The Promise
The promise that God has given to us is nothing less than God himself. God has promised that he would pour out his spirit upon his people. God desires to dwell in a holy people to take up residence in them. This began to take place on the day of Pentecost. It continues to take place in those that are willing to believe in the promise and seek after it until they experience the reality of God’s spirit dwelling in them.
1 Cor 3:16-17 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are. WEB
Eph 2:18-22 For through him (Christ) we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. WEB
1 Cor 6:19-20 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. WEB
2 Cor 6:16 What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” WEB
1 John 4:12, 13 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. WEB
Rev 21:3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. WEB
We see this promise spoken of in the book of Joel.
Joel 2:28-29 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. 29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. WEB
Jesus also speaks of this promise in Luke.
Luke 24:49 Behold, I (Jesus) send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.” WEB
- We were clothed with Christ in Water Baptism and we will be clothed with power when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit.
- This Holy Spirit baptism we see spoken of by Jesus in Acts.
Acts 1:4-5 Being assembled together with them, he (Jesus) charged them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 5 For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” WEB
- To be baptized is to be surrounded by immersed. In this case it is not in water but it is in the Spirit of God.
We see this promise to us mentioned by Joel and Jesus the Christ beginning to be carried out in the book of Acts starting in chapter 2. (Luke 24:49 Acts 2:16-18)
Acts 2:33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. WEB
- Our access to God and all that he has promised us is only available to us by what was accomplished through the redeeming work brought about in Christ
Rom 5:1-5 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: 5 and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. WEB (2 Cor 1:21-22)
This promise is to all that believe in the redeeming power that we have in Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:38-39 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” WEB
God is calling us to himself. His desire is that we would enter into a deeper and more meaningful relationship with him. This he has made available to us by promising to pour out his spirit on those that will diligently seek after him and receive of his promised holy spirit.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit – Part 3