{"kind":"clesson","id":"bbc","lang":"en","langs":["en","zh","de","es"],"courseTitle":"Basic Beliefs Curriculum","cover":"content/courses/media/3acdfce5ebfd583c.png","n":7,"m":0,"count":10,"lessonTitle":"Holy Spirit","title":"Holy Spirit","blocks":[{"k":"h2","t":"Teaching Guidelines: "},{"k":"oli","t":"This topic may be covered in two sessions."},{"k":"oli","t":"The goal of this class is to help truth seekers know the promised Holy Spirit, the importance of receiving it, and that the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues."},{"k":"h2","t":"Presentation slides:"},{"k":"p","t":"▶️ Slides on Holy Spirit for use in class"},{"k":"hr"},{"k":"h2","t":"The Promised Holy Spirit","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)"},{"k":"p","t":"God is Spirit. He is invisible and omnipresent. God’s Spirit is also called the Holy Spirit. When the Bible talks about God’s Spirit or the Holy Spirit, it’s often about how God interacts with human beings in a tangible way without being limited by physical constraints. Similarly, worshipping God is not simply an outward form, but a spiritual communion between God and us."},{"k":"h3","t":"Works of the Holy Spirit ","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"The Bible records the many activities of God’s Spirit. Through His Spirit, God created this world. God’s Spirit anointed His servants for special missions and His Spirit came upon the prophets to enable them to speak on God’s behalf."},{"k":"p","t":"Two thousand years ago, our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit also came upon Jesus during His baptism to show that He was the Savior and filled Him with great power. All of these were the different works of the Holy Spirit in history."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"God Would Pour out His Spirit","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Through His prophets, God foretold of a time when God’s Spirit would work in a very special way."},{"k":"q","t":"For I will pour water on the thirsty land,\nand streams on the dry ground;\nI will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,\nand my blessing on your descendants.\nThey shall spring up among the grass\nlike willows by flowing streams.\n(Isaiah 44:3–4)"},{"k":"p","t":"Using figurative language, God promised that He would pour out His Spirit upon His chosen people. The imagery of water and streams for a parched land vividly describes how the Holy Spirit of God would revive God’s people spiritually. Other prophecies in the Bible likewise speak of a future time of restoration in which God would pour out His Holy Spirit upon His people."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Jesus Offers the Promised Spirit","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"When Jesus was in the world, He proclaimed that He would fulfill this very promise of God spoken of in the Old Testament:"},{"k":"q","t":"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37–38)"},{"k":"p","t":"Jesus offered an invitation to all who are thirsty spiritually. Those who come to Him and believe in Him shall be forever quenched of their spiritual thirst. Jesus Himself would be the source of rivers of living water which would satisfy our souls. How would Jesus fulfill this promise?"},{"k":"q","t":"Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)"},{"k":"p","t":"When He offered the promise of living water, the Lord Jesus was referring to something in the future. Verse 39 explains that Jesus was speaking about the Spirit whom those who believed in Jesus were to receive. The Spirit had not been given yet because Jesus was not yet glorified. In other words, the promise of the outpour of the Holy Spirit would be fulfilled only after Jesus resurrected and ascended to heaven."},{"k":"p","t":"Unlike the general work of the Holy Spirit in the past, the promised Holy Spirit that Jesus offered would dwell within the believer. It would be like rivers of living water flowing out of the heart. This wonderful experience had never occurred in history, but would come true after Jesus is exalted."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"The Indwelling Helper","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Before Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins, He repeatedly told the disciples about the coming of the promised Holy Spirit."},{"k":"q","t":"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16–17)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Lord Jesus promised His disciples that the heavenly Father would give them another Helper, who would be with them forever. This Helper is the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls “the Spirit of truth.” Not only does He dwell with believers, He will also be in them. Jesus’s words coincides with God’s promise through the prophet Ezekiel:"},{"k":"q","t":"And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:27)"},{"k":"p","t":"God promised that He would put His Spirit within His people. This is the promised Holy Spirit and Helper that Jesus was referring to. The Holy Spirit would dwell in believers to be their ever-present help."},{"k":"q","t":"“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:18–19)"},{"k":"p","t":"Jesus went on to encourage the disciples and said that He would come to them. In a little while the disciples would see Him. What did He mean by that? From the context of the passage we can understand that the Holy Spirit is actually the risen Christ. The Lord Jesus Himself would come to the disciples through the Holy Spirit after He resurrects and is glorified. To have the Holy Spirit dwell in us is to have the Lord Jesus dwell in us."},{"k":"p","t":"After His resurrection and before His ascension to heaven, the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples and spoke with them. He reminded the disciples again about the coming of the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"q","t":"And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4–5)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father. It is the promise that God had given to His people long ago, that He would pour out His Spirit on them and put His Spirit in them. Jesus told the disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. To be baptized with the Holy Spirit means to be immersed with the Holy Spirit. It means being filled with the Holy Spirit when we receive the promised Holy Spirit."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"The Holy Spirit Was Poured Out","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"When Jesus came to this world, He told the people that He would fulfill this promise by dwelling in the believers through the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"h3","t":"Waiting for the Promise","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"After His resurrection and before His ascension, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. He commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at how the disciples waited for the promise:"},{"k":"q","t":"And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying… All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:13–14)"},{"k":"p","t":"The way the disciples waited for the promised Holy Spirit was to devote themselves to prayer with one accord. Their persistence in prayer showed that they fully trusted in the Lord’s promise."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"The First Outpour","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1–4)"},{"k":"p","t":"About ten days after Jesus’s ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples. First, a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind filled the whole house where they were waiting for the Lord’s promise. Then, divided tongues that looked like fire appeared to them. The tongues rested on each one of them. Every one of them had a tongue resting on them. This detail is important, and we will see why later. At this moment, God poured out His Holy Spirit upon the disciples. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. This event was unprecedented."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Speaking in Tongues","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"As we can see from the Bible’s account, the coming of the Holy Spirit was such a powerful experience. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, something miraculous happened to them."},{"k":"q","t":"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)"},{"k":"p","t":"As the disciples received the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to speak in other tongues. This ability to speak in other tongues is connected to the divided tongues that appeared and rested on each of them. There was something very special about the tongues that they were speaking."},{"k":"q","t":"Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:5–11)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Bible tells us that devout Jews from many different countries had returned to Jerusalem to observe the feast. They heard the mighty sound from heaven and gathered where the disciples were. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing and hearing. The Bible says that they were “bewildered,” “amazed,” and “astonished.” Why?"},{"k":"q","t":"And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? (Acts 2:7–8)"},{"k":"p","t":"There was a huge mismatch between what they saw and what they heard. They noticed that the disciples who were speaking in other tongues were natives of Galilee. But these devout Jews heard them speaking other languages. Not only that, each of them heard the disciples speak the language of the country that he had come from. How could these disciples, who did not even know all these languages, be speaking so many foreign languages? How could they possibly all speak so many languages all at the same time? This was a great miracle. God made the devout Jews hear what was said in their own languages. Different people were hearing different languages. They heard in their own languages the disciples declaring the mighty works of God."},{"k":"q","t":"And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12)"},{"k":"p","t":"Because of this great miracle the devout Jews were in utter amazement. They were also perplexed about the meaning of this miraculous occurrence."},{"k":"q","t":"But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” (Acts 2:13)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Bible tells us that not everyone was amazed. Some who had come together to see what had happened thought that the disciples were drunk. Apparently, God had not opened these people’s ears to understand what the disciples were saying. To these people, it seemed as if the disciples were speaking gibberish. This tells us that unless God miraculously enables us to understand what is said, this speaking of different tongues is not understandable. The disciples were not speaking an ordinary earthly language. Rather, as the tongues that appeared rested on each of the disciples, the Holy Spirit enabled their tongues to utter things understandable only to those whose ears God had opened. This was the extraordinary sign that accompanied the first outpour of the Holy Spirit."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"The Promise Fulfilled","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Peter, the spokesperson for all the disciples, stood up with the other apostles, and explained to the multitude the meaning of the miraculous phenomenon. He quoted from the Scriptures to show that the coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of God’s promise through the prophets. Then Peter went on to explain that it was Jesus, who has risen from the dead and exalted to heaven, who fulfilled this promise."},{"k":"q","t":"This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. (Acts 2:32–33)"},{"k":"p","t":"Just as He had promised, the Lord Jesus had poured out the promised Holy Spirit unto the disciples when He was glorified. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was an event that people could see and hear clearly. The outward evidence was that everyone who received the Holy Spirit was given the ability to speak in other tongues. The same kind of experience would been seen again and again in the Book of Acts when more people accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"Evidence of Receiving the Holy Spirit (1)","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"In the last segment, we learned in Acts chapter two that the promised Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus. After the multitude heard Peter preach about Jesus Christ, they were cut to the heart. They asked Peter and the apostles what they must do."},{"k":"q","t":"And Peter said to them, “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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:38–39)"},{"k":"p","t":"The outpour of the Holy Spirit was not a once-for-all event. According to Peter, the gift of the Holy Spirit shall be given to everyone who repents and is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But when exactly does a person receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? What is the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit like? "},{"k":"h3","t":"Distinct from the Moment of Believing","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"It is often assumed and taught that the moment you accept Jesus Christ into your heart, you have already received the Holy Spirit. But if we continue to read the accounts in the Book of Acts, we will realize that this idea is incorrect. "},{"k":"q","t":"And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19:1-2)"},{"k":"p","t":"Paul met some disciples in Ephesus. These disciples were believers of the Lord Jesus. Paul asked them upfront, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” If a person already receives the Holy Spirit the moment he believes, why did Paul even ask this question? Didn’t Paul already know that they had received the Holy Spirit?"},{"k":"p","t":"These disciples frankly admitted that they had not received the Holy Spirit. In fact, they had not even heard about the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"q","t":"And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19:3-7)"},{"k":"p","t":"Paul did not correct these disciples and tell them that they had already received the Holy Spirit when they believed. Instead, he found out that they needed to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. After these disciples were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, Paul laid his hands on them."},{"k":"p","t":"At that moment, the Holy Spirit came on them. How did Paul or the writer of Acts know that the Holy Spirit came on them? These disciples began to speak in tongues and prophesy. The common experience they and the first disciples at Pentecost had was the speaking of other tongues. From this story we see that a person does not receive the Holy Spirit automatically when he believes in the Lord Jesus. When he does receive the Holy Spirit, it is accompanied by speaking in tongues. It may also be accompanied by prophesying, as was the case in Ephesus."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Distinct from Baptism","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Another story in Acts records how people received the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"q","t":"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. (Acts 8:5) "},{"k":"p","t":"A preacher by the name of Philip brought the good news of Jesus Christ to the city of Samaria. He performed great signs by casting out demons and healing the sick. When the people saw these awesome miracles, they heeded the message Philip preached. There was a sorcerer in that city called Simon, whom everyone in the city looked up to because of his magical powers."},{"k":"q","t":"But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. (Acts 8:12–13) "},{"k":"p","t":"The people of Samaria, including Simon the sorcerer, believed and were baptized. Can we assume, then, that they had also received the Holy Spirit?"},{"k":"q","t":" Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 8:14–16) "},{"k":"p","t":"The Bible says very clearly here that none of the the people of Samaria had received the Holy Spirit even though they had accepted the gospel and had even been baptized. If it were true that a person receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of believing or at the moment of baptism, why did the Bible tell us that the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them? Why did the apostles in Jerusalem have to send Peter and John to Samaria to pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit?"},{"k":"p","t":"How did the writer of Acts as well as the apostles conclude that the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them? Something must be missing for them to have come to this conclusion. In other words, there wasn’t any sign at all that the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the believers in Samaria."},{"k":"q","t":"Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:17)"},{"k":"p","t":"The apostles Peter and John came down to Samaria to pray for the believers of Samaria. They laid their hands on them, and the believers in Samaria received the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"p","t":"Once again, we can ask ourselves, how did the writer and the apostles know that the believers in Samaria received the Holy Spirit? Apparently, receiving the Holy Spirit is not a quiet and merely inward experience. Furthermore, receiving the Holy Spirit is an event that is distinct from a person’s initial belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as well as from the moment of baptism."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"A Visible Experience","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, (Acts 8:18)"},{"k":"p","t":"Simon, who used to be a sorcerer with great power, was watching the apostles lay hands on the believers. He saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. This passage does not provide further descriptions of what exactly it was that Simon saw. But at the very least we may conclude that outward evidence accompanied the receiving of the Holy Spirit. That is why observers can clearly witness the outpour of the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"p","t":"The verses we have looked at so far confirm the fact that the outpour of the Holy Spirit can be seen and heard. They coincide with the words of Peter on the day of Pentecost:"},{"k":"q","t":"Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. (Acts 2:33)"},{"k":"p","t":"The outpour of the Holy Spirit can be seen and heard. This was the experience at the first outpour of the Holy Spirit as well as that of other believers who received the Holy Spirit later. It is also the same experience that may be witnessed in the True Jesus Church today."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"Evidence of Receiving the Holy Spirit (2)","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"We will continue to examine the accounts of receiving the Holy Spirit. Now we turn our attention to the story of Cornelius."},{"k":"q","t":"At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. (Acts 10:1–5)"},{"k":"p","t":"Cornelius was a devout man. He feared God, gave alms generously, and prayed continually to God. Even though he was a Gentile, meaning he was not a Jew, he worshipped the one true God. His devotion to God was remembered by God, so God sent an angel to him and told him to invite Peter to his house."},{"k":"h3","t":"Salvation through Christ","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Why did the angel tell Cornelius to send for Peter? The answer is in the next chapter of Acts, when Peter retold the story."},{"k":"q","t":"“And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’” (Acts 11:13–14)"},{"k":"p","t":"The angel commanded Cornelius to invite Peter in order that Peter might declare to Cornelius and his family how they could be saved. Despite Cornelius’s piety, righteousness, and deeds of love, he was still in need of salvation. As the story unfolds, we see that the way of salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Gift Given to Gentiles","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Before meeting Cornelius for the first time, Peter had received a revelation from God through a vision. In the mind of the Jews in those days, Gentiles had no part in God’s kingdom because only the Jews were the chosen race. In fact, the Jews would have no associations with people of other ethnic groups. But God showed Peter through the vision that He had chosen Cornelius and his household."},{"k":"p","t":"When Peter learned from Cornelius all that had happened to him, Peter realized that God had sent him to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to this Gentile family. So Peter started telling them about Jesus’s ministry, Jesus’s death and resurrection, and the forgiveness of sins through the name of Jesus."},{"k":"q","t":"While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. (Acts 10:44–45)"},{"k":"p","t":"Even before Peter finished sharing, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who was listening to the message. The Jewish brothers who had come with Peter were amazed when they saw that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. They were astonished because they had never expected that this gift of the Holy Spirit that God had promised to give to His children would be given to Gentiles! But how did they know that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentile listeners?"},{"k":"q","t":"For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. (Acts 10:46)"},{"k":"p","t":"Peter and the Jewish brethren realized that God had poured out His Holy Spirit on these Gentiles because they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Once again, we see the Bible mention speaking in tongues. This sign was seen on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out the first time. It also occurred when the believers in Ephesus received the Holy Spirit."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"“Just as We Have”","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. (Acts 10:47–48)"},{"k":"p","t":"It was all too obvious to Peter and the Jewish believers that God had chosen Cornelius and his household. The sign was irrefutable. These Gentiles were speaking in other tongues just as the first disciples did when the Holy Spirit was poured out the first time. These Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did at Pentecost. There was no reason for anyone to forbid these new converts from being baptized into the body of Christ and to receive the forgiveness of sins. So Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."},{"k":"p","t":"When Peter had returned to Jerusalem, a group of Jewish believers criticized Peter for coming into contact with Gentiles. This made Peter give an account of all that had happened. This was how Peter described the coming of the Holy Spirit:"},{"k":"q","t":"“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.” (Acts 11:15)"},{"k":"p","t":"Peter was able to tell that the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles because it happened exactly as it did when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles. By this he was referring to how he heard them speaking in tongues. There could be no mistake that the Gentiles had also received the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"p","t":"So how can we tell when someone receives the Holy Spirit? We know because the Holy Spirit is poured out today in exactly the same way the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles. That is, a person who receives the Holy Spirit is given the miraculous ability to speak in other tongues. This outward manifestation is the sign that the person has received the Holy Spirit. This was also the sign that enabled the disciples in the early church to know that the Holy Spirit had been poured out on someone."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Baptism of the Holy Spirit","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Seeing that the Holy Spirit was poured out on even the Gentiles, Peter remembered the words of our Lord Jesus."},{"k":"q","t":"“And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 11:16)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Lord Jesus had promised His disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. By this He meant that they would receive the promised Holy Spirit. As we can see in the story of Cornelius, the baptism of the Holy Spirit did not happen only once in history. Peter confirmed that it reoccurred when the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his family."},{"k":"p","t":"Today, in the True Jesus Church throughout the world, we can also witness the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When a person receives the Holy Spirit, he is given the ability to speak in tongues. Many believers in the church have received the Holy Spirit this way. The gift of the Holy Spirit is a promise for believers of Jesus Christ, and receiving the Holy Spirit is a very real experience. It happens today the same way as it did two thousand years ago."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"How to Receive the Holy Spirit","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"h3","t":"Believe","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Faith is the key to receiving the Holy Spirit that God has promised. By “faith” we don’t simply mean “believing that you will receive it.” The faith that the Bible talks about is not having some willpower, but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."},{"k":"q","t":"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37–39) "},{"k":"p","t":"When Jesus was in the world, He promised that those who thirst may come to Him and drink. To thirst means to feel the need for something. In the next verse the Lord explains that to thirst is to believe in Him. That means we desire for the Lord Jesus to come into our hearts and our lives, and for us to entrust our whole life to Him. Jesus promised that for anyone who believes in Him, rivers of living water will flow out of his heart."},{"k":"p","t":"Verse 39 explains that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit. Anyone who comes to the Lord Jesus and puts his trust in the Lord Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us like a constant flow of rivers of living water within us. This is the Lord’s promise. We may drink of the Holy Spirit and be spiritually quenched and satisfied."},{"k":"q","t":"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:13)"},{"k":"p","t":"This verse is sometimes used to show that the moment a person believes, he is given the promised Holy Spirit. Actually, to bring out the meaning of the original language more accurately, the English translation should be “and after believing in him, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” The promise is given to those who believe in the Lord Jesus. Faith in Jesus is a prerequisite to receiving the promised Holy Spirit."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Become a Child of God","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6)"},{"k":"p","t":"Paul tells the believers that the Holy Spirit is given to them because they are sons. How can we become sons of God?"},{"k":"q","t":"[F]or in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26–27) "},{"k":"p","t":"Here we see that a person becomes a son of God through faith. The following verses elaborate on becoming sons of God. It is when we are baptized through faith into Christ that we have put on Christ, belong to Christ, and become heirs of God’s promise. In other words, we become sons of God when we are baptized into Christ."},{"k":"q","t":"And Peter said to them, “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 2:38)"},{"k":"p","t":"When the multitude who witnessed the outpour of the Holy Spirit realized that Jesus is the Lord, they asked the apostles, “What must we do?” Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” To accept Jesus as our Lord means to turn away from our sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. The Bible promises that if we do so, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we saw in Galatians, to become sons of God we need to be baptized into Christ. Through baptism, we are sons of God, and the Lord Jesus will give us His Holy Spirit as a seal to testify that we are heirs of God."},{"k":"q","t":"”And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5:32)"},{"k":"p","t":"God gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. True faith involves obeying God. When the Bible teaches that we must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we need to submit and obey. Such obedience to Christ is integral to our faith in Him."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"Ask","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"”If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Lord Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. In this passage, the Lord Jesus specifically discusses praying for the Holy Spirit, which is the most important gift that we as believers should ask God for."},{"k":"p","t":"It may come as a surprise to a lot of people that we need to pray to God for the Holy Spirit because a common misconception is that the Holy Spirit is given automatically at the moment of believing in Christ. But the Lord Jesus Himself teaches us that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. The asking that the Lord Jesus was talking about is not the kind of quick prayer that we see evangelists on TV ask people to make."},{"k":"p","t":"To illustrate how to ask for the Holy Spirit, Jesus told a story of how someone asked his friend to lend him some bread. This man had an unexpected guest, and he had nothing to offer his guest. In the middle of the night, he went to his friend to borrow some bread. But the friend was very reluctant because he had already gone to bed with his children."},{"k":"q","t":"“I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” (Luke 11:8)"},{"k":"p","t":"The man was so persistent to the point of impudence, which means shamelessness or lack of modesty. His friend finally got up from bed to give him what he needed. This is the attitude our Lord Jesus shows that we can use to ask for the Holy Spirit."},{"k":"p","t":"Then the Lord Jesus continued to teach:"},{"k":"q","t":"“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9–10) "},{"k":"p","t":"If we truly believe in the Lord Jesus’s promise of the Holy Spirit, we would ask, seek, and knock. Asking requires faith and sincerity. Seeking takes time. Knocking involves effort. Different people receive the Holy Spirit at different times. It is God who decides when He gives His Holy Spirit to us. But the Lord Jesus teaches us to ask, seek, and knock until God grants us this gift. This is what He meant when He talked about how those who thirst may come to Him and drink. Our thirst for the Holy Spirit is shown in the persistence with which we ask in prayer."},{"k":"p","t":"There is no single formula for how to pray for the Holy Spirit. You can pray silently, or you can pray out loud. You can pray with your own words and ask the Lord Jesus, “Please give me the Holy Spirit. I want to believe in You, I want to become Your child, and I want to receive Your Holy Spirit.” Or you can ask Him in your heart, while continually praising Him with “Hallelujah!” which is an expression in the Bible meaning “Praise the LORD!”"},{"k":"p","t":"Our Lord Jesus promised us, if we know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? Our heavenly Father loves us so much. He will surely give His Holy Spirit to His children when they ask Him for this precious gift."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"The Work of the Holy Spirit in a Believer","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"h3","t":"He Helps and Guides","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Our Lord Jesus called the Holy Spirit “a helper.” He told the disciples,"},{"k":"q","t":"“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16–17)"},{"k":"p","t":"The word “helper” was a term referring to a legal advocate. God gives us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us to help us in ways that are in our best interest. Our Lord Jesus went on to explain how the Holy Spirit is our Helper:"},{"k":"q","t":"“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:25–26)"},{"k":"q","t":"“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:12–14)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will guide us into all the truth. He helps us understand and remember the words of our Lord Jesus. He will work within us so that we may live according to the will of God."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"He Renews and Sanctifies","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"q","t":"[H]e saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:5-6)"},{"k":"p","t":"According to this passage, God saves believers by means of two things. First, by the washing of regeneration. This washing occurs at baptism. A detailed explanation of baptism is available in the video series on baptism. Second, God saves believers by the renewal of the Holy Spirit. After our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus in baptism, we are to live a new life. We must not go back to the old life before we believed in the Lord Jesus. God gives us the Holy Spirit in order to help us live a new life. He teaches us, He guides us, and He moves us. If we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit, our spiritual lives can be strong and vibrant. We will not be drawn into a life of sin."},{"k":"q","t":"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)"},{"k":"p","t":"In Jesus Christ, the believer can overcome the control of sin. He can be free from the power of sin and death. He is able to do this because the Holy Spirit works within him."},{"k":"q","t":"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)"},{"k":"p","t":"The word “sanctification” means setting apart or consecrating someone so that he is holy unto God. Once again, we see here that the purifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is part of God’s work of salvation."},{"k":"q","t":"“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:27)"},{"k":"p","t":"These are the words of the LORD through the prophet Ezekiel about the promised Holy Spirit. God promised that He would put His Spirit within His people. The purpose is that they may walk according to God’s commandments."},{"k":"p","t":"But oftentimes our fleshly desires tend to resist the work of the Holy Spirit. So the Bible teaches believers that they must make a choice to obey the Spirit rather than the flesh."},{"k":"q","t":"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:9-14)"},{"k":"p","t":"To really have Christ dwell in us is to let the Holy Spirit rule in our lives. When our own desires are contrary to God’s word, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us say no to our wrong desires. This is a lifelong process through which God’s Spirit renews and sanctifies us. Through this process our lives can truly be free from sin and death. By the Holy Spirit our conduct and our lives can reflect our identity as the sons of God."},{"k":"p","t":"The Bible describes the life that is led by the Spirit:"},{"k":"q","t":"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:16-24)"},{"k":"p","t":"We can see that the deeds of our fleshly desires are harmful to ourselves and to others. It is a lifestyle in darkness that is far from the light of God. If we truly belong to Christ Jesus, then we ought to walk by the Spirit. God’s Spirit is able to shape our hearts and guide our lives so that we manifest the beautiful characters of God’s children. By submitting to the Spirit, we can love God and love others in our speech and deeds."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"He Intercedes","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"We have learned that the Holy Spirit enables us to live a new life. We must make a conscious choice to obey the Holy Spirit in our lives. But we often find ourselves quite weak in knowing and doing the will of God. Even in our weakness, however, the Holy Spirit can help us."},{"k":"q","t":"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26–27)"},{"k":"p","t":"In our limited capacity, we do not know how to pray in the most effective way. Often, our words cannot express our deepest needs and do not align with the will of God for us. But the Holy Spirit in us intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. He intercedes for us according to the will of God, making our prayers so much more effective."},{"k":"q","t":"For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit… The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:2, 4)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Holy Spirit enables us to speak in tongues in order to build us up in the spirit. Even though we do not understand what is said when we speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit is actually interceding for us with groanings too deep for words. He is uttering mysteries in the Spirit. The result is that we can communicate with God in a much deeper way and in a way that pleases God."},{"k":"p","t":"Even when our circumstances seem overwhelming and our struggles are futile, the Holy Spirit is our advocate, interceding on our behalf."},{"k":"q","t":"Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Holy Spirit is in fact the Spirit of the risen Christ. He continues to intercede for us despite our weakness. With such a wonderful Helper in us, we can triumph in the face of all the things that threaten our relationship with God."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"He Bears Witness","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"The Holy Spirit is given to the sons of God who will inherit eternal life."},{"k":"q","t":"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:6–7 )"},{"k":"p","t":"God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. The Holy Spirit within us cries out, “Abba! Father!” It is an inward recognition and acknowledgement that God is our Father and we are His sons and heirs."},{"k":"q","t":"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:15-17)"},{"k":"p","t":"We have seen in this chapter that those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Not only do we receive the identity of the sons of God at baptism, God furthermore gives us the Holy Spirit to help us live as true children of God. Through His inward guidance, the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. He confirms in our hearts that we are heirs with Christ."},{"k":"p","t":"Yielding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit may be difficult at times. That’s why children of God need to learn to suffer with Christ. Just as Jesus suffered in this world in order to obey His Father, we must also suffer by submitting to the Holy Spirit rather than our flesh."},{"k":"q","t":"For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 5:4–5)"},{"k":"p","t":"Our physical existence is like a tent that grows old and wears out. We eagerly wait for that permanent dwelling, which is everlasting life with God. The Bible tells us here that God has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. The Holy Spirit within us gives us assurance that our hope of eternal life is real. Through the Holy Spirit God also prepares us for the glorious life in His heavenly kingdom. God does so by transforming us with His Spirit to depart from godless desires and to grow in His divine nature."}]},{"k":"h3","t":"He Empowers","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"p","t":"Shortly before the Lord Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to the disciples, He promised them:"},{"k":"q","t":"“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)"},{"k":"p","t":"Prior to Jesus’s ascension to heaven, the disciples were weak and timid. They even had trouble believing that Jesus was alive. But when the Holy Spirit had come upon them, they became powerful witnesses of Jesus’s resurrection. By the power of the Holy Spirit they faithfully proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem to the far ends of their world."},{"k":"p","t":"The Book of Acts records the powerful works of the Holy Spirit in the disciples in preaching the gospel. Even great persecutions could not stop them from witnessing for Christ."},{"k":"q","t":"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)"},{"k":"p","t":"This is one of the instances where the Holy Spirit gave the disciples wisdom and courage to speak the word of God in the face of opposition. Through prayer in unity, the believers in the church were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to bear witness. This was in accordance with the Lord’s promise:"},{"k":"q","t":"“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:11–12)"},{"k":"p","t":"The Lord Jesus prepared the disciples for their difficult task ahead. He assured them not to be anxious when brought before powerful opponents. The Holy Spirit would teach them and give them the right words to say. Jesus’s promise was fulfilled in history again and again."},{"k":"p","t":"God gives His Holy Spirit to believers to be their ever-present help. We are not alone on our journey to heaven. Our Lord Jesus will dwell in us through His Holy Spirit. He will guide us and teach us. He will renew and sanctify us. He will intercede for us and bear witness with our spirit that we are sons of God. He will also empower us to witness for the Lord."}]}]},{"k":"h2","t":"FAQ","fold":true,"c":[{"k":"oli","t":"Is it necessary to receive Holy Spirit? "},{"k":"oli","t":"Do believers need to pray for the Holy Spirit? "},{"k":"oli","t":"Is it right to speak in tongues during worship? "},{"k":"oli","t":"Is it biblical to teach people to say “hallelujah” repeatedly? "},{"k":"p","t":"Answers"}]}],"pages":[],"prev":{"n":6,"title":"Holy Communion"},"next":{"n":8,"title":"Sabbath"}}