The Person, Purposes, and Power of the Holy Spirit

Many Christians are confused about Who the Holy Spirit is, what His purposes are, and how believers should engage with Him. Some Christians have a sound doctrinal understanding, but are not experiencing His Presence or operating in His power.

Let’s take a little time to unravel some of this by digging into Scripture to develop a deeper understanding of the Person, purposes, and power of the Holy Spirit.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, coequal with the Father and the Son in divinity, authority, and glory. He is not an impersonal force but a personal Being with a will, emotions, and intellect, and specific roles.

Acts 5:3–4 ESV

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

1 Corinthians 3:17-18

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

How do You Receive the Holy Spirit?

Let’s look at the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

“And 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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

The Apostle Paul states that when we believe, we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit deposited in our lives. What does it mean that we are marked with a seal? In biblical times, a “seal” was a mark indicating a letter or scroll was closed or completed. When a king or dignitary wanted to show an identifying mark with a letter, he would seal it with a resin imprint of his ring. The Holy Spirit’s Presence in the life of the believer likewise shows that believers belong to the Lord.  We are given the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and When do You Receive It?

If we receive the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, then what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?  The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 that if we are members of Christ’s church, we have all been baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

Luke records a different use of the term baptism in the Holy Spirit as he describes the resurrected Jesus’ command to the disciples about waiting in Jerusalem to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:3-5 NIV

“After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

In Acts 1:5, the Greek word for John’s baptism and the Holy Spirit’s baptism “baptizo” (bap-tid’-zo) and it means to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk), to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe to overwhelm. In 1 Corinthians 12:12, it is the same word, “baptizo”.  

So what do we have going on here? 

Were the disciples unbelievers and needed salvation and thus the sealing of the Holy Spirit for salvation, or was it something else?  The disciple Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was a follower of John the Baptist, and most theologians believe that John and Philip were also disciples of John’s. We can assume that because they were his followers, they had already been baptized by John. They had repented of their sins and then recognized Jesus as the Messiah, leaving John the Baptist to follow Jesus. 

As the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome,

Romans 10:9 ESV

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

These were not unregenerated disciples waiting for salvation.  They had already recognized Jesus as the Messiah, accepted His Lordship, and were filled with the Holy Spirit in order to actively engage in the ministry that Jesus sent them out to do, including performing miracles and casting out demons.  Could they have performed these miracles of their own power? No.  The Holy Spirit gave them the power to miraculously minister to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

So, what was the purpose of waiting in Jerusalem? This is what Jesus said, as recorded by Luke in Acts 1:8:

Acts 1:8 NIV

“But 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.”

The Empowering Work of the Holy Spirit

The purpose of this fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit is to receive His power to make Jesus known to the world. Jesus explained this before His crucifixion, saying, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth… He will testify of Me” (John 15:26, NKJV). The Holy Spirit works through followers of Jesus to proclaim the saving message of the Messiah, then works in the hearts of those hearing the message by convicting them of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). Without the work of the Holy Spirit, no one could recognize their need for salvation.

The Holy Spirit will use you to testify of Jesus’ saving love and forgiveness. As followers of Jesus, we are called to obey what is referred to as the Great Commission, as the disciple Matthew recorded in his Gospel:

Matthew 28:19-20

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Reunion, we want to step forward together and embrace this calling that all Christians everywhere share. There is no time or room for shrinking back. The Holy Spirit will strengthen us by giving us boldness in witnessing. Before Pentecost, the disciples were fearful and hiding, but after the Spirit descended upon them, they proclaimed the Gospel with boldness. Jesus promised this same empowerment as we read earlier in Acts 1:8: “But 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.” This same Spirit continues to give courage and wisdom to believers today as we seek to be immersed in His Presence and filled with His power, to proclaim the message of salvation. 

If we lack confidence in our ability to speak out and share the Good News of the Gospel, we can be confident that the Spirit’s role also includes guiding Christians into truth. Jesus said in John 16:13, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” The Holy Spirit quickens God’s Word, bringing it to life in the mind and heart of the believer who is earnestly seeking God’s truth.  

The Holy Spirit not only guides us into truth, but helps us live out that truth. Part of our witness to the world is godly character. Unbelievers watch the lives of Christians very closely, quick to spot hypocrisy so they can dismiss our faith.  Our godly character is crucial to the effectiveness of our witness.  The good news is that the Holy Spirit empowers believers by producing godly character, known as the fruit of the Spirit, in the lives of those who embrace the truth of God’s Word and conform their lives to its instruction. These virtues are not human achievements but evidence of the Spirit’s transforming power in a Christian’s life.

The Apostle Paul describes these gifts from the Holy Spirit that are produced by abiding in His Presence:

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit also empowers Christians to carry out the mission of the Church through the distribution of spiritual gifts. The Apostle Paul describes the gifts given by the Holy Spirit in his first letter to the church in Corinth:

1 Corinthians Chapter 12:4-13

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

As Paul states, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the common good – the good of everyone, to build up the Church and advance God’s kingdom – not to operate in pride or with a celebrity performance mentality, but to faithfully advance the Gospel in the world.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are divine abilities granted to believers. Each gift is unique, yet all are given by the Spirit to serve the body of Christ, advance the Kingdom, and glorify God. Importantly, these gifts are not given for personal glory but for the common good, ensuring that the Church functions as one body with many members, each member fulfilling their God-given role (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).

In addition to Paul’s teaching on gifts in 1 Corinthians, he outlines other spiritual gifts in his letter to the church in Rome.

Romans 12:6-8

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

These gifts emphasize the variety of ways Christians can serve within the Church and in the world. For example, the gift of teaching equips believers to explain Scripture clearly, while the gift of mercy empowers them to show Christlike compassion to those who are suffering. 

In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, in Ephesians 4:11-12, he further highlights leadership-related gifts such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, given “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Together, these passages demonstrate that the Spirit equips every believer with at least one spiritual gift, ensuring that the Church is fully supplied to carry out God’s mission on earth.

Conclusion

To wrap up this teaching, we know that the Holy Spirit is fully God and actively at work in the world and in the lives of believers. As Christ followers, we are given the Holy Spirit as a seal of salvation and to empower us to fulfill our God-given roles in advancing the Kingdom of God on earth. We must press in to embrace our calling, which has the high cost of eternity at stake for those who need to hear the Gospel. As followers of Jesus, our earthly purpose is to spend our lives in serving our Savior, as Jesus tells us:

Matthew 16:24-26

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

We are not capable of this mission on our own. We understand the doctrines. From there, we derive a list of behaviors. We intellectually embrace the doctrines as biblical truth, and we work on aligning ourselves to the doctrine with our behaviors. We know that we belong to God and that in itself is miraculous, but not much else in the realm of the miraculous happens.

We read in Paul’s description of the gifts of the Spirit that healing is a gift, utterance of wisdom, prophecy, serving, spiritual discernment, tongues, giving, teaching, exhorting… We don’t all have the same gifts, but we all have at least one.  We are called to serve the body of Christ with these miraculous gifts in order to fulfill His mandate to go into the world and make disciples.

As evidenced by the disciples’ experience as they waited for the Holy Spirit to be poured out in Jerusalem, the baptism, or immersion in the Holy Spirit, is not a one-time occurrence that happens when we accept Christ as our Savior. We must wait on the Holy Spirit, desiring a fresh outpouring of His Presence, power, and grace in our lives. The fresh filling enables us to actually step into the realm where miracles are possible. The empowerment that we receive is an experience that we need again and again.  

If you are ready to get out of the boat, and step out in faith into all that God has planned for you, if you hunger and thirst for more of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring and empowering, I invite you to seek the Holy Spirit for a fresh outpouring, and immersion in His Presence, so that we can be His witnesses in all the world.