The resurrected Lord, before His ascension, advised His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Helper the Holy Spirit. He told them that, when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they'd be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the remotest part of the Earth.
About 120 people who witnessed the ascension of the Lord came back to Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives. They concentrated on prayer to receive the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, something amazing happened among them.
There came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. Since then, they boldly preached the gospel and established many churches. Eventually the Roman Empire became a Christian state.
God sent Jesus to redeem us from our sins, and after His ascension, God sent the Holy Spirit to us to confirm His love once again. Let's take a look at the ministry of the Helper, the Holy Spirit.
1. He Gives Us Power to Overcome the World
Psalm 103:14 says, "For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." God the Creator knows about us very well and gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to those children who accept the Lord.
The Holy Spirit dwells in the heart of God's children. He rebukes them of the things of the world (1 John 2:15-16), helps them discern the perishing fleshly things, and sins leading to death.
He also groans in their heart so that they can feel the affliction and turn from their sinful ways. He gives them the strength to completely uproot their love for the world, too.
He gives them power to pray. When we pray fervently, we can easily cut off worldly things by the fullness of Spirit. He always comforts and encourages those who try to sever themselves from the world.
Furthermore, He lets us feel the joy of life in the Spirit so that we'll love God more than the world (Rom. 14:17). We get the strength to do away with the world by feeling God's love.
When we try to quit some worldly entertainment, He gives us joy and comfort in our heart and also material blessings.
2. He Guides Us to Understand God's Heart
The Lord brings us back to the side of God, and the Holy Spirit reconciles us to God as His children (Rom. 8:14-16).
After they accept the Lord, the Holy Spirit guides the believers to lead their life in faith in a way they are supposed to do it.
He teaches them about God and His heart through God's word. He works with them so that they can practice the word of God.
The Helper, the Holy Spirit lets us realize the heart of God the Father and raises us to become His true children (John 14:26).
He endures with us until we change. He shows us the magnitude of God's love through His unceasing dedication.
As we come to have the heart of the Lord, we will be able to feel God the Father who is alive in us. The more clearly we know God, the closer relationship with Him, and the deeper love we will have for Him.
After all, we will become true children who live according to His will with their love for Him. In so doing, they can always walk with God like the patriarchs. As we rely on God all the time, all things will go well with us. We will live a happy life until we reach the kingdom of heaven.
3. He Leads Us to Clearly Understand the Spiritual Realm
The Holy Spirit is the heart and power of God itself. He does the things that are physically impossible so that we can realize that this visible world is not everything there is.
Jesus said in John 4:48, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." And the signs, wonders, and extraordinary miracles take place by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Seeing those works people can believe in God and the existence of heaven. Through the works of the Holy Spirit, people can feel the spiritual realm as if they saw and touched it.
However, Matt. 13:13 says, "…because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." There are people who can't believe in heaven and hell even after hearing the gospel. The works of the Holy Spirit take place so that such people can see and believe in the spiritual realm.
One can have hope for heaven only when he can believe in the spiritual realm. The works of the Holy Spirit are the love of God who wants His children to enjoy greater honor and glory in heaven.
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