The Spirit – What?
Let's answer another question about Pentecost. Perhaps you're asking what exactly is the Spirit?
The old translations and songs talk of the Holy Ghost - so is the Spirit a ghost? Is the Spirit just a 'force' of some kind?
The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a being. He is the third person in the Trinity - equal to God the Father and the Son: one in unity. He is an omnipresent and omnipotent being, and He works through and in those who believe in Christ and receive Him.
The Spirit Who Pursues You
Remember that old song, All Over the World the Spirit Is Moving? This is our belief - that on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out all over the world. He began to work in the lives of all people before they even knew it. Those who came to believe in Jesus became sensitive to the Spirit and what He offers.
The Spirit has been pursuing you, hasn't He? If you're honest? The Spirit is the One who opens your eyes, so that you begin to see Jesus' light. It's He who helps you understand what Jesus did for you on the cross. When you put your faith in Jesus, you open your heart and the Spirit comes to dwell within you.
I wonder if you've done that? Maybe today, this is where the Spirit is leading you.
The Spirit is also the One who - once you've believed and put your faith in Christ - takes you deeper with God. It's the Spirit who convicts you of the sin that remains in your life after you've been converted, and encourages you to put it to death.
It's the Spirit who convicts you of your need to be cleansed of your sinful tendencies so that you can live a holy life by the holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is opening your eyes to Him, leading you deeper, nudging you by His compassionate grace to truly commit your all to God.
Somebody once said: "Truth can inform; the will can reform; the Holy Spirit alone can transform." Yes, the Spirit of God is not just God's presence with us - He is God's power in us. He leads you to salvation, and leads you to sanctification. He wants to help you believe, and then He wants to transform you. He wants to make you more like Jesus by taking full control of your life!
Baptised in the Spirit
The Scriptures talk about a baptism by the Spirit. H.V. Miller, in his book When He Is Come, explains that the word "baptize" comes from the Greek word baptidzo, which was actually an everyday household term that had to do with dyeing fabric. If you were a housewife in ancient times and you bumped into your neighbour at the market, you might ask her, "Have you dyed that dress yet?" The Greek word they would use is the same word we translate as "baptize."
When you dye a piece of cloth, you don't just splash some colour on the surface. You soak that fabric completely until the dye penetrates every single fibre. The colour goes all the way through - from the outside to the very core. When it's done properly, that fabric is completely transformed. It's not just covered with colour; it becomes that colour.
That's exactly what Jesus wants to do when He baptises you with the Holy Spirit. It's not just about getting a little spiritual experience on the surface of your life. The Holy Spirit wants to soak completely into every part of who you are - your thoughts, your emotions, your decisions, your relationships, your priorities.
Do you want this experience? Join me here tomorrow for more on how to receive it!
Forgiveness of past sin is only part of the story - the Holy Spirit's indwelling power is what keeps you walking in freedom every day. Receive Him today, and live the cured, healthy, free life God has always intended for you.