5 Minutes of Hope

“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 with the Holy Spirit.” — Acts of the Apostles 1:4,5

The Holy Spirit

1. Is the primary purpose of the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” for power or for presence?

2. When He comes in His fullness, what does He bring?

3. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” — Acts of the Apostles 19:2

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. — John 16:13

🎶 Come, Holy Spirit, I need You!

🎶 Come, sweet Spirit, I pray.

🎶 Come, in Your strength and Your power.

🎶 Come, in Your own special way.

🎶 Sweet Spirit of God, come into my heart. Burn out the dross, please take me apart. And then renew, restore, refine, rebuild, revive, empower, refill… until Jesus Christ is formed in me.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

— Ephesians 5:18-20

The Holy Spirit is not merely a “power” or a “force.”

He is God Himself — present, active, personal, holy, speaking, grieving, leading, empowering, convicting, comforting and transforming.

Here are some of the many pictures and ministries of the Spirit throughout Scripture:

• He is our Teacher — guiding us into truth (John 14:26).
• He is our Comforter / Helper / Advocate (John 14:16).
• He is our Guide (Romans 8:14).
• He is our Convicter of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
• He is our Sealer — marking believers as belonging to God (Ephesians 1:13).
• He is our Witness — testifying of Christ (John 15:26).
• He is our Empowerer — clothing weak people with heavenly strength (Acts 1:8).
• He is our Intercessor — praying for us when words fail (Romans 8:26).
• He is our Sanctifier — making us holy little by little (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
• He is the Spirit of Adoption — crying “Abba, Father” within us (Romans 8:15).
• He is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13).
• He is the Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29).
• He is the Spirit of Glory (1 Peter 4:14).
• He is the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2).
• He is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:17).
• He is the Spirit of Burning — purifying and cleansing (Isaiah 4:4).
• He is the Oil in the lamp.
• The Fire upon the altar.
• The Wind that blows where He wills.
• The Water that satisfies thirsty souls.
• The Dove descending in peace and purity.
• The Earnest / Down Payment of our inheritance to come (2 Corinthians 1:22).
• The Finger of God writing, moving, touching, revealing.
• The Breath of God bringing life into dry bones.

And perhaps one of the most beautiful truths of all:

He is the One who continually points away from Himself and toward the Son.

The Spirit loves to glorify Jesus Christ.

From Genesis to Revelation, you see Him moving:

• Hovering over chaos in Genesis 1.
• Filling craftsmen.
• Empowering prophets.
• Anointing kings.
• Overshadowing Mary.
• Descending upon Christ.
• Falling at Pentecost.
• Indwelling believers.
• Calling the Church.
• And finally crying:

“Come.”

At the end of the Bible, the last great invitation is this:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.”

— Revelation 22:17

The Spirit is still hovering.

Still wooing.

Still calling.

Still teaching.

Still grieving over sin.

Still comforting the broken.

Still empowering the weak.

Still pointing men and women to Calvary.