4. Bible Basics about the Spirit in the Life of Christians, Part 2

This post continues the Spirit’s activity in the life of Christians, as revealed in the epistles.

This post is long, with many verses and concepts. To find your verse or key word, type ctrl-f (for “find”). A search box should appear at the top of the page. Type in your verse or key word. You may have to go to Part One to find them.

This two-part post is divided into these sections:

Part 1

I. The Holy Spirit Was Promised.

II. He Causes Conversion and Rebirth.

III. How We Receive the Spirit.

IV. The Spirit is Truth and Teaches Truth.

V. He Sanctifies Us.

Addendum 1: The Holy Spirit Is a Person

Addendum 2: Total Number of Times “Spirit” Appears in NT

Part 2

VI. He Provides God’s Daily Presence.

VII. He Produces Fruit and Distributes Gifts.

VIII. He Guides and Directs.

IX. He Empowers Our Service to God.

X. He Dwells in the Christian Community.

XI. He Gives Believers a Future and a Hope.

Personal Application

Addendum 1: The Holy Spirit Is a Person

Addendum 2: Total Number of Times “Spirit” Appears in NT

Let’s begin.

VI. He Provides God’s Daily Presence.

A. He lives in us.

In John 14:17, the advocate is the Paraklete. (See Roman Numeral V and Letter B, above, for more comments on this interesting word.)

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)

This next verse is talking about the end of days, but some Bible interpreters say it can also include the Spirit strengthening our bodies right now (see 8:10, below, Letter B).

¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Rom. 8:11)

These next verses appear in the context of fleeing sexually immorality. Our bodies are not our own. God owns them because he bought them with a price–the sacrifice of Jesus. Our bodies are temples, where God’s presence dwells.

¹⁹Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

B. He gives us new life.

We have been set free from the law (principle) of sin and death, and now our mind is governed by the Spirit, not the flesh (sin nature). The Spirit, therefore, works change in us and our feeble bodies, which pull us down to sin.

²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death […] ⁶The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. […] ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Rom. 8:2, 6, 10, 11)

C. God’s love is poured out in our hearts through the Spirit.

This is a wonderful promise. It says God wants us to experience him. Christianity is not just an intellectual pursuit or religion. It goes right into the heart, by the Spirit living in us:

⁵And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Rom. 5:5)

D. He brings Christ’s presence to us.

We already saw John 14:16-18, above, but now let’s add v. 19. Jesus will come to us through the Spirit.

E. He keeps us in touch with God.

The Spirit lives in us and prays through us. He knows what the mind and will of God is. Let’s pray through him.

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Rom. 8:26)

This next verse is probably referring to praying with prayer languages (commonly called “tongues”).

²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit […] (Jude 20)

To support my claim that Paul may be referring to “tongues,” here is this verse:

¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. (1 Cor. 14:5)

However, this next verse says to pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests, so it may not be limited to “tongues.”

¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Eph. 6:18)

F. He prays for us in times of crisis.

This verse does seem to have a background of urgency:

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Rom. 8:26)

G. He calls out “Abba Father!” in our hearts.

Abba is an Aramaic intimate term for Father.

⁶Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:6)

And now we too cry out: “Abba Father!”

¹⁵The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15d)

H. He bears witness in our spirits that we are God’s children.

Tell your testimony of what the Spirit works in your heart. You can have his reassurance that you are his.

¹⁶The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Rom. 8:16)

I. He grants us access to the Father.

In this verse, “through him” is Christ. The Spirit gives us access to the Father through his Son. It is lovely Trinitarian verse.

¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Eph. 2:18)

J. He rests on believers.

On the verse in this section, the Greek verb translated as “rest” can also be translated as “give relief,” “refresh,” “relax.” In this verse the Spirit rests or remains on us, but I like to imagine that he will also give us spiritual and moral and emotional rest or relief or relaxation when we are insulted because we belong to Jesus.

¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:14)

K. He draws us into fellowship or communion with him (2 Cor. 13:14).

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Cor. 13:14)

These two verses (Phil. 2:1-2) speak of God’s Spirit and human spirits and one mind with other brothers and sisters. This is communion between the Spirit and humans of the highest level because it involves our spirits interacting with each other and the Spirit himself.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Phil. 2:1-2)

L. He enables us to say “Jesus is Lord.”

Whether our initial salvation or continuous walk with God (or both), the next verse teaches us that the Spirit leads us to speak of Jesus’ Lordship. This verse introduces the gifts of the Spirit, so it could be put in that category (below). In any case, we need to surrender all to him because he is Lord.

³Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:3).

I link 1 Corinthians 12:3 with this verse:

⁹If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:10).

VII. He Produces Fruit and Distributes Gifts.

A. He gives us righteousness, peace and joy.

In the context of table fellowship, whether some Christians have the liberty to eat anything (Gentiles or non-Jews) or choose a restricted diet (Messianic Jews), Paul writes for liberty because the kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but spiritual qualities.

¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,(Rom. 14:17)

B. He distributes gifts as he determines.

These nine gifts are manifestations of the Spirit, who distributes them as he wills for the common good, the edification of the church. They are not manifestations of the platform speaker / performer who distributes them as he or she determines for his own good to raise money from their displays.

⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Cor. 12:7-11)

Begin a series on the gifts here:

Gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and 12:28

Gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12:6-8

The author of Hebrews also repeats that the Spirit distributes gifts.

⁴God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Heb. 2:4)

C. He inspired prophecy in the Old Testament.

New Testament prophecies have been democratized to include everyone. NT prophets should be part of a church and submit to leaders and Bible-teaching pastors. But back in the OT days, there were offices of prophets, who were much freer to follow God in their ministries. Some of them were inspired to write Scriptures, while NT prophets in the local assembly were not.

²⁰Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

New Testament Restricts Authority of Modern Prophets

D. He produces fruit in us.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23)

Begin a series on the fruit of the Spirit here:

1 Fruit of the Spirit: Love

The Fruit of Righteousness

E. He enables us to be pure.

Paul writes that the Thessalonians must live in purity (1 Thess. 4:8). If they do not, then they reject God who instructed them to do this.

⁸Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thess. 4:9)

F. He gives psalms, hymns, and songs.

The word “message” can just as easily be translated as “word.” You have to know the Word (Christ) and the word (the gospel about Christ, Scripture) before songs will come to you.

¹⁶Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Col. 3:16)

G. He gives us joy during suffering.

Paul and Silas suffered persecution at Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). Paul writes here that Thessalonian believers also suffered persecution. But the joy of the Spirit sustained them.

⁶You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thess. 1:6)

H He gives believers power, love, and self-discipline.

Paul writes to his mentee Timothy to fan into flames the gift he got when Paul laid hands on him (v. 6). He was not to be afraid. “self-discipline” can be translated as “sound mind,” as the older translations have it.

⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Tim. 1:7)

Epaphras informed Paul of the Philippians love in the Spirit:

[…] ⁸and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. (Col. 1:8)

I. He gives liberty.

The glory of Christ and his gospel exceeds the glory of the law of Moses. Christ frees us from our own law keeping to prove our righteousness. “The Lord is the Spirit” means either that the Spirit is Lord (“the Spirit of the Lord”) or the Lord Jesus is so in tune with the Spirit that they share the same essence or have the same ministry (though they are not the same person). See Acts 16:7, which says the “Spirit of Jesus.” Close connection.

¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor. 3:17)

The Trinity: Three Persons Together in the New Testament

J. He gives tongues and prophecy and praise.

1.. Pentecost

The Spirit came on the 120 disciples who spoke with prayer languages (commonly called “tongues”).

⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:4)

2. Cornelius and his household

He and his household got saved and filled with the Spirit, and they spoke in tongues and praised God.

⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. […] They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” (Acts 10:46-47b)

3.. Twelve disciples of John the Baptist

They were baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins, but Paul told them this is inadequate. They needed to believe in the person John pointed to, namely, Jesus. They did.

⁶When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. ⁷There were about twelve men in all.

4.. The Samaritans

Here the gift of tongues or prophecy is implied. Simon the magician saw the Spirit on the new believers in Jesus. What did he see? Something visible on the Samaritans. But what? Probably tongues or prophecy or praise to God.

¹⁷Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money […] (Acts 8:18-20)

5. Saul

It is also implied that Saul spoke in tongues. He received the Holy Spirit, though tongues are not specified. But we know he had this gift (1 Cor. 14:18).

¹⁷Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17)

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. (1 Cor. 14:18)

VIII. He Guides and Directs.

A. He governs us.

⁶The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6)

B. He prevents wrong direction and redirects Christians.

Paul and his team wanted to go farther into Asia Minor, but evidently, the Spirit lead them to go into Europe. It is interesting that Luke writes “the Spirit of Jesus. This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 3:15, which uses the phrase “The Lord is the Spirit.” Close connection between Jesus and the Spirit.

⁶Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10)

C. He compels.

Paul felt compelled or strongly urged to go to Jerusalem. “Compelled” can also be translated as “bound” or “obligated.” The Spirit was leading him powerfully (see Mark 1:12 and Jesus, different Greek word but the same idea).

²²“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. (Acts 20:22)

D. He warns.

He warns and forewarns. The Spirit told Paul to expect trouble ahead in Jerusalem.

²³I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. (Acts 20:23)

E. He leads.

The next verse refers to our relationship with God; he leads us away from sin and from practicing our sinful impulse and nature. But why does his leading have to stop there? He can lead for other purposes too in our daily relationship with him as his children.

¹⁴For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Rom. 8:14)

F. He helps us follow sound teachings and good examples.

In this context, Paul tells Timothy to follow sound teaching and Paul’s example, the “deposit.”

¹⁴Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Tim. 1:14)

IX. He Empowers Our Service to God.

A. He gives us power and wisdom to witness.

Jesus is talking to the eleven and commissions them to go the the end of their (known) world.

⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Opposition of the Synagogue of Freedmen in Jerusalem was made up of men from Cyrene and Aliexandria (N. Africa) and in Asia Minor, so they were a diverse group. They began to argue with Stephen.

¹⁰But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. (Acts 6:9-10)

B. He gives us a sword, the word of God, to fight Satan.

The word of God was the Old Testament back then and it was the gospel of Christ. But I say we can now include the New Testament as the word of God. With the Spirit’s wisdom, we can wield the word to great effect, to see unbelievers saved and believers built up.

¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:17)

C. He enables believers to serve God.

“We who are of the circumcision” = Jews, particularly Messianic Jews in Paul’s case and the twelve apostles and ordinary followers of Jesus. All of us serve God by the Spirit.

³For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— (Phil. 3:3)

D. He empowered the following people for service:

1.. Peter before the Sanhedrin

Annas the high priest was there, and so were other rulers and teaches of the law. Peter was filled with the Spirit, who empowered him to deliver his sermon to these august men.

⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! […] (Acts 4:8)

2.. The first deacons

They were selected to care for the widows, both Hebraic Jews and Hellenistic ones.

³Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them (Acts 6:3)

3.. Stephen

He will soon be the first martyr (Acts 7:1-8:2). The apostles told the people to select seven men, and here they are. Also, note that the other six men were full of faith and the Holy Spirit, because of 6:3.

⁵This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. (Acts 6:5)

4.. Barnabas

News of revival up in Syrian Antioch came to the ears of the Jerusalem leaders, and they sent Barnabas to investigate it. Barnabas is the person behind the pronoun “he.”

²⁴He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:24)

5.. Paul was filled, just before pronouncing judgment.

He was about to rebuke a magician named Bar-Jesus Elymas, who had been interfering with Paul’s gospel message to Sergius Paulus, the proconsul. The Apostle needed to be filled with Spirit to speak firm judgment on the false prophet.

⁹Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit […] (Acts 13:9a)

E. He empowers us to stand firm and strive together as one.

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. (Phil. 1:27)

F. He confirms the gospel of salvation with signs and wonders and power

In this verse the Spirit empowered Paul and his team) to preach the gospel with great power.

[…] ⁵because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. (1 Thess. 1:5)

The author of Hebrews says those who heard Jesus announce salvation confirmed it with sings and wonders and various miracles and gifts.

[…] This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. ⁴God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Heb. 2:3b-4)

Paul preached, and the Spirit backed him up with power, sings and wonders.

¹⁸I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. […] (Rom. 15:18-19)

X. He Dwells in the Christian Community.

A. He came at Pentecost and filled a large gathering.

There were about 120 souls at this life-changing, game-changing moment in world history, which is still being felt today. The word “tongues” can just as easily be translated as “languages.”

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)

Did 12 or 120 Speak in ‘Spirit-Inspired Languages’ (‘Tongues’) at Pentecost?

B. He fills the entire community with power to witness.

Peter and John were called before the Sanhedrin for being too bold about Jesus. They came back to the larger gathering to report what the rulers had said. The entire church prayed, and look what happened.

³¹After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31)

C. The whole church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was encouraged by the Spirit.

³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31)

D. He lives in the church.

“You yourselves are God’s temple” refers to the church, Anyone who destroys God’s temple refers to bad teachers and leaders, but I believe this can be expanded to include all destructive ideas taught by false prophets and teachers.

¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Cor. 3:16-17)

This next verse also refers to us, the whole church, as the new temple of God, where he dwells with his Spirit.

²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Eph. 2:22)

The Church Fulfills and Replaces Old Testament Temple

E. He appoints leaders in the church.

Overseers and shepherds (pastors) have the same function. The Spirit made them to be leaders.

²⁸Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)

F. He oversees councils.

How should saved and redeemed non-Jews (Gentiles) act in front of saved and redeemed Jews. Also, should the Gentile Christian men be compelled to be circumcised? This is an excerpt from the letter written by the council. The key phrase” It seems good to the Spirit.” I also include v. 29 just to fill out the context:

²⁸It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: ²⁹You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. (Acts 15:28)

G. He chooses missionaries / apostles.

The Spirit is selecting Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to be sent out on their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). I like how they were worshipping and fasting.

²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)

H. He sends out missionaries / apostles.

Now the Spirit actually leads them to go.

⁴The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. (Acts 13:4)

I. He directs the missionary enterprise.

This is one of the most endearing stories in Acts. Philip just finished his evangelistic campaign in Samaria, and now an angel of the Lord told him to go on a certain road. Philip observed a man riding in a chariot (or wagon). Philip witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch and he believed in the Lord. It was time to be baptized. Then the Spirit whisks Philip away.

²⁹The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” […] ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:29, 39)

J. The Spirit enables the church to live in unity.

³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; (Eph. 4:3-4)

XI. He Gives Believers a Future and a Hope.

A. He will raise us from the dead.

This verse speaks of our future resurrection and transformation of our earthly bodies. Some Bible interpreters say this resurrection power happens today.

Here is v. 10, in support of the idea that God works his resurrection power in us right now:

¹⁰But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. (Rom. 8:10)

B. He seals us.

The Spirit is our seal, which marks us that we belong to Christ. The Spirit is also our deposit or down payment which guarantees our inheritance right now until we are fully and finally redeemed in the future, at the Second Coming.

¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13-14)

And this verse in Ephesians says that our hearts should be enlightened to know the hope he has called us to.

¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, (Eph. 1:18)

The context of the next verse says that our bodies groan and wear out. However, one day we will be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. The Holy Spirit guarantees what is to come.

⁵Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor. 5:5)

God set his seal of ownership on us, pit his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, to guarantee what is to come. We need to be ready for our eternal future.

²¹Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, ²²set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor. 1:21-22)

Personal Application

This was a long post. I can only summarize it with a few words. We must allow the Spirit to fill us, guide us, empower us, overcome our sin natures, and surrender every fiber of our being. Only then can we powerfully serve him with a clear conscience and clean heart.

One other conclusion: I cannot find where there is all sorts of outlandish displays of charismata and human reaction and, yes, silly behavior among the early church, guided as it was by the apostolic community. There is no roaring like a lion, barking like a dog, howling like a wolf, or meowing like a cat. There were no platform show-offs or performers. None of it. Let’s return to the Scriptures, and watch what the Spirit can do, when we honor biblical practices!

Addendum 1: Totals Number of Times “Spirit” Appears in NT

I added them up the best I could, using a concordance and distinguishing between a human spirit or an evil spirit or the Holy Spirit. I did not sort out the parallel passages in the synoptic Gospels. I counted “advocate” in John’s gospel. It’s a sure thing I may have omitted a verse or two or added one or two, but I believe the totals reflect a reasonably accurate number. I did not keep track of when a pronoun (he) referred to the Sirit.

Matthew: 12

Mark: 6

Luke: 17

John: 19

Gospel Total: 54

Acts: 53

Narrative Total: 107

Paul’s Epistles

Romans: 29

1 Corinthians: 22

2 Corinthians: 11

Galatians: 18