Counselor, Teacher, and Guide

Teaching in a Bible college has always been exiting for me as I watch the Holy Spirit work in the lives of the students. The transforming work He performs in the lives of students never ceases to amaze me!

Many students come to Bible school with what seems to be little talent for public ministry; however, they generally come with a conviction that God has called them. Then as they study, pray, and give themselves to the Holy Spirit, a miracle gradually takes place. As the Holy Spirit comes to control them more fully, anoint their yielded native talents, and enlighten their minds through systematic study, all kinds of abilities begin to emerge. As a bud gradually opens up to the morning dew and the rising sun to become a beautiful, fully-developed flower, these students develop in the Spirit from day to day. By the time graduation arrives, they are ready for the ministry to which God has called them. They leave the school and go out to become successful pastors, evangelists, or missionaries.

This enablement of the Spirit has been in evidence from the time God called His first witnesses. While some, such as the apostle Paul, were highly educated, many of the greatest among them came from very humble beginnings. Whatever the background, training, or native abilities of the human vessels, the factor which helped them turn the world upside down was not human eloquence or superior wisdom but the demonstration of the Spirit’s power (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Old Testament Characters

In The Pentateuch

Pentateuch is the name given to the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They are often called “the books of Moses” since it is commonly accepted that Moses is the human author of these five books.

The accent on the Holy Spirit in these five books, and in all of the Old Testament, is definitely more on what He does than what He is. The Old Testament says almost nothing about the personality of the Holy Spirit, but it is filled with miraculous works of the Spirit, beginning with creative acts in Genesis 1.

The emphasis in the Old Testament is on the Holy Spirit’s coming upon men for a specific service to be performed. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, however, is a New Testament phenomenon. This is confirmed in the words of John: “Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:39), and the words of Jesus when He was speaking of the coming Holy Spirit: “But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17).

By way of comparison, we can say that, on the basis of biblical evidence, Old Testament personalities enjoyed the occasional presence of the Holy Spirit on their lives to enable them to accomplish specific tasks to which God assigned them; whereas, New Testament believers enjoy the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit on a permanent basis. First, the Spirit comes to the believer as the agent of regeneration. Then, as we shall see (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 1:5), believers are baptized into the Holy Spirit and receive Him in baptismal fullness.

The Holy Spirit began to deal with men immediately after the Fall. He found men like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and even Jacob who were receptive to His dealings. Even though little is said specifically about the Holy Spirit in references to these men, we know they were led by Him as they were obedient to God. God’s Spirit works in the lives of men without drawing attention to Himself. His work is often seen in the Old Testament even when He is not mentioned by name.

There are also, in the Old Testament, specific references to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men. Who are some of the others used mightily by the Holy Spirit in the Pentateuch?

1. Joseph is the first mentioned as a man “in whom is the Spirit of God” (Genesis 41:38). Pharaoh recognized this quality in Joseph because of his supernatural ability to interpret dreams. The Spirit of God in or upon Joseph enabled him to resist temptation and become the overseer of an entire nation.

2. Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Isaiah tells that Moses was God’s shepherd of Israel, and that God “set his Holy Spirit among them” (Isaiah 63:11). Isaiah further reports that “they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord” (Isaiah 63:14).

When it was time to build a tabernacle for the Lord, God spoke to Moses and told him He had chosen a foreman for the job, saying “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:2-3). The foreman was given divine ability in all the skills necessary to build the Lord’s house.

When Moses became overwhelmed by the burdens of his people and complained to God, the Lord gave the Holy Spirit to seventy elders to assist Moses in meeting the needs of the people.

3. Joshua was chosen by the Lord to be the successor of Moses. The Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua . . . a man in whom is the spirit [or Spirit] and lay your hand on him” (Numbers 27:18). It was in the power of the Spirit that Joshua was able to lead his people to take possession of the Promised Land. At the beginning of his period of leadership this was written of him: “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit [or Spirit] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him” (Deuteronomy 34:9). So from Egypt to Canaan, Israel was led by leaders empowered by the Holy Spirit.

While it may on occasion seem to be helpful to say that the Spirit was on Old Testament personalities and in New Testament believers, this device does not solve the difference satisfactorily. Biblical evidence indicates that it is better to say that in the Old Testament the Spirit’s enablement was selective and occasional whereas in the New Testament it is general and permanent. It is evident that each of the foregoing examples indicates a long-term need for and experience of the Spirit’s enablement.

In The Historical Books

The book of Joshua records the many victories of the Israelites as they moved into Canaan under Joshua’s leadership and took possession of the land. Joshua’s Spirit-anointed leadership can be summed up by what is written in Joshua 24:31:

Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

Judges 2: 10-12 tells what happened next:

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt.

As a result of this, the judgment of the Lord came upon them, and He allowed the Israelites to be overcome by their enemies whenever they went out to fight. Judges 2:16 tells us, “Then the Lord raised up judges.”

During the times of the judges the power of the Holy Spirit was especially apparent. There were many failures on the part of those who were chosen to deliver God’s people from the cruelty of their enemies, but God used the judges in spite of their weaknesses.

Altogether there were 13 judges who ruled Israel over a period of about 300 years. The stories of Gideon and Samson tell of humanly impossible accomplishments as the Spirit of the Lord came upon them.

Because Gideon was obedient to the instructions of the angel of the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him (Judges 6:34); God used Gideon to deliver Israel from the innumerable forces of Midian with only 300 selected men.

Samson is a lesson to all who would take the Spirit of God for granted in their life and ministry for God. He was prepared to lead Israel even before his birth (see Judges chapters 13-16). When he was still a young boy, “the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him” (Judges 13:24-25).

Samson was set apart unto God from birth, and God chose him to deliver Israel from the Philistines. However, Samson was not obedient to his vow unto the Lord.

When the people of Israel insisted on a man for their king (1 Samuel 8:4-5), God gave them Saul. The prophet Samuel told Saul,

“The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person” (1 Samuel 10:6).

This prophecy was fulfilled that very day, and God used Saul mightily in the beginning of his career as king of Israel, but, like Samson, he did not continue to respect and obey God. Thus, the most tragic words that can be written of a person were written of him.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit was preparing a young shepherd boy to become the king of Israel. The Scriptures tell how Samuel found him, took the horn of oil and anointed him, “and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1 Samuel 16:13).

David is one of the few Old Testament characters upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rested continuously. His accomplishments would have been impossible without the omnipotent Holy Spirit who rested upon him.

David was very aware of the need for the Holy Spirit’s presence in his life. When he had sinned, he repented, and cried out to God, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).

In The Prophets

The Holy Spirit used the writing prophets to play a major role in the latter history of Israel. Their writings make up a significant portion of Old Testament Scripture.

The prophet Micah said of himself what could be said of all genuine prophets of God: “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord” (Micah 3:8).

Ezekiel told how the Spirit lifted him up between the earth and heaven and took him in visions to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8:3).

The Holy Spirit’s presence in Daniel was recognized by the heathen king Nebuchadnezzar, who said to Daniel: “I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you” (Daniel 4:9).

New Testament writers were quick to recognize the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the prophets. Paul told the Jews at Rome, “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: . . .” (Acts 28:25).

The writer to the Hebrews quotes (10:15-17) Jeremiah 31:33-34, saying “The Holy Spirit also testifies about this . . . .” That is, the words from Jeremiah’s writing were recognized as the words of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Peter confirms the work of the Holy Spirit in the prophets by his words in 2 Peter 1:20-21:

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

New Testament Disciples

Before Pentecost

The main concentration of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament prior to Pentecost was on the Person and work of Jesus.

A few New Testament people received a special enablement of the Holy Spirit prior to Pentecost for a specific purpose. They are:

1. John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)

2. Parents of John the Baptist (Luke 1:41, 67)

3. Mary, mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20)

4. Simeon (Luke 2:25)

The Holy Spirit did not work directly with the disciples except on special occasions when they were sent out by Jesus to minister. (See Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:13-15; Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1; and Luke 10:19). These Scriptures indicate that as Jesus sent the disciples out to minister, He gave them authority to do miracles in His name. Earlier we saw that He received His authority from the Holy Spirit. He gave this same authority to the disciples for the purpose of ministry.

Most of the time, the disciples were with Jesus. He was their divine Teacher. They watched Him, listened to Him, and tried to imitate Him, but often they failed. He was able to be with them during that time, but not in them. They would not be able to fully share the power that rested on Him until after His death and resurrection. As the apostle John later wrote, “Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:39).

The history of the disciples before and after Pentecost reminds me of advertisements which contrast how persons are before they use the product advertised and how they are after using the product. For example:

The weakling becomes a muscle-man.

The plain little maiden becomes a beautiful model.

The poor tenant farmer becomes a rich landlord.

The sweating laborer becomes a powerful manager.

The purpose of these advertisements is to convince people that they can experience the same success if they will use the product.

A study of the apostle Peter before and after Pentecost is convincing proof of the change in a person’s life which takes place as a result of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. In this section we will consider what Peter was like before Pentecost.

On the resurrection evening Jesus appeared to His disciples and gave them a preview of what was to come. He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Many see in this command a reference to the work of the Spirit in regeneration, for He is the active agent in regeneration. This act confirmed that He had finished the work of restoring man to God. However, He did not at that time baptize them in the Holy Spirit. When Jesus met with them later, He referred to the baptism in the Holy Spirit as still to come (Acts 1:4, 8).

At Pentecost

Finally the day came that Jesus had promised. The sound of heavenly wind filled the upper room where the disciples and other believers were waiting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. As they breathed in the divine presence, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages they had never learned. The Holy Spirit was giving them the words to say (Acts 2:1-4).

It was exactly as John the Baptist and Jesus had promised. They were being baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5). Jesus had promised they would speak in new languages, and it was happening as they spoke the words the Holy Spirit gave to them (Mark 16:17).

There were thousands of God-fearing Jews in Jerusalem from all the surrounding nations. They had come for the Feast of Pentecost. When they heard the sounds from the upper room, a great crowd gathered. The crowd was bewildered because each person heard someone speaking his own language.

“Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?” they asked. “Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8).

Some made fun of them and said they had taken too much wine, but Peter stood up and explained what had happened. He preached that Christ was alive and this was the fulfillment of His promise to send the Holy Spirit.

Many were convicted by the Holy Spirit and cried out, “What shall we do?” Peter answered,

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38).

Three thousand responded and were baptized. It was a great day for the church—in fact, in one sense, it was the day of its birth! (Acts 2:1-41).

After Pentecost

The power of Pentecost did not cease with the passing of the Day of Pentecost. That day was only the beginning of the age of special activity by the Holy Spirit. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the way had been opened for the Holy Spirit to come and live in the hearts of the believers.

The Day of Pentecost had brought the baptism in the Holy Spirit, that special enduement of power that Jesus promised would make them His effective witnesses. The success of the disciples after Pentecost is summarized in Hebrews 2:4:

“God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

The revival which began in Jerusalem when Peter preached his powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost was taken to Samaria by a Spirit-filled deacon named Philip. People believed the gospel message and were baptized in water. Many miracles took place; however, no one was baptized in the Holy Spirit. So Peter and John were sent down from Jerusalem. They laid hands on the new believers, who received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:4-17).

The next recorded reception of the Holy Spirit was by the newly converted Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul. When Ananias prayed for him, Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit and became the great apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:17).

The first Pentecostal contact with the Gentiles, however, was made by the apostle Peter. The Spirit sent Peter, against the apostle’s will, to the house of Cornelius. As he preached to a crowd of Gentiles, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard his message. Peter was astonished because he heard them speak in tongues just as he had done on the Day of Pentecost. Later, when he was defending himself before the Jewish brethren, Peter recalled how John the Baptist had promised that Jesus would baptize them in the Holy Spirit. He identified the experience of the Gentiles with that baptism (Acts 10:1-11:18).

Twenty years later the apostle Paul visited the city of Ephesus and found some disciples there. His first recorded question was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when [or after] you believed?” (Acts 19:2). They confessed they had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit. Paul taught them, baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus, and laid his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1-7).

The apostles Peter and Paul, along with James, John, and Jude, were empowered by the Holy Spirit to give us the New Testament Epistles—the Christian’s guide to life in the Spirit. Their powerful witness, which they received from the infilling of the Holy Spirit, is still ministering to lives today!

Twentieth-Century Believers

There has been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the earth ever since the Day of Pentecost, but in the early centuries of the church it was not widespread. The early Christian leaders such as Tertullian (A.D. l60-220), Origen (A.D. 185-254), and Chrysostom (c. A.D. 400), wrote about outpourings of the Spirit with speaking in tongues as on the Day of Pentecost. On through the Medieval Period, the Protestant revivals, and up to the twentieth century, in seasons of special revival there are reports of Holy Spirit outpourings accompanied by speaking in tongues and supernatural ability to witness.

In Acts chapter 2 Peter quoted the prophecy of Joel that the last day outpouring of the Holy Spirit would precede the great and glorious day of the Lord (Acts 2:17-21). Peter said the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit is for “all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39). This includes twentieth century Christians! From all the evidence, we appear to be living in the last days. This means that the great and glorious day of the Lord is soon to come, and people of our century are still being called to the Lord.

The modern-day Pentecostal outpouring began in many parts of the world at about the same time. One example of this outpouring occurred in the United States in a Bible college in Topeka, Kansas. The students in Topeka, hungry for a deeper experience in God, saw the experiences of early Christians in the New Testament church as normative; therefore, they studied the book of Acts. In response to their faith and prevailing prayer, the Holy Spirit descended to satisfy their spiritual hunger. On January 1, 1901, the first student was filled with the Spirit, and soon many others experienced the infilling of the Spirit. As they were baptized in the Holy Spirit, they spoke in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. The revival spread to Galena, Kansas, and by 1903 it had extended to Houston, Texas, and throughout Texas. By early 1906 more than 1000 people were filled.

In 1906 a black preacher from Houston, W. J. Seymour, went to California to preach, and revival broke out in the Azusa Street Mission. The meeting lasted for three years, day and night, without a break, and there was a continuous Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit with speaking in other languages and miracles. From there the revival spread all over the United States and Canada.

At the same time, similar spontaneous outpourings of the Holy Spirit were reported in Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, France; Germany, and India. The first Pentecostal missionary landed in China in October, 1907. Within five or six months, 700 Chinese nationals and missionaries were baptized in the Spirit. By 1909 the Pentecostal revival had reached Egypt, Africa, and South America.

Just before the middle of our century, the Holy Spirit began to move in healing power. Evangelists with special gifts of the Holy Spirit conducted great city-wide crusades with thousands in attendance. Miracles of healing took place that had not been in public witness since New Testament times. This move of the Holy Spirit was also a worldwide witness.

In our time we are witnessing a tremendous outpouring of God’s Spirit. This move of the Spirit is no longer limited to Pentecostal churches as it was at the turn of this century. Instead, we are witnessing the outpouring of God’s Spirit on Christians of many different denominations. Since the emphasis is on the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the accompanying charismata or gifts, the move has been referred to as charismatic. The most significant fact, however, is that the Holy Spirit is bringing the book of Acts experience to people of all denominations, and it is happening all over the world. This is considered to be a move of the Holy Spirit to prepare the true church of Jesus Christ for His second coming.

A closer analysis of Peter’s sermon at Pentecost points out several significant factors. The outpouring of the Spirit, together with the unveiling of supernatural phenomena in heaven above and on earth below—all these are to be accompanied by a universal challenge to heed God’s call and be saved (compare Acts 2:17-21 with Matthew 24:3-14). Moreover, when we compare the facts Jesus presents in Matthew 24:14 with Peter’s address at Pentecost, we are led to believe that there is a positive correlation between the outpouring of the Spirit and the challenge to evangelize the world. Jesus said,

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

Are you a recipient of the Holy Spirit outpouring which has swept the earth in these last days? Have you received power to witness where God has placed you? Are you fulfilling your responsibility to give the message to the world? The power of the Holy Spirit which sent the disciples out to reach their world is available to you now. Jesus will come again as soon as the gospel message is preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. He has entrusted that message to us. How glorious it is that, with the power of the Holy Spirit in us and upon us, we can work to hasten the coming of our Lord!