The Holy Spirit

In the book of Acts after the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost, Peter addressed the crowd and revealed Jesus as both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). The crowd was “cut to the heart” and did not hesitate to ask and learn how they should respond to this revelation (Acts 2:37). Peter replied that the people’s proper response would be to repent (turn from sin/ways of the world and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior), be baptized (a cleansing and outward showing of surrendering to Jesus), and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

I want to share a little on the Holy Spirit. I was saved at a very young age and had grown up in church. I loved Jesus but did not really know the fullness that I could walk out my relationship with Him. I knew that God was in heaven, and Jesus was in my heart. It was what I was taught. In my early twenties, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that is spoken about in Acts, and my relationship with the Lord began to change. Those who have been through deliverance understand how evil spirits can root down in people, but did you know that godly spirits that can root in us too and produce fruit in our life? The baptism of the Holy Spirit roots the Holy Spirit in us and as we surrender to the Holy Spirit, we begin to see holy fruit in our lives.

Demonic spirits cause damage in our lives, but the spirits of God build us up and produce good fruit aka the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). How do we receive the spirits of God? We ask for them, and we receive them.

John 14:16-17 tells us that the Holy Spirit is our advocate, counselor, and the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit speaks through us (Matthew 10:19-20), teaches us all things and reminds us of truth (John 14:26), guides us into all truth (John 16:13-14), gives us power (Acts 1:8), gives life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11), leads us which gives us the name sons of God and gives us a spirit of sonship (Romans 8:14-15), gives us revelation knowledge that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16), helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26), intercedes through us and for us – speaking in tongues (Romans 8:26-27), and the Holy Spirit helps guard the good treasure that was deposited in us (2 Timothy 1:14).

We studied the Holy Spirit in our Monday morning Bible Study this week, and I was reminded of the sweet journey that the Lord took me on to unravel in me the things that needed unraveling and to firmly plant God’s truth which is now the foundation for which everything is weighed against. We can know Jesus and read scripture, but we also need the Holy Spirit to keep reminding us of truth and teach us how to walk out our salvation. The Holy Spirit is key to helping us remain free on the other side of deliverance. When we venture off of the straight and narrow path because of our choosing, our habits, or because our foundation is not quite as strong as it should be, it is the Holy Spirit that guides us back to where we need to be and gives us the power to overcome.