Tonight, Garry spoke from Acts 1:1-8, continuing our teaching on the Holy Spirit. Some say (particularly Jehovah’s Witnesses) that the Holy Spirit is a ‘force’, not a person, but Acts 5:3 makes it clear that the Holy Spirit can be lied to and Jesus drew comparisons between Himself and the Holy Spirit, saying that the Father would send another advocate (of the same type as Himself.) It is clear that the Holy Spirit is God (see Matt 29:19, Acts 5:1-4) and God gives us the Holy Spirit when we first believe (see Eph 1:11-14, 1 Cor 6:19).

However, Jesus told His disciples that they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit and would receive His power to witness, a promise fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Witnessing involves living life according to God’s ways and loving as God loves. As we follow God, we need to live holy and chaste lives, forgiving others and receiving God’s joy and hope, but we also need to explain why we need salvation and how Jesus purchased salvation. It’s not a question of either/ or, but of using every method we can to draw others to God.

Jesus Himself lived life on earth in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22, Luke 4:1). His ministry involved the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor 12; He displayed heavenly wisdom (Luke 20:21-26) and knowledge (Luke 6:8), demonstrated gifts of healing (Matt 4:23), fed thousands through miraculous provision (see Matt 14), prophesied (Matt 24:1-2) and used the gift of faith on several occasions (see John 11, Matt 14 and Mark 1).

The book of Acts shows us that Jesus’s disciples displayed these gifts too (see Acts 2:1-4, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-7) and we need these gifts today in the church. 1 Cor 12:31 tells us to ‘desire the greater gifts’ (spiritual gifts). We need to earnestly seek God, for we too need to see these gifts in evidence and need the power of the Holy Spirit to witness to the amazing things God has done and continues to do in our lives. Are we ready to plead with God as our forefathers did for the baptism of the Spirit and for Him to re-ignite us? Nothing less than the fire of the Holy Spirit will change our world.