Let’s discover together how the Spirit works in your life and in the church as a whole, biblically speaking. At the very end, this post has the totals for the number of times the Spirit appears in the New Testament, in the four Gospels, Acts, epistles, and the Revelation.
Let’s begin.
I. The Holy Spirit Was Promised
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The Holy Spirit Was Promised |
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| 1 | The promise of the Spirit in the Old Testament | Joel 2:28-29 |
| 2 | Fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy at Pentecost. | Acts 2:17-18 |
| 3 | John the Baptist predicted Jesus’s ministry as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. | Mt. 3:11; Acts 1:5; 11:10 |
| 4 | Peter promises the gift of the Spirit to us today. | Acts 2:38 |
| 5 | Jesus had already promised the gift of the Spirit. | Lk. 21:49; Acts 1:4-5 |
II. He Causes Rebirth
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He Causes Rebirth |
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| 1 | He causes us to be born again. | John 3:3-5 |
| 2 | He gives us rebirth and is lavished generously on us. | Ti. 3:5-6 |
III. How We Receive the Spirit
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How We Receive the Spirit |
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| 1 | We must repent of our sins. | Acts 2:37-38 |
| 2 | We must believe in Jesus. | Acts 11:15-17; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 3:2-3, 14; Eph. 1:13 |
| 3 | We must be baptized in the name of Jesus. | Acts 2:38; 19:1-6 |
| 4 | We must pray to receive him. | Lk. 11:11-13; Acts 8:15-17 |
| 5 | We are commanded to receive the Spirit. | Acts 9:17; Eph. 5:18 |
IV. The Spirit Is Truth and Teaches Truth
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The Spirit Is Truth and Teaches Truth |
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| 1 | He reveals God’s secrets to us. | 1 Cor. 2:10-16 |
| 2 | He teaches us about Christ.
The Advocate is the Holy Spirit. The advocate is the Paraklete, a Greek term which literally means someone who is “called alongside” (para = alongside and klete = called). It could be translated as the Encourager, the Strengthener, the Comforter, The Exhorter, the Defender / the Attorney (related to advocate), the Counselor, or the Helper |
Jn. 14:26; 15:26 |
| 3 | He reveals truth. | Jn. 16:14-15 |
| 4 | He reminds believers of what Jesus said. | Jn. 14:26 |
| 5 | He enables us to discern the truth and test spirits.
False prophets have gone out into the world, and we are to test every spirit. How do we recognize the Spirit and the fake spirits or bad spirits or teachers? The incarnation–Jesus has come in the flesh. |
1 Jn. 4:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1 |
| 6 | He teaches us what to say in times of trial. | Lk. 12:12 |
| 7 | He gives wisdom and understanding to believers. | Eph. 2:17; Col. 1:19; Heb. 9:8 |
| 8 | He teaches truths in the Old Testament as illustrations of New Testament truths. | Heb. 9:8 |
V. He Sanctifies Us
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He Sanctifies Us |
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| 1 | He empowers us to live the Christian life in the Spirit, not the flesh. | Rom. 8:5-9 |
| 2 | He sanctifies us. | Rom. 15:16b; 2 Thess 2:13 |
| 3 | He washes sinners. | 1 Cor. 6:11 |
| 4 | He justifies the repentant. | 1 Cor. 6:11 |
| 5 | He makes our bodies temples. | 1 Cor. 6:18-20 |
| 6 | He circumcises the heart of its sin nature or cuts it away. | Rom. 2:29 |
VI. He Provides God’s Daily Presence
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He Provides God’s Daily Presence |
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| 1 | He lives in us. (The Paraclete; see IV. 2) | Jn. 14:16-17; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:19-20 |
| 2 | He gives us new life. | Rom. 8:2, 6, 10, 11 |
| 3 | God’s love is poured out in our hearts through the Spirit. | Rom. 5:5 |
| 4 | He brings Christ’s presence to us. | Jn. 14:16-18 |
| 5 | He helps us in our weakness and keeps us in touch with God. | Rom. 8:26; Jd. 20; 1 Cor. 15:5; Rom. 6:18 |
| 6 | He prays for us in times of crisis. | Rom. 8:26 |
| 7 | He calls out “Abba Father!” in our hearts. | Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15d |
| 8 | He bears witness in our spirits that we are God’s children. | Rom. 8:16 |
| 9 | He grants us access to the Father. | Eph. 2:18 |
| 10 | He remains or rests on believers.
The Greek verb translated as “rest” can also be translated as “give relief,” “refresh,” “relax.” |
1 Pet. 4:14; |
| 11 | He draws us into fellowship or communion with him. | 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1-2 |
| 12 | He enables us to say, “Jesus is Lord.” | 1 Cor. 12:3; Rom. 10:10 |
VIII. He Guides and Directs
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He Guides and Directs |
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| 1 | He governs us. | Rom. 8:6 |
| 2 | 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. |
Acts 16:6-10 |
| 3 | 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). |
Acts 20:22 |
| 4 | He warns. | Acts 20:23 |
| 5 | He leads. | Rom. 8:14 |
| 6 | He helps us follow sound teachings and good examples. | 2 Tim. 1:14 |
IX. He Empowers Our Service to God
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He Empowers Our Service to God |
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| 1 | He gives us power and wisdom to witness. | Acts 1:8; 6:9-10 |
| 2 | He gives us a sword, the word of God, to fight Satan. | Eph. 6:17 |
| 3 | He enables believers to serve God. | Phil. 3:3 |
| 4 | He empowered the following people for service:
a. 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 (Acts 4:8). b. The first deacons They were selected to care for the widows, both Hebraic Jews and Hellenistic ones (Acts 6:3). c. 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 (Acts 6:5). d. Barnabas News of revival up in Syrian Antioch came to the ears of the Jerusalem leaders, and they sent Barnabas to investigate it (Acts 11:24). e. 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 (Acts 13:9a). |
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| 5 | He empowers us to stand firm and strive together as one. | Phil. 1:27 |
| 6 | He confirms the gospel of salvation with signs and wonders and power. | 1 Thess. 1:5; Heb. 2:3b-4; Rom. 15:18-19 |
X. He Dwells in the Christian Community
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He Dwells in the Christian Community |
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| 1 | He came at Pentecost and filled a large gathering (120 disciples). | Acts 2:1-4 |
| 2 | He fills the entire community with power to witness. | Acts 4:31 |
| 3 | The whole church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was encouraged by the Spirit. | Acts 9:31 |
| 4 | He lives in the church. | 1 Cor. 3:10-17; Eph. 2:22 |
| 5 | He appoints leaders in the church. | Acts 20:28 |
| 6 | He oversees councils. | Acts 15:28 |
| 7 | He chooses missionaries / apostles. | Acts 13:2 |
| 8 | He sends out missionaries / apostles. | Acts 13:4 |
| 9 | He directs the missionary enterprise. | Acts 8:29, 39 |
| 10 | The Spirit enables the church to live in unity. | Eph. 4:3-4 |
XI. He Gives Believers a Future and a Hope
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He Gives Believers a Future and a Hope |
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| 1 | He will raise us from the dead. | Rom. 8:11 |
| 2 | He seals us and is our deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until our final redemption. | Eph. 1:13-14 |
XII. Reflections
A. Surrender to the Spirit
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.
B. No outlandish displays
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!
D. Totals
Total 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 Spirit.
Four Gospels
Matthew: 12
Mark: 6
Luke: 17
John: 19
Gospels Total: 54
Acts: 53
Narrative Total: 107
Paul’s Epistles
Romans: 29
1 Corinthians: 22
2 Corinthians: 11
Galatians: 18
Ephesians: 11
Philippians: 3
Colossians: 1
1 Thessalonians: 3
2 Thessalonians: 1
Titus: 1
Pauline Total: 100
General Epistles
Hebrews: 7
1 Peter: 4
2 Peter: 1
1 John: 7
Jude: 2
General Total: 21
Revelation (excluding “seven spirits” 7x): 12
Grand Total: 240
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