. Here I stand I can do no more. God help me.

There is a supernatural boldness that will come upon you. You need to spend time with Jesus. No short cut.

Number two, you may think you are not good enough, or afraid. Look at Peter, he also denied Christ. But he was a changed Peter and by tradition, he asked to be crucified upside down because he said he was not worthy to be crucified like Christ. Something must have changed for someone who denied Christ.

Let's look at Paul. His is a little different. Paul talked about the power of the Holy Spirit as in what he does in you.

Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Paul says you will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit by being empowered and transformed by the Holy Spirit. It's not about changing their character.

I'm a man who from young has not been very ambitious. A man of small dreams. I just want to be able to work and not see my parents work hard or my father have to ride the trishaw or my mother iron clothes till late at night. A man with small dreams.

Years pass and they are in heaven in the Lord. My youngest brother is the father of two children. I sometimes ask how's he doing. One fine day I realised they have all grown up and learnt to let go of my brothers.

If you ask me now that I'm retiring at 60 years old what's on your mind? My siblings are doing quite well. Financially better than me. So what's the next task? I believe maybe you all think I'm taking the church to the next level.

I wake up and I ask the Lord to be a better person. I was very blessed on Friday. I was blessed at cell. There have been instances when words that came out of my mouth has not been wise words, not perfect. I told myself this area I have a lot of work to do. You may be wondering why I feel that, thinking that I'm actually okay and not a troublesome person.

I think it's because when you read Galatians 5:22, the natural man will refer to the person next to you. You will think you have more patience or more loving than the person next to you. That's because you compare yourself with man. People will always compare with people worst themselves.

But if you spent time with God and no man to compare then you realised that there is so much that the Lord can empower us. The pursue of your character into more like Jesus, there is blessing. When you ask the Holy Spirit to work in you it doesn't take very long. Give yourself three months and you will realise many things.

There is a certain rest in you as God change you. And you don't realise the change and is happier today. You see things differently around you. How can you be happy if you only look into what's not right but don't want to change.

The second blessing is in that we try to bring the good news to our friends. When you manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit, your evangelistic effort begins to bear fruit. When you asked them to come to church but they refused but now as a change man, your message is only as effective as the messenger.

One of the gifts that I have is that I can relate to a lot of people. One day this young man told me, he said my advice cannot pakai wan. But when I come and talk to you, I go back, I feel very nice, relaxed and joyful. I thought about it and it's impartation. We impart the peace. The person feels good because you are imparting the peace of God. The joy in your heart will affect those around you.

If you are papaya face but you tell them about the joy of the Lord it won't work. The message is as good as the messenger.

You will receive power. You can see it individually and you can see it corporately. As a believer the Holy Spirit will empower you with boldness and empower you to have the fruit of the Holy Spirit and you will be blessed.

When you ask a person if he wants to be holy, often they'll said not for me, maybe you leaders only. But if you ask them if they want to have more peace. Be more loving, be more patient, they'll say yes. That's being holy.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

That gift is given to the church as a steward. It does not belong to you. When a person say I have the gift of prophecy, they see it as their gift. Like me, I've the gift of teaching but this gift used to be for myself. It's a gift to edify and build the church. And it's important. So Important that a whole chapter is given to it. It's gifts from the same spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

There is no one person with all gifts except for the perfect man Jesus. The fundamental truth is that we have only three perspective.

The church that do not manifest the power of the Holy Spirit because they have not spent time with the Lord.

The second one is they spent time with the Lord but they are not surrendered and no unity. The church has their own area of dominion. That church will not be edified and build up.

The last is that the gift has been poured out. We just need to exercise it as the church, one body.  But it must be with love or it's nothing.

How did Samson turned out? Very very sad. Someone that had the anointing in his life.

Judges 16:19-20 (NIV)

19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”

He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

What was wrong with Samson? Did he exercise his gift? Yes. Did he had the power? Yes. So what happened. Samson forgot God. Previously the Bible showed Samson mentioned I love you to God but later it was to Delilah.

John 16:14 (NIV)

He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus.

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

That's why this verse says we will be witnesses. Witnesses of who? Jesus.

The problem is that when we receive the power and we focus on the power and not Jesus, it will not last. We may have the power but we need the love of Jesus in our hearts. We need to be very Christ-centred people.

I want to encourage the church that in 2018, we want to ask of the Holy Spirit for that anointing of power upon the church. Upon you and me individually. And as the church we will have a supernatural working of the church and the church will never be the same again.

Whatever ministry you are in, it's the gift of the Holy Spirit and it's given to you to build the church and not just to empower.

Not by might and not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord.

Baptism and the Holy Spirit

By Bro Koay Kheng Hin

Describe the distinctive Pentecostal understanding of the doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Your description should include a systematic argument from the Bible on the said doctrine.

The doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a doctrine drawn from the interpretation of specific passages in the Bible. The first instance of the mention of said baptism occurs in the gospels. “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11). John the Baptist was speaking to many of the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to observe him baptizing the people.

John’s baptism (water baptism) presupposes repentance, and he would not baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees because they failed to give any evidence of repentance (vv. 7-8). It is of utmost importance that John mentions another type of baptism (Baptism in the Holy Spirit) and contrasts it with water baptism. Further John identifies that it is Jesus who would  be the one baptizing in the Holy Spirit. The use of the word baptize suggest a full immersion, so, to be baptized in the Holy Spirit takes the meaning of being fully immersed, saturated with or totally enveloped in the Holy Spirit. The three other gospels record this same prophecy of John (Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33). 

From the gospels we move into the book of Acts “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5).

Here Jesus was speaking to the apostles before the ascension. He asked them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. God the father is the One who would send the Holy Spirit. The day of Pentecost came ten days later, when the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred and the 120 disciples were baptized in the in the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4). 

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”(Acts 2:4).

It must be noted that all 120 of the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. As applied to us  today, we can expect that every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit (baptized in the  Holy Spirit). As the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues. This is the only sign of the Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in other tongues were also a supernatural enablement by the Holy Spirit. They spoke not from their mind nor their thinking faculties. The words that they spoke came from the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in other tongues, therefore, is the initial, physical sign(evidence) of a person being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

What is meant by other tongues? To answer this question we will have to look at Acts 2:5-8 “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?”

There are two misinterpretations of these few verses. The first misinterpretation is to ascribe the miracle of speaking in other tongues not as a miracle of speaking but that of hearing. According to this understanding, the disciples were all speaking in their native Aramaic. The miracle was not demonstrated by their speaking but it was the people who were gathered there who heard the spoken Aramaic in their own languages. The miracle therefore, lay in the hearing of the people.

The second misinterpretation is to take the other tongues as unknown tongues which the Spirit then interprets in the ears of each of the hearers in their own language. However, a plain reading of the text clearly tells us that the other tongues were the languages of the diverse people who were gathered there. 

What then was the content of the speech in other tongues? 

Acts 2:11 “……-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” gives us the answer. It was not preaching nor teaching content. Rather it was the wonderful works (the mighty, magnificent, sublime deeds) of God. It was some form of praise and worship, giving honor and glory to God for who he is and what he has done.

As Peter addressed the crowd at Pentecost, he began by explaining to them that what they had seen and heard in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon believers and the supernatural enablement of the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues was indeed the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy as spoken by the prophet Joel.

“In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people

your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18)

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is therefore the fulfilment of the promises to pour out the Spirit as prophesied in the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah affirms the prophecy by Joel.

“For I will pour 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.” (Isaiah 44:3)

Then Peter shares the message of the gospel to the crowd. At the end of his sermon, the people were cut to the heart and asked Peter what they should do. 

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ forthe forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).

Peter’s call then was for them first to repent which meant turning from unbelief to faith. Through their faith they received forgiveness. Water baptism declared their identification with Christ in His death (Romans 6:3). After water baptism, they will then be able to receive the gift of (baptism in) the Holy Spirit. It must be emphasized that the conversion experience referring to regeneration symbolized by water baptism is distinct from the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a subsequent experience that follows the conversion experience.

There are three more clear instances where the baptism in the Holy Spirit is affirmed in the book of Acts.

The first instance is the passage from Acts 8 concerning Philip’s ministry in Samaria. 

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12).

“When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, … ” (Acts 8:15-18).

Acts 8 records the scattering of the church from Jerusalem as it experienced a great persecution. Philip had gone down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. Verse 12 states that those in the city who had come to believe in the name of Jesus Christ had already undergone water baptism. In verse 16, Luke states very clearly that even though these people had been baptized in water, they still had not yet been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Verse 17 records that Peter and John placed hands on these people who had already been water-baptized and they subsequently received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even though it is not mentioned that these people spoke in tongues, it was clear that there was evidence that could be seen that they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Read with Acts 10:46, it becomes clear that what could be seen was the people speaking in tongues when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The second instance is the record of the conversion of Cornelius and his household in Acts 10.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep the people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” (Acts 10:44-47).

Peter had gone to witness to Cornelius and his household after God had shown him a vision three times. What happened in Acts 2 was experienced by Cornelius and his household. They were baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. The act of speaking in tongues were the convincing evidence that they had indeed received the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this instance, there was no long period of time between the conversion experience and the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. However these two experiences remain distinct events just as in Acts 2 where the disciples who were baptized in the Holy Spirit were then already believers.

The third instance is Acts 19 when Paul went to minister to a group of young believers.

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ….. (Acts 19:2)

“On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:5-6).

The question asked by Paul in verse 2 is asked of believers. They had already believed so Paul’s question is not a question about conversion.  Paul’s question therefore was about the subsequent receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit after they had become believers. Verse 6 records their being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Now we come to the purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

Acts 1:8 was spoken by Jesus to his disciples before his ascension. The baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers a believer to be an effective witness of Jesus Christ for he receives the Spirit’s power to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in the performing of signs and 

wonders, in the effective proclamation of the gospel and in growing unto spiritual maturity.

                                                                        5

In conclusion, the distinctive Pentecostal understanding of the doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, as drawn from the Bible, is a doctrine that is a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. It refers to an immersion or saturation in the Holy Spirit. It is also an experience that is distinct from the conversion experience and is necessarily after it. It is meant for all believers for empowerment for not only ministry but also growth in spiritual maturity. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is regularly accompanied by the initial, physical sign of speaking in other tongues, understood as other languages, as the Spirit of God gives utterance. From the moment of being baptized in the Holy Spirit the believer can experience subsequent fillings of the Holy Spirit throughout his life.

References

1. Horton, Stanley. What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit
2. A History of the Assemblies of God in Singapore, Malaysia and the USA

  

Who is the Holy Spirit and what is His work? Include biblical references to support your description.

The Person of the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood and neglected in our Christian faith. It is a sad reflection of the state of the church if the church endeavors to fulfill her mission without an emphasis and a proper understanding that the transformation of livesand the expansion of the kingdom of God cannot be accomplished without the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the consciousness of the reality of the Holy Spirit is the necessary ingredient that gives us a sense of the supernatural workings of God as we read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible informs us of the Trinitarian nature of the Godhead. In the First Person of the Godhead we have God the Father, in the Second Person we have our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit then is the Third Person of the Godhead.

A common misconception is the wrong understanding that the Holy Spirit is merely a form of divine energy or divine influence. Such an understanding is most likely sourced from a pantheistic worldview of eastern religions rather than the theistic framework of the Christian faith. It must be affirmed, first and foremost, that the Holy Spirit is not a mere force or energy but He is a Person with a personality. Both explicitly and implicitly the Bible treats the Holy Spirit as a distinct Person. 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, …(Romans 8:26-27).

Verses 26-27 drawn from Romans 8 explicitly mentions the Holy Spirit as a Person who helps us, intercedes for us and searches our hearts. 

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Eph 1:17)

Here, the Holy Spirit is revealed as a Person who acts with intelligence and wisdom.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30).

The Holy Spirit can be grieved by our actions and behavior. He is a Person with a personality.

Establishing the Personhood of the Holy Spirit leads us to the next question of his status in relation to the Godhead. The Bible informs us that the Holy Spirit is God.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19).

This verse puts the Holy Spirit on an equal level with the Father and the Son. He Himself is, therefore, God.

“Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit………... You have not lied to men but to God.”(Acts 5:3-4).

Ananias, and his wife Sapphira, had sold a piece of property and kept back some of the money for himself without informing the apostles. Peter rebukes Ananias and tells him that he has lied to the Holy Spirit in verse 3. In the next verse Peter affirms that Ananias has indeed, lied to God. Put together these two verses tell us that the Holy Spirit is God.

“Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths,

You are there.” (Psalm 139:7-8) 

This passage attributes the divine characteristic of omnipresence to the Holy Spirit. David is equating God’s Spirit with God’s presence. The Holy Spirit is God.

“……The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men know the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

Paul attributes the divine omniscience to the Holy Spirit. Further Paul identifies God with His Spirit and states that there is an intrinsic relation between the two of them. 

Having established the understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, we must now move on to consider His work as the Third Person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit has been active from the beginning of creation and there is a continuing work of the Holy Spirit until the present and into the future. This description of the work of the Holy Spirit is not exhaustive.

It is meant to permit us to have an overview of the work of the Holy Spirit from the Old 

Testament right to the New Testament.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2).

The Holy Spirit was active in creation. He is associated with God’s creative activity in the creation of the heavens and the earth.

“and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-“ (Exodus 31:3)

God spoke to Moses concerning the building of the tabernacle. He told Moses that He had chosen Bezalel and filled him with the Holy Spirit so that he would be supernaturally empowered with the skills and knowledge of exceptional craftsmanship.

“The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands….” (Judges 14:6)

Samson was on his way to Timnah when suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Holy Spirit came upon him in power and endued Samson with superhuman strength.

“But as for me, I am filled with power, 

with the Spirit of the Lord, 

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression, 

to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8)

In the midst of a corrupt society, God filled Micah with His Spirit so he could see what was right before God and what was wrong. Then the Spirit gave him the power, courage and strength to proclaim to the leaders and people what should be done in order that they could walk right with God.

“So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)

In this vision, the angel encouraged Zerubbabel to complete the rebuilding of the temple and assured him of the Spirit’s enablement. “By my Spirit” is a fundamental principle that all fellow laborers in the Lord must keep in mind. 

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

(Luke 4:18-19)

The ministry of Jesus in preaching and healing was done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 18 states very clearly that the Spirit of the Lord was on Jesus to empower Him for ministry. We must remember that while Jesus walked on earth He was the GOD-Man Jesus Christ; the perfect God and at the same time the perfect Man. In the aspect of His perfect Manhood He received His power through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit’s power working in Him and through Him.

“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:5-6)

When Nicodemus asked Jesus how a person can be born again, Jesus answered that it is only the Holy Spirit that can bring new spiritual life to anyone. It is the Holy Spirit that grants regeneration to those who are spiritually dead so that they can become spiritually alive.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit will teach the disciples all things and bring into remembrance all the teachings of Jesus to them. In time the Holy Spirit would guide and lead them into the writing of the New Testament in the same way He had inspired the Old Testament prophets to write the Old Testament centuries before the Coming of Jesus.  

“When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and 

righteousness and judgment …..” (John 16:8)

The work of the Holy Spirit regarding the world of unbelievers involves bringing conviction of their sin of unbelief and rebellion, their lack of awareness of the perfect righteousness of God that is required of them and the reality of future judgment for all those who reject the gospel message. 

“He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” (John 16:14)

The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

“When the day of Pentecost came, ….. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4)

Acts 2:1-4 is a fulfillment of Acts 1:8. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that the disciples became effective witnesses of Jesus. From the Day of Pentecost on we see the Holy Spirit active in the life of the church- in teaching, in miracles, in further fillings of the Spirit, in new baptizing, and above all, in the work of spreading the gospel and establishing the Church. The Holy Spirit was the real Teacher bringing conviction of spiritual truth in believers’ lives. There was a spiritual unity among believers brought about by the Holy Spirit. 

There was also a supernatural faith and zeal planted in the hearts of believers for the establishment of the kingdom of God. 

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful 

nature” (Galatians 5:16).

Living by the promptings and power of the Spirit is the key to conquering sinful desires.

                                                                     

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, 

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Christian character is produced by the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit produces Christian virtues in a believer’s life. This is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that empowers a believer to grow unto a Christ-like character. 

“To one is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous power, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11).

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are intended to build up the Church. These gifts are given to every believer and they are to be exercised in a spirit of unity and humility. It is through the Holy Spirit that miracles and healing are performed, prophecies and words of knowledge is given, speaking in tongues is effected and deliverance from spirits is performed.

In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity and in this dispensation it is the Holy Spirit that we must depend upon for personal growth in holiness and it is through His power that the Church can be firmly established and expand unto the ends of the earth both spiritually and numerically. 

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”(Zechariah 4:6)

Reference

1. Horton, Stanley, What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit
2. A History of the Assemblies of God in Singapore, Malaysia and the USA