Who Is the Holy Spirit? A Devotional Journey Through the Book of Acts

By M.R. Hyde

The book of Acts has been described as an account of the New Testament Church. But, what if it is primarily a revelation of the person of the Holy Spirit? Delve into this journey of curiosity and exploration of the third person of the Trinity. See if you cannot find something new about the Holy Spirit not only in the Biblical text, but also in your own life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.R. Hyde
• Release date: Jun 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301500048

M.R. Hyde

M.R. Hyde celebrates and explores the known and spiritual world by writing for Christian religious purposes and by penning fiction for the sheer joy of words. She is also an active artist.View the online gallery now at https://www.redbubble.com/people/mrHydeArt/shop.

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Who is the Holy Spirit?

A Devotional Journey Through the Book of Acts

Copyright 2013 M.R. Hyde

Blog: http://thewordwwtw.blogspot.com/

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

Table of Contents

The Gift

Fire Storm

Source of Unity

Healing Power

Compelling Force

The Power of Truth

The Call

The Witness

Big Heart of the Church

Free Spirit

The Director

The Transformer

The Amender

Immigration Officer

Evidence of Grace

The Liberator

The Missionary

The Planner

The One, True God

The Unifier

The Interrupter

The Trainer

The Power for Perseverance

The Known God

The Net

The Whole Deal

The Power Over Darkness

Compassionate Urgency

The One Who Warns

True Freedom

The Advocate

The Opportunist

The Comforter

Continual Presence

Epilogue

Bibliography

Endnotes

The Gift

Part of God’s good gift to us is his written Word—revelations of himself in human history. We will approach the book of Acts in a devotional manner—wanting to be transformed by God through his wonderful Word. We may be looking at it a little differently than most people do.

Many studies talk about the book of Acts being a history of the birth and growth of the New Testament Church—and this is in part what it is. Some studies say that this book is a biography featuring key figures of evangelism and apostleship. We can read how lowly fisherman became mighty men of God and how common or corrupt folk, women and men like you and me, become vibrant and miraculous evangelists. And that too, is what this book is—in part.

But I am after something very particular in my life. I want to become very focused on God. I want to move from an anthropocentric worldview—that is, seeing everything from a distinctively human perspective—to a more theocentric worldview. I want to know what God is doing, how he is doing it and how I can recognize him more and more. I want to understand and appreciate his great undeserved gifts to me. I want to be less in control of my life and controlled more by the Holy Spirit. I want to completely surrender to the kind of life that will lead me into his abundance, joy, peace and power.

Therefore I invite you on a journey with me to find out what it means to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It will be like unwrapping a wonderful gift. At each turn of the page, at each new passage we explore together, it will be like tearing off the wrapping, opening the box and finding something absolutely wonderful. I think you will be surprised at what we find. Pray that God would reveal himself to you in powerful and effective ways.

The first seven chapters of the book of Acts are Luke’s reflections of a particular time that begins in Jerusalem. The disciples had just experienced the death and resurrection of their Friend and Savior Jesus Christ. Several times prior to these events Jesus had told them about the Holy Spirit. We can find these passages in several places in the books of the Gospel—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In fact, so much can be learned about the Holy Spirit throughout the entire Bible! Through this journey we will focus on selected passages that will teach us some of the nature and work of the Holy Spirit.

In Luke’s Gospel he wrote about John the Baptist, the powerful prophet of the Messiah and his message. Do you remember what John said and did? Luke wrote about it in this way.

Luke 3:15-18

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

That is one of many accounts given regarding the Holy Spirit and his relationship to Jesus Christ. The disciple named John also wrote his account of the life of Jesus. In his Gospel we find some of the most specific and lengthy writings about the Holy Spirit. In John 3:34 John wrote that God gives the Spirit without limit to the Son. In 7:39 John recalled that the Spirit would be given to the disciples after Jesus was glorified. And in John 20:22, after the resurrection, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. But, by far the most powerful verses about the coming of the Holy Spirit are in John chapters 14 and 15. In these wonderful chapters Jesus describes the promise of the Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit. I challenge you to read these chapters this week. There is so much to learn about the Holy Spirit!

We are finding out some pretty incredible things about the Holy Spirit as a gift so far. But before we go any further, read Luke’s first words in Acts.

Read Acts 1:1-9

Now, let’s review what we are beginning to learn and comprehend about the Holy Spirit from all these Scriptures we have approached. What kind of gift is the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit operate as a manager of surrendered lives? Where does the Gift come from? When did the disciples receive the Gift?

Specifically we have found that the Holy Spirit is a gift of God himself. The Spirit comes from the Father and is given to the disciples. So, the Spirit, plain and simple, is a gift from God. No one can buy the Spirit, no one can create the Spirit and no one can steal the Spirit. Some people may try to tell you that if you send a certain amount of money to them, or attend this special meeting, or receive their handkerchief, that you will have the gift of the Holy Spirit. But no amount of money, no amount of effort, no amount of handkerchiefs can get you what is freely given by God to all believers.

The Holy Spirit reveals himself in several ways. We learn that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and through Jesus Christ and after his glorification (that is, his bodily ascension into heaven) in a specific and new way. It is very important that we understand the relationship between these three—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is the orthodox Christian belief that these three are demonstrations of one God. God the Father and Creator of everything, Jesus the divine Son having come to us in human flesh, and the Spirit is our present Comforter and Help. In our human musings we have a simplistic way of perceiving and attempting to grasp who God is. And God, knowing our simple, fallen minds, has elected to reveal himself as the One true living God, revealing himself to us in three ways. God is gracious to give us three ways to understand him. God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not three different gods. No, they are the divine and holy mystery of the Trinity. This is very clear in the mind of Luke as he writes the opening passages of Acts. The three aspects of God are part of one whole. This is what we learn from the entire Bible and what we accept by faith as Christians. So, as the Holy Spirit is given to us, we also understand that it is the Spirit of God himself that we find within us after we repent of our sins.

The Holy Spirit comes to us as a gift through baptism of fire. This is a powerful and almost overwhelming image—through fire. What an unusual gift! Would you give someone something through fire? Fire does several things: it burns away unnecessary or wasteful materials; it intensifies the heat by which pure gold is separated from the less lovely elements; it cleanses and breaks things down to the basics and essentials. Fire does so many things. And so does the Gift of Holy Spirit fire. As we explore Acts we will watch as the Holy Spirit does his work of consuming and cleansing.

Another thing we learn about the Holy Spirit is that the Spirit comes after we wait. Waiting can be a very difficult thing. Imagine with me the disciples after they have watched Jesus ascend into heaven. What would be their next step? They had followed Jesus, God in the flesh, for three years and at that moment their leader seemed to be gone. Jesus gave very clear instructions—wait for the next step. Their leader was not gone, just coming to them in a different form—as a Gift. And this gift would be full of fire and power. And they would be able to receive it.

The Holy Spirit not only comes to us after we wait, but the Spirit gives power to those who are willing to be under his influence. The promise of Jesus is that "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you."

One of the greatest struggles of our human existence is one of power. Power can be used in such wrongful ways. Some people, feeling powerless, take power into their own hands and demonstrate that by beating and abusing their spouses or children. Some people, feeling powerless, take power into their own hands and steal and kill to get what they feel they cannot obtain otherwise. While others, feeling powerless, take power into their own hands engaging in gossip and slander, feeling that they are superior because of special knowledge of others. What human history has taught us is that some powerless people who take power into their own hands cause destruction and chaos everywhere they go. They needed to be under new influence—not their own. They needed a Gift that would be the source of life and not destruction.

When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit something wonderful happens. It is like after opening your gift you find a beautiful new coat and put it on. Then when you go out, people will ask, Is that a new coat? To which you can reply, Why, yes it is! It is a gift. My Father gave it to me. Isn’t He so thoughtful?!

When we are under this new influence, we become witnesses to the goodness and grace of God. None of us deserves, really deserves, a new coat, but God gave it to us. None of us deserves, really deserves, a new life and forgiveness. But God gave it to us. None of us deserves, really deserves, the gifts of God, but he gave them to us. And just like getting a new coat, we can’t help but tell others about it. Our lives are lived differently under this kind of influence. We become witnesses to grace, witnesses to mercy, witnesses to love and peace and joy and hope.

How are we going to respond to the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Well, the only response always has to be to receive the gift. Just like Jesus instructed the disciples, we are to wait for it—actively wait. And while we wait we pray, seeking the infilling of the Holy Spirit, opening ourselves up to the possibility of a life under a completely new influence. Remember, a gift is not really a gift unless it is received. It could sit on the table or the floor indefinitely if no one were to open it. Once it is received it can be enjoyed, shared, used or given again.

The promised Gift of the Holy Spirit is not only for those disciples long ago. It is for all believers today. Pray that we will await the Gift of the Holy Spirit. We can become professional receivers, willing and ready at all times to be under his marvelous influence.

If you have not yet received the gift of the Spirit, I encourage you to actively wait and pray for the gift.

If you have received the Holy Spirit at one time, there is more that can be received. As we explore this wonderful book of Acts, God will give us more of what we need to know him and the Holy Spirit if we wait on him and pray for more and more of the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Fire Storm

Many years ago I was visiting a friend in Idyllwild, California. It is a small mountain town just above Los Angeles. This particular visit had been just a few days after a massive fire storm had rampaged over the mountains. As I drove up the mountain I could still smell the smoke in the air even though the fire had been contained. I could not really see the evidence of a fire, but I could smell it. Reports had been made that considerable amounts of acreage had been consumed. And I thought about my friend’s conversation on the phone just days before as she described rushing to pack their most important items and documents, while dipping the cats and dogs in a tub full of water to keep them cool. Thankfully the fire did not destroy their home and they were able to return after a few days off the mountain.

My friend took me out to the edge of a burn sight. I had never actually been in an area of a massive burn. It was weird and wonderful. I felt like I was looking at a black and white photograph. There was no color nor was there any sound. All of the things that create sound in a forest were utterly destroyed or gone. No leaves for the wind to dance through; no twigs for our feet to break; no animals to rustle the underbrush; no limbs for birds to sit on and sing from. There were a few black posts, remnants of great trees, jutting up from the gray forest floor. As far as we could see in one direction there was nothing but gray and black against an alarmingly blue sky. And all the while there was the deathly silence.

As we quietly walked through the black posts of the remaining tree trunks we noticed a few things. Over in one direction were some paint cans that someone apparently had tried to dump in the forest. The metal was bent and warped from the intense heat to which they had been exposed. Black branches of varying sizes, usually quite large, lay scattered around like pick-up sticks.

And then there was something I had never seen before. I noticed in the ground these holes that looked like they were small animal tunnels. I was completely captivated by these. We stood there looking down on a couple of them trying to figure out if the firefighters had used some kind of tools to dig under the ground or if in fact they were small animals holes. There would be three or four of them grouped together and then they would all lead off in opposite directions. I leaned down to look and I discovered that these holes tapered off to almost nothing. They looked like funnels. My friend and I stood there for the longest time just trying to figure out what would make a hole like that. All of the sudden reality met with logic. These were holes left by burned out roots of trees. The fire had been so intense that the heat had consumed even the roots of the trees! I was stunned at the power of fire. I stood there for the longest time just trying to grasp the immensity of the flames and heat that could do that kind of thing.

When a fire starts it rushes through catching up everything and everyone it can. It changes everything. It transforms a lush animal-populated forest into a barren black and white silent world. Even after it has subsided the territory looks different, the smell lingers, the ash floats in the air and there are strange holes in the ground—empty places that need to be filled.

Previously we have explored the various characteristics of the Holy Spirit found in the Bible. We discovered that the Holy Spirit comes to us as a gift through baptism of fire. This is a powerful and almost overwhelming image—through fire. There are three things very specifically that a fire does: 1) it guts and cremates everything in its path; 2) it levels the field—no shrub or flower or animal or much of anything is standing after a most devastating fire. Fire does so many things, and so does the gift of Holy Spirit fire. As we move now into the second chapter of Acts we will watch as the Holy Spirit does the work of consuming and leveling.

If you have traveled about in Christian circles for a while, the second chapter of Acts is one of the most famous in the New Testament. It is a radical chapter that pushes out the boundaries of our sensibilities and understanding of communication. It reminds us that the physical world that we have grown accustomed to is not really all there is to this life. It challenges us to understand who the Holy Spirit is and what kind of work the Spirit does.

Some have considered this chapter as the record of the beginnings of the New Testament Church. And in many respects it is that. But, I believe it is primarily the demonstration of the coming of the Holy Spirit in a whole new way, which had been prophesied for centuries and preached about by Jesus. The ancient prophet Ezekiel, in 36:26-27, recorded the words the Lord spoke to him, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." The promise of the indwelling and rejuvenating work of the Holy Spirit was, and still is, God’s promise for all his children—Jew and Gentile alike. The Holy Spirit is the actual and living presence of God among and in us.

Prior to the time in Acts 2 the Spirit had not been absent from the earth, rather the Spirit had been demonstrated in a variety of other ways. It was the Spirit of God who was "brooding over the face the waters" at Creation (Genesis 1:2) and who put the breath of life into humanity (Genesis 2:7). This same Spirit was the one who dwelled in the Temple built by the Hebrews during their travels in the desert, who spoke with Moses and caused his face to glow with the glory of the Presence (see Exodus 34). This same Spirit poured himself into prophets, priests and kings in those ancient days.

But on one day in particular, in a room in Jerusalem, the physical presence of Jesus was replaced by the power, the authority, yes—the Spirit himself coming into and on common people in an uncommon way. No longer was the Spirit just for prophets, priests and kings, but that day and today the Fire of the Spirit is for all believers everywhere.

Read Acts 2:1-13

John the Baptist and Jesus had been very clear about the way the Holy Spirit would come—with fire. Our dear writer Luke struggled to