Next Part The Comforter
Next Part What the Holy Spirit is Not
Shortly before Christ was brutally crucified, then resurrected, He declared to His disciples, “I will not leave you comfortless…But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, [it] shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:18, 26). What does this mean? What is the “Comforter”?
The Greek word for “comforter” is paracletos, meaning “one called in to help or support,” or “an intercessor, consoler.”
Read what Christ promised His disciples as they gathered in Jerusalem, just prior to the Day of Pentecost: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Further notice what Christ said: “…when [it], the Spirit of truth, is come, [it] will guide you into all truth…and [it] will show you things to come” (John 16:13).
In Acts 2:1-47, Christ’s promise was fulfilled. And on Pentecost A.D. 31, the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit which enabled Jesus to perform miracles—was given to the New Testament Church. (To learn more about the process of receiving God’s Spirit, read our free booklets What Do You Mean Water Baptism? and What Is True Conversion?)
After receiving God’s Spirit, the apostles, and even some deacons, performed great miracles: “…with great POWER gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord…” (Ac 4:33).
Notice the example of Stephen, who being “full of faith and POWER, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Ac 6:8). Acts 7:55 records the source of his miracles: “But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God…”
With the gift of the Holy Spirit, God’s servants were able to face peers, scholars, intellectuals and critics as they preached the gospel “with boldness” (Acts 4:13, 31).
Christ said to His disciples, “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what you shall speak, neither do you premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak you: for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11). This is a very comforting statement.
Christ knew that, after being killed, He would not be able to teach His disciples in the flesh. So He provided a way for them to continue in their learning process. Once received, the Comforter HELPED (paracletos) provide the POWER (dunamis), strength and understanding the disciples needed to preach the gospel.
The Greatest Source of Power
The Holy Spirit is God’s power—but what kind of power is it? Is it only for doing good deeds? Is it a feeling or an emotion? Or is it much more?
The Bible explains, “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Col. 1:16-17).
Also notice what Jeremiah wrote: “Ah Lord GOD! behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You” (Jer. 32:17).
Not only did God create all things through His Spirit, He also preserves them by this same power!
The Prophet Nehemiah explains: “You, even You, are LORD alone; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and You preserve them all…” (Neh 9:6).
While praising God, King David wrote, “…power belongs unto God” (Psa. 62:11). This is an amazing statement! By His Holy Spirit, God spoke “and it was done…commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa 33:9).
Think about it. You might not have realized the full extent of God’s power.
But the most amazing thing is that God promises a portion of this Spirit to those He calls into repentance and baptism (John 6:44, 65; Acts 2:38-39). Upon conversion, each baptized member of God’s Church receives the same Spirit the Creator God uses to sustain and maintain the universe!