The Spirit in Supernatural Demonstrations

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Icon of the Pentecost
Icon of the Pentecost (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Early Church took place in an atmosphere of confident expectation. Not only did they expect the daily blessing and the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit; they did not forget that Pentecost was a feast where firstfruits were offered. Pentecost was part of the final harvest. Thus, they looked ahead to Christ’s return. Out of their own vital Pentecostal experience came the watchword, Maranatha, “Our Lord, Come!” Nor did the passage of time dim their hope. Paul, toward the end of his life came to realize he would not live to see that glorious day when the dead in Christ shall rise. But he was no less sure that Jesus would come (2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10, 13; 4:7, 8).

This hope of seeing Jesus again made the early Christians more conscious than ever of the necessity of carrying on His work in the power of the Spirit. In this age the Holy Spirit is the only One who can minister the life, power, and person of Jesus to us. Whether He is called the Spirit of God or of Christ, the Spirit of peace, truth, power, grace, or glory, He is always the same Holy Spirit who makes Jesus real and continues His work.

Yet He is distinguished from Jesus as another Counselor or Helper, and as One who bears witness to Christ by His teaching (John 14:16; 16:13, 14) and by His mighty acts (Acts 2:43; Romans 15:18, 19). He is distinguished also from the Father and is sent by both Father and Son (Galatians 4:6; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7). He himself is shown to be divine by all that He does, especially by the fact that He knows the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10, 11), and prays for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:27).

He also helps fulfill those prayers by directing both individuals and the Church in the will of God. Because He directed Philip to an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–39) and Peter to the house of Cornelius (10:9–48), then gave the church at Antioch directions to send out Paul and Barnabas (13:1–3), the Church became missionary. Every Gentile Christian owes everything to the Holy Spirit who broke down the barriers and helped at least some to overcome their ingrained prejudices and move out into all the world.







Horton, S. M. (2005). What the Bible Says about the Holy Spirit (pp. 255–256). Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House.

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