The promise to the believer "is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" Acts 2:38
Joel 2:28-29 " And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."
Acts 2:38-39 "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’"
John 14:16,17 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth; …but ye know Him (present tense; this is before Christ’s crucifixion) for He dwelleth with you (present tense), and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will COME TO YOU."
Jesus promised to come to me as the Comforter.
John 14:26 "But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things."
If I have repented of my sins and accepted Jesus into my heart, I am a child of God and in a saved condition. However God has promised something more for me. Now I need the Gift of the Holy Ghost for many purposes.
Introduction
Before the birth and life of Jesus the Holy Ghost was promised through prophecy.Joel 2:28-29 " And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."
The Holy Ghost is a promise
It is a gift from God and is promised to all who believe.Acts 2:38-39 "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’"
Who is the Holy Ghost?
Jesus said:John 14:16,17 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth; …but ye know Him (present tense; this is before Christ’s crucifixion) for He dwelleth with you (present tense), and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will COME TO YOU."
Jesus promised to come to me as the Comforter.
John 14:26 "But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things."
If I have repented of my sins and accepted Jesus into my heart, I am a child of God and in a saved condition. However God has promised something more for me. Now I need the Gift of the Holy Ghost for many purposes.
- Comfort: John 14:18 "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you."
- Teacher, Revealer: John 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."
- Guidance: John 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."
- Power: Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Gifts of the Holy Ghost
There are nine Gifts of The Spirit. These gifts are found in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues: "
God will call upon me for the use of these gifts, as they are needed in His service.
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues: "
God will call upon me for the use of these gifts, as they are needed in His service.
How do I know if I have the Holy Ghost?
There are many examples of people receiving the Holy Ghost in the scripture.
One example is Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
One example is Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 10:45-46 "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,"
Acts 19:6 "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
Isaiah 28:11 “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.”
Someone “Speaks in Tongues” when they yield control of their mouth to God. They are fully conscious and otherwise in full control of themselves. Their spirit is praying to God about things their conscious mind can’t put into words.
The Bible does not say that speaking in tongues is the only evidence of the Holy Ghost. Someone who exhibits another Fruit of the Spirit (such as prophecy or healing) definitely has the Holy Ghost even if they haven’t spoken in tongues.
Acts 19:6 "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
Isaiah 28:11 “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.”
Someone “Speaks in Tongues” when they yield control of their mouth to God. They are fully conscious and otherwise in full control of themselves. Their spirit is praying to God about things their conscious mind can’t put into words.
The Bible does not say that speaking in tongues is the only evidence of the Holy Ghost. Someone who exhibits another Fruit of the Spirit (such as prophecy or healing) definitely has the Holy Ghost even if they haven’t spoken in tongues.
Receiving the Holy Ghost:
I will look to the Word of God for examples of how people in the early church received the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
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,
3 and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
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 the first record of people receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. These people were probably worshipping God when they received this brand new experience. I’ll look at another example of people receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 8:17 “Then laid they their hands on them and received the Holy Ghost.”
Acts 19:6 “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied.”
I see examples of God’s people receiving the Holy Ghost when praying and worshiping God. I also have examples of them being filled when the Apostles laid hands on them. Many people receive the Holy Ghost in many different ways. But this I know, that Jesus said …
Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
The word tarry means to wait, so I should not be satisfied until I am filled with God’s Spirit. I should spend time in prayer, worshiping and thanking God for His goodness to me. I should yield my being to Him.
I have a promise from Jesus that if I …
Luke 11:9 “…ask and it shall be given you: seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
I won’t live beneath my privilege. God wants me to receive this Wonderful Gift.
Acts 2:1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
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,
3 and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
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 the first record of people receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. These people were probably worshipping God when they received this brand new experience. I’ll look at another example of people receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 8:17 “Then laid they their hands on them and received the Holy Ghost.”
Acts 19:6 “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied.”
I see examples of God’s people receiving the Holy Ghost when praying and worshiping God. I also have examples of them being filled when the Apostles laid hands on them. Many people receive the Holy Ghost in many different ways. But this I know, that Jesus said …
Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
The word tarry means to wait, so I should not be satisfied until I am filled with God’s Spirit. I should spend time in prayer, worshiping and thanking God for His goodness to me. I should yield my being to Him.
I have a promise from Jesus that if I …
Luke 11:9 “…ask and it shall be given you: seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
I won’t live beneath my privilege. God wants me to receive this Wonderful Gift.
1 Corinthians 5:8 “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”