Why We Need The Holy Ghost (Pentecost Sunday)
The Holy Spirit enables us to live for Christ and make the Gospel known to the world.
This lesson tells that the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church came on the day of Pentecost following the ascension of Jesus. This lesson invites us to consider the two main practical purposes for which the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2); 1: to be a Helper to believers in Christ and 2: to be a Convincer to the world to believe in Jesus as the Messiah whom God sent into the world to save sinners (there’s not a more convincing Christian than one who is full of the Spirit). As Christians, it is important for us to know the Holy Spirit as a witness of Christ to the world, and that by enabling us for Christian living in ministry, He also equips us to be effective witnesses of Christ to the world (see Acts 5:32).
THE SPIRIT CAME AT PENTECOST
A. Gift of the Spirit Promissed
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
…….This scripture alone shows the direct connect the Spirit has with Jesus. He said, you know him because he is with you now, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
…….Referring to the spiritual manner, after His dissension back to heaven, His Spirit would come back to live inside believers. Before the manifestation of the Spirit, Christ’s impacts were those of the physical. But after the Holy Spirit came to dwell and live within the hearts of man, the impact can now be from the inside out. He comes not to put a suppression on sins, but to dissolve and eradicate them! Though temptations and sin still come to try and wreck lives, the Holy Spirit remains as a help, comfort, and guide with means of escaping the temptation!
B. The Spirit Received by Believers
Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
…….This is one of the most exciting topics for any Christian to learn and encounter. Sadly, this can be a hard topic to teach on today. While just a couple decades ago the majority of the Pentecostal church operated under the gifts that come from being filled/baptized with the Holy Spirt, today it seems as though it is the other way around. According to scripture, there are two distinct involvements with the Holy Spirt and those are; receiving the “gift” of the Spirit, and being “filled or baptized” by the Spirit. Receiving the gift of the Spirit is the involvement that comes with salvation (Acts 8:14-17). This indwelling bring a new way of life with righteous motivation, a desire to have a close relationship with Jesus, and a companion in conviction to help avoid and overcome temptations. Thank you Lord for our gift of the Spirit! The filling/baptism of the Spirit is an experience of the gift making its fullness that causes its ability to operate powerfully within our lives.
THE SPIRIT HELPS BELIEVERS
A. Helper and Guide to Believers
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
B. Intercessor for Believers
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
……I’m glad that when we are in a place that we don’t know what to do or to say; the Holy Ghost knows and makes intercession for us. He knows what we need even when we don’t.
THE SPIRIT CONVINCES THE WORLD
A. The Spirit Testifies of Christ
Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Joh 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
……The world seems to have a way to combat everything, however they have no way to combat what the Lord has done in our lives.
B. The Spirit Convicts and Convinces
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
……As we look around the world today we see all of the issues and troubles, however, what we are really seeing is a world that is missing the Holy Ghost. We have allowed the enemy to produce a counterfeit that is dead and has no power. That has lead us to where we are, but I’m glad to report to you that the only way there can be a counterfeit is there first has to be a REAL. The real is still powerful and alive. It’s time we stop setting back and allowing the world to miss out on what they need. THE REAL!
