The Holy Spirit was poured out on believers at Pentecost. But what does the Holy Spirit do today? Who is He?
The Helper Comes
On the day of Pentecost, we remember and celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who put their faith in Jesus. We also celebrate the birth of the Church, the Body of Christ! Before you dive into this blog post, read Acts 1 and 2 to learn what happened on the day of Pentecost.
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be one of disciples in the upper room on that sacred morning over two thousand years ago? What was going through their minds? They had just witnessed Jesus ascend into Heaven 7-10 days prior.
For 40 days prior to His ascension, following His crucifixion and resurrection, they walked with Jesus in His glorified flesh. They talked with Him, they shared meals with Him, and He taught them more about the Kingdom of God (Acts :1-5).
In obedience, they huddled together in that upper room and waited. By this time, they fully knew who Jesus was. He had proven Himself to be the One they had been waiting for for hundreds of years. The One who was prophesied about in the scrolls. He was, He is, The Messiah. He was a trustworthy friend and a selfless and compassionate leader, and at this point, the disciples would do anything He instructed them to do.
He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait, so they did.
Acts 1:4 “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from me.”
We read in Acts 1:14 “They all joined together constantly in prayer…”
Waiting, and waiting some more, while praying together constantly. Can you imagine the anticipation? Every unfamiliar sound or movement prompted their immediate attention. Eyes wide, hearts fluttering. What was that?! Nothing, that was just Peter shuffling his feet. Again, another unfamiliar sound envelops the room. Nope, not yet; that was just Mary taking a deep sigh. And the chatter? Can you imagine the conversations? “What exactly ARE we waiting for?” “What IS the Promise of the Father?” “How much longer?”
And then, it happened.
Acts 2:1-4, “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Imagine it!
Crowds gathered outside the home as they heard the loud sound of this Spirit Symphony. The crowd heard the Galileans preaching the Word of God in their native language!
And then there were the skeptics, those who accused them of drunkenness until Peter walked out and addressed the crowds.
Peter addressed the crowd saying, “For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants’” (Acts 2:15-18).
Peter explains that what they just witnessed was not a performance. He tells them that they were witnessing what God spoke to the prophets long ago – the Holy Spirit would be poured out on the sons and daughters of God (Joel 2:28-32, Isaiah 32:15, Ezekiel 39:29). This Day of the Lord came about because Jesus was “crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [But] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:23-24). A new day was dawned, the gospel was preached, and the church was born!
The Holy Spirit that filled the disciples and believers then is the same Holy Spirit we have today!
This leads me to a question, how acquainted are you with the Holy Spirit?
Unacquainted with the Holy Spirit
It saddens me as I serve and teach in ministry, the disconnect that many people have with the Holy Spirit. I have found that a great number of people are simply unacquainted with, and even uncomfortable discussing the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.
I can recall the very moment 10 years ago when sadly, I realized my relationship with the Holy Spirit was shallow. I was at a conference, and the facilitator asked these two questions, “Who are you most comfortable with within the Trinity? The Father, The Son, or the Holy Spirit? And Whom are you least comfortable with within the Trinity?
I thought to myself.
I’m very acquainted with Jesus. He’s so kind. He died for me. He tells me He’ll leave the 99 sheep to come to look for the one lost sheep (That one lost sheep was me). I sang Jesus loves me this I know…. as a child, and I guess I never really questioned Jesus’ love. He loves me, and I love Him, and we’re very comfortable with one another. Jesus and me, we’re good.
My relationship with The Father. Well, He has done deep work in me. He has helped me understand that He loves me differently than my earthly father. He tells me that He cares so deeply for me that He keeps my tears in a bottle and knows every hair on my head. And John 3:16, which I memorized as a teenager, solidifies the depth of His love which I cannot deny. The Father and me, we’re good.
But the Holy Spirit, aka The Holy Ghost? I didn’t really know who He was. So I began a journey of discovery and I am so glad I did!
Friends, being deeply acquainted with the Holy Spirit will change your life.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Here’s what I discovered:
-He was there from the beginning of Creation (Genesis 1:1-2)
-The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are ONE (Ephesians 4:4-6)
-He is a real person with feelings and desires (Isaiah 63:10)
-He may communicate on many levels and in many ways: (Romans 8:14, Acts 16:6-7, Romans 8:16, Romans 9:1)
-He gives us power to be witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:8)
-He helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26-27)
– He intercedes for us in prayer according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27)
-He is a friend (2 Corinthians 13:14)
-He guides us into all truth (John 16:13)
-He is a nurturer (Romans 5:5)
-He helps us remember God’s truth (John 14:26)
-He lives in us (1 Corinthians 6:19)
-He gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-13)
-He gives us freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17)
-He is our teacher (1 Corinthians 2:13)
-He convicts us of sin (John 16:7-8)
-He sanctifies us (Romans 8:10-11)
-He’s omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient (Psalm 139:7-10, 1 Corinth 2:10-11, Luke 1:35)
Recognizing the Spirit's Work
As my understanding of the Holy Spirit has deepened, I’ve become more attuned to His presence in and around me.
He’s loud when I need His voice to be heard above my own or above the noise and chaos around me. His voice is soft when the flesh of my heart is wounded, exposed, and vulnerable. His presence, like a shadow, becomes the healing balm from Heaven, the soothing salve that squishes into the cuts, tears, and scars of my wounded heart. He restores, redeems, and comforts.
He convicts me from a place of love. He reveals my sin to me, typically in the night hours. He nudges me from a place of love that stirs my heart, causing it to ache its way into repentance. He is powerful yet never insulting. He allows me to witness His power through obedience, and I admit, often through fear and trembling. He is the God of miracles, signs, and wonders. He is my dearest friend and confidant, my life source, my everything.
He would love to be your most precious Friend, Counselor, Helper, and Advocate too. This is the gift Jesus spoke of, “The Promise of the Father.” This is Who showed up on that morning in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago to dwell upon the earth and live in the sanctuary of our hearts.
Friends, being deeply acquainted with the Holy Spirit will change your life. It’s the way God designed it. I urge you, if you don’t have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, He’s worth pursuing!
Michele Tupen is a Revelation Wellness Instructor and serves as a Chaplain for Revelation Wellness alongside her husband Cris (Platoon 4). Michele also serves as the Restorative Care Coordinator for Revelation Wellness. She and her husband, Cris, live in Washington State, where they are also Chaplains for their local Police Department.
