1) The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, present at creation. [Genesis 1:1-2]

2) The Holy Spirit was active in certain individuals in the Old Testament economy, such as prophets, priests and kings. [1 Samuel 16:13]

3) Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible are Breath, Wind, and Fire. [Genesis 2:7; Luke 3:16; Acts 2:1-3]

4) The Holy Spirit was given to us all after Jesus ascended to the Father. [Acts 2:33]

5) The Holy Spirit is a person, not a vague presence or misty spirit or an "it". He indwells us to a greater or lesser degree, as we are willing, after we are born again.  [John 14:16-17]

7) At Salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ. [1 Corinthians 12:12-13; I Peter 3:18-22]

9) At Salvation, the Holy Spirit makes us alive in Christ - we are reborn spiritually, born from above, made a new creation, etc. [John 3:3-7; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17;  Galatians 6:15]

10) At Salvation, the Holy Spirit seals us and acts as a down payment on our inheritance. [Ephesians 1:13-14]

11) The Holy Spirit sanctifies us - wholly, body, mind and spirit, a continuous process throughout our Christian walk. [1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2]

13) The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father through the Son:

Luke 11:11-13 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Now this verse makes clear that the Holy Spirit is a good gift from our heavenly Father to us. The Holy Spirit is nothing to be feared or dreaded, but a gift from heaven.

And Jesus here makes the comparison between the good gifts that we give our children and the good gifts, especially the Holy Spirit, that God gives to His children. And if our children are hungry and ask for a fish, we don't give them a snake. Or give him a scorpion instead of an egg. So if we in our sinful nature can give good gifts to our children, HOW MUCH MORE will our heavenly Father give the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

spitz - well if it not to be feared why is it so scary then?.........yes some parents do OT

I know spitz, and that's very sad ... because it makes it harder for us to receive from God if our natural parents abused us. But it's scary because we don't know Him... when we get to really know the Love of the Father and how the Holy Spirit can help, you begin to lose that fear.

Now why doesn't God just give us the Holy Spirit without our asking for Him? So why is asking necessary? Why doesn't God just give us the Holy Spirit without our asking for Him?

weary77 - OldTimer could you explain that ,,what you just said about abuse.....

Weary77 our trust in God as our Father is affected by how our own parents treated us. If our earthly fathers treated us badly, it's harder for us to trust God as Father. Sometimes we have to grit our teeth and understand that God is the OPPOSITE of what our earthly parents were like ... that is if we were abused as children.

spitz - maybe God doesn't give to us cuz we ain't ready

God isn't going to force anything on us spiritually ... and as we stated before, the Holy Spirit is gentle and will not force Himself on us either. That is why we ask. Jesus told his disciples about the promised Holy Spirit while He was on earth ... and John the Baptist, who came ahead of Jesus to prepare the way, told us that Jesus was going to be the one to give us this gift.

Luke 3:16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with [or in] 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.

Then after Jesus was resurrected and just before He ascended back into Heaven, He told His disciples this:

Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

So 13) The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father through the Son.

Nightglo - So who gives us the Holy Spirit?

Nightglo, the Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father given by the Son.

Nightglo - but if Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the disciples, did He at the same time give us the Holy Spirit?

Technically yes Nightglo, but as we stated, maybe before you came in, the Holy Spirit is a gift given to us, but we have to receive Him ... He does not force Himself on us.

Think of your spirit as a glass ... it could have a little bit of water in it, or be half full, or be completely filled. Our goal as Christians should be to stay filled, even to over flowing. Remember in Psalm 23, it says "My cup runs over"?

Acts 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man FULL OF FAITH AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

Now Stephen, who was the church's first martyr, was described as being full of the Holy Spirit.

BrokenbtR - Our Spirit is the essence of God that exists in all men and women.

Paul told the believers at Ephesus this in Ephesians 5:18 [written to believers] Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

We can all understand being drunk on alcoholic beverages ... how the alcohol takes over a person's thought processes and behavior, how they can become saturated with alcohol or inebriated. This is what Paul says NOT to do. By the same token, we are to be filled with the Spirit, so full of the Spirit that He takes over our thought processes and guides our behavior.

Now let's look at Being baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ vs. being Filled with the Spirit. Remember before that we said when we are saved, born again, born from above, whatever you wish to call it, we are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Remember that being baptized means to be dipped into something, and that you take on the characteristics of the thing dipped in ... as cloth takes on a color when dipped in a dye bath.

So when we are born again, we are baptized by the Spirit into Christ's body. This is not the same thing as being filled with the Spirit. This is also NOT talking about water baptism, but about the fact that the Holy Spirit unites us with the body of Christ when we are born again. IF you can visualize it this way, it's like we are all dipped in the river of Christ's blood by the Holy Spirit and that makes us one body in Christ.

Now after the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ, which is automatic when we are saved, we are given of one Spirit to drink. When you drink something you take in liquid and it is assimilated into your body.

We are also given of one Spirit to drink ... but it's up to us to do the drinking! And we have the capability of drinking of the Spirit until we are full. This is also called being FILLED with the Spirit. Of course this is not literally drinking a fluid, such as water, but in a spiritual sense, drinking of the Spirit.

This is what Jesus said about this: John 7:37-39 (NIV) On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Sometimes we make all this much too complicated, we just need to drink of the Spirit ... let Jesus fill us with living water.

Nightglo - where in the bible does it call this dipping as being "saved"? I mean where in the bible does it talk about all this stuff you are saying about

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.... when do we become part of the Body of Christ? When we are saved, born again, converted, etc.

Remember that John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would come and baptize us with the Holy Spirit ... and that Jesus Himself said to the disciples to wait in Jerusalem to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4 (NIV) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

On the day of Pentecost, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to baptize the believers... Notice that it also says they were filled with the Holy Spirit. So the terms "filled with the Holy Spirit" and "baptized with the Holy Spirit" mean essentially the same thing.

Nightglo - does the bible actually say those words. >Born again, saved, converted? Let me check…. My bible does not use those words, saved, born again, converted in those verse you quoted
BrokenbtR - But it uses them in the same context in other verses, Nightglo

No nightglo it doesn't specifically in that passage, but when do we become part of the Body of Christ? When we are born again, right?

Nightglo - OT. but my bible doesn't use the words, saved, converted, etc? does yours?

Yes the Bible uses those words in other passages nightglo ... talking of salvation, or being born again. What version do you have nightglo?

Nightglo - I am a Catholic dear. Be cool dear. I still love listening to you.

Well doesn't the catholic bible say born again in John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again [or born from above]." ?

In another passage, we are told this Acts 4:31 (NIV) After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 13:52 (NIV) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

So being filled with the Spirit also has the effect of giving you boldness to witness and filling you with joy.

This is the flow of the Holy Spirit - He baptizes us spiritually into Christ's Body when we are born again, then we drink of the Spirit until we are filled with the Spirit and then living water flows out of us. In most cases where being filled with the Spirit is mentioned, it also mentions an outflow: speaking in tongues, speaking the Word of God boldly, showing forth joy, etc.

Being filled with the Spirit is also called being baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5), having the Holy Spirit come upon you (Acts 1:8; 8:16), the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38), and receiving the Holy Spirit (John 7:39, Acts 10:47; 18:15-16; 19:2).

So don't let the terminology throw you ... it basically means yielding yourself to God, and the more you yield to God, the more of the Holy Spirit you will receive in your life ... like drinking to the full, or being baptized until you are soaked through and through.

So the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ's body when we are converted, saved, born again, born from above, born of the Spirit ... again the Bible calls it many things... receiving Jesus as Savior etc. And the after we are born again, Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and as we surrender to Him we are filled with the Spirit.

Malinda - Can you explain how in Acts 2:38 it speaks about receiving the Holy Spirit when it says baptism?

The word baptism means to immerse or to dip into something ... as a cloth into a dye bath, so that the cloth (thing being dipped) takes on the characteristics of the thing dipped in. There are basically three baptisms mentioned in the Bible. One is baptism in water which is an outward symbol of our inward repentance and identification with Jesus' death and resurrection.

The second is baptism into the Body of Christ. This is done by the Holy Spirit when we are born again... And the third baptism is the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit by Jesus.

Actually the baptism into the Body of Christ occurs first, then we are typically baptized in water second, and then usually third is the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Malinda - Ok If baptism means to dip into a liquid then when it talks about baptism it means to be dipped into water. How can we baptized into the holy spirit if we must be baptized into a liquid?

Malinda we are talking about two types of baptisms... one literally in water ... one spiritually. The disciples believed in Jesus and obeyed Him ... when they followed His instructions, then they were filled.

Charity-1 - Is there any scripture in the bible where the disciples were baptized with water?
helpme - How about John the baptizer?

Well Charity we know that Jesus was baptized in water and His disciples that were followers of John the Baptist were also. I'm not sure if it says they all were or not.

Malinda - But you just a second ago said that the only baptism is with water. It means to immerse in liquid and now your saying there is 2 types. We can't be immersed into the spirit.

Malinda that's what the Bible says ... that there is baptism in literal water and also baptism in the Spirit, which is described as living water. John the Baptist was certainly filled with the Spirit from birth ... Luke records that. But he died before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Before the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit would "come upon" or "fill" certain individuals for certain tasks, but after the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit can now fill any believer who asks.

BrokenbtR - Yes, Acts 1:22 refers to the fact that the replacement for Judas must have been with them from the "baptism of John" implying they were baptized by him. Bathtub, swimming pool, bottle of Evian poured over your head like in Desert Storm. It is the obedience that counts-but you must have the FAITH to do it in accordance with God's Word.
Malinda - How can we tell what type of baptism it is talking about then?

If it says water baptism, then it means immersed in water, if not it probably is talking about a spiritual baptism. You also need to look at context Malinda. In one place, believers were filled with the Holy Spirit first, and then the disciples said who could deny them water to be baptized. So obviously in that case they were spirit immersed before they were water immersed!

Heartfelt - EPHESIAN, how would you explain baptism in the Holy Spirit to someone who has never experienced it?
BrokenbtR - God's mercy is far bigger than our "spiritual" attempts to write His rules to fit our doctrine … Yes, I think the wind is starting to go someplace else, we best keep up with Him
EPHESIAN - heartfelt-It is like the Holy Spirit comes in with overalls and tools and invades you soul, spirit man, and physical body and fixes things.....HE BECOMES REAL TO YOU… it is a part of a book I am reading now...very good! The River Is Here by Malinda Fish

So 13) The Holy Spirit fills us when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ, and we are to be continually filled by the Holy Spirit.

15) The fruit of the Spirit is the outcome of living an obedient life to the Word, whether you are FILLED with the Spirit or not. But of course, the more of the Holy Spirit you allow to fill you, the more fruit He can produce IN you.

Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is something that is produced in us by the Spirit as we allow Him to lead us and change us. We've discussed each fruit in detail before so if you need more information, check out the Bible Study notes.

16) The Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God.

Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANS THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Now this is so wonderful to me... because we often don't know how to pray, or what to pray for... but the Spirit within us does! He knows God's will and if we yield to Him and allow Him to pray for us ... He makes intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered or expressed in words.

Sometimes when we are so weary and discouraged, we don't even feel like praying. Isn't it wonderful that the Holy Spirit is interceding for us, even when we aren't aware of it? Or can't do it for ourselves?

Now to intercede means to go to one on behalf of another ... the Holy Spirit is always going to God on our behalf, and bringing the will of God back to us ... so as we learn to listen to His guidance, we know we are in God's will.

17) The Holy Spirit imparts spiritual gifts to the church:

I Corinthians 12:7-10 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

Now we could study spiritual gifts for months in themselves ... and perhaps we'll have lessons on each one later. And I'm aware that many churches teach these are no longer for the Church, that they were only given to "jumpstart" the Church in the Apostolic Age and we don't need them anymore.

Paul told the Corinthian believers he didn't want them to be ignorant about spiritual gifts, and more than that, that they should covet or earnestly desire the best gifts ... and I believe that we need these gifts today more than ever!

So in your personal devotion time, take a look at I Corinthians chapters 12-14 and let the Holy Spirit teach you about the gifts He wants to give to the Church today! Have you ever wanted to tell someone about Jesus but were too timid to do so? That's a good time to ask the Holy Spirit if the timing is right and to give you that power you need to overcome your timidity.

BrokenbtR - The Gifts are wonderful, but remember the Gift box comes with fruit salad as well

EPHESIAN - "Not long after revival began to visit our church in Pennsylvania a picture came to my mind as I meditated about GOD's will for us. I pictured JESUS standing at a doorway knocking on the door..... But instead of wearing a flowing robe, He wore a plumber's work clothes...... Around his neck hung cables and chains. In each hand he held a toolbox.  On His feet He wore muddy work boots. He was coming to fix things in people's lives in our church...... In this picture, I had just had neutral-colored carpet installed on the floor of a room I thought was part of my house. But here was JESUS with muddy boots wanting to come through the door!  I wanted badly for Him to come in, but not like that! Where was the beautiful JESUS with light, glory and cleanliness?  I had the impulse to put down plastic in front of Him.  Then I realized it was as though I were telling the LORD of glory where He could and could not step in His own house. He was coming to help me, but with 'no beauty that we should desire him' (Isaiah 53:2)" -quoted from "The River is Here" by Malinda Fish

18) The Holy Spirit empowers us to witness.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Now the Greek Word for power is dunamis ... which is our root word for dynamite and dynamo. It means explosive, overcoming, atomic type power. Now you can witness for Jesus without the Holy Spirit ... but it's hard! But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, He gives you explosive power to witness, holy boldness, and more than that, discernment to know what to say and when to say it.

jill - when we are out witnessing and preaching....we are Christ's interpreters....just a thought
helpme - I'm lacking that gift OldTimer.
By Faith Not By Sight! - And, BOY HOWDY, can you witness then!
Festuss® - Doesn't witness also mean to do the things that Jesus did?

Yes Jill we are ambassador's for Christ! An awesome privilege and responsibility.

jill - it can be through your actions to just not your words
By Faith Not By Sight! - I think so Festuss You just GOTTA tell somebody!

Helpme ... ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and the power to witness comes with His presence! Festuss, you are right bro, it's more than just words, it's a lifestyle of love ... And in this context the Holy Spirit can give us overcoming power over sin... or the boldness to say "no" when those you associate with are trying to get you into questionable activities.

BrokenbtR - let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5
EPHESIAN - It is like we want all the power and revival but don't want to pay the price
Grace - preach the Gospel at all times....If necessary use words....
Festuss® - Amen, Old Timer, preach on..

Amen Grace!!! Words speak, but actions YELL!!! Praise the Lord! Wisdom and power are given to us through the Holy Spirit. One reason the Church today doesn't have much power is because many have ignored the Holy Spirit and tried to follow a dry form or the traditions of men.

Festuss® - JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL!!!!!!!!!
jill - yep your right AMEN! ot...hallelujah!
BrokenbtR - helpme, just don't think you have to be some firecracker evangelist. God has equipped you to minister His truth to others in your way. It could simply come from you quietly telling someone how Jesus has helped you with a problem similar to what they are dealing with.

Remember it was JESUS who said that we would receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon us ...

Festuss® - Jesus came to set the captive free.

Amen broken, or even by just a smile! I've had people tell me they knew something was different about me just because of my smile.

jill - broken is right....I'm not a person to go out on the street and witness but I can come in here share...bless some people...be blessed....
EPHESIAN - you can also witness by others seeing you minister to others
helpme - What was the reason for the Holy Spirit?

Jesus told us that He was going to send the Holy Spirit to be our Helper, our Counselor, our Teacher, our Guide, who would live within us, who would be JUST LIKE JESUS ... since Jesus was going back to Heaven, the Holy Spirit was being sent to earth so we wouldn't be orphans ... we would have the Spirit of Christ not only with us but IN us.

jill - alot of witnessing is in attitude and how you live your life.....
BrokenbtR - Sometimes, just being the only one who seems to care that another person exists can have a tremendous impact. Like OT said, smiling at someone who no one else smiles at could be all the witness you need to be, as far as God is concerned.
Festuss® - One of the best witnesses is Loving the unlovable.
EPHESIAN - YOU MAY BE THE ONLY BIBLE SOME MAY EVER READ!

Amen Ephesian, Paul said that we are epistles or letters seen and read by men ... again an awesome privilege and responsibility. Smiling at someone shows that they are being noticed and accepted as persons of worth. It is a high compliment to pay to them... and doesn't cost you a cent! Besides smiling is good for your health! It takes a lot more muscles to frown, and scientists tell us that even the act of smiling when we don't feel like it releases beneficial chemicals in our bodies ... so how can you lose by smiling????

EPHESIAN - I know I struggle a lot and all that a person has to do is smile or say hi or give me a hug or let me cry and vent a few things
jill - the holy spirit is kinda like that present in front of a two year old....all you have to do to get it is rip open the box and accept the gift God's giving

Amen Jill, sometimes we make it way too complicated ... just receive the Holy Spirit like someone handing you a gift ... just accept Him, lean on Him. One of His names is Paraclete ... which means one called alongside to help. If you need help, just call on the Holy Spirit. That's His job and He loves to do it!

Festuss® - and giving, unselfishly, not expecting anything in return.
EPHESIAN - When you laugh it sends a certain enzyme or something into your system and is like an upper (drug)... - it says "create me...make me.....an image of you....LORD I want....to mirror you..."

How hard is it to drink a glass of water? Spiritually it's the same thing, open your mouth and drink of the living water, let the Spirit fill you with joy to overflowing. The Holy Spirit longs to help you ... and is waiting for you to ask.

Festuss® - Proverbs says, joy worketh good to the bones like a medicine.
helpme - I know this will be a touchy subject and many will say they've seen it but why through the Holy Spirit aren't people being raised from the dead?

Well helpme in one sense they are ... when we are born again we are raised from spiritual death to eternal life ... which is the most awesome thing. But it is certainly possible if 1) we have enough faith and if 2) it's God's will for them to stay here.

helpme - Oh yes the faith aspect.

But being raised from the dead is a very rare thing... Jesus Himself only did it thrice - Lazarus, a young girl and the Widow of Nain's Son... and He certainly had the power to raise whole graveyards!

BrokenbtR - Actually, helpme, they are. You just don't hear about it much, because it is happening in other countries that aren't "jaded" to the Spirit like the church is in this country. People in little churches in India, South America and Asia don't know enough "doctrine" to know that that sort of thing doesn't happen anymore hehe

And if the dead person is a believer ... he/she is certainly better off staying with the Lord. Paul said to die is GAIN. I'm gonna tell you all right now, when I go, DON'T call me back, cuz I wanna stay HOME!!! Glory, to be in Jesus' presence!!! Now I don't believe in ending my life prematurely ... before my work is done... but when He calls, I plan to answer ...

BrokenbtR - Your just saying that OT because you want to rise first when Jesus returns LOL  I met a believer from Argentina who had been dead for 2 days before the local Pastor could get there to pray for him. Didn't stop the pastor, he prayed anyway and the young man got right up gave his mama a hug.
BrokenbtR - Smith Wigglesworth's wife died in his arms. He rebuked death, and she came back to life. "Smith, why have you called me back, I was with Jesus" she said. He gave her a hug, and said "Lord, take her" and she died again. Jesus then told him that her time on earth was at an end, but that he must continue on for a while. When it came time for Smith to die, he simply closed his eyes in the middle of a conversation and was gone.
helpme - That's a good point OT . Why would they raise them if it was better for them?
saved by grace 2 - I was saying why did Jesus chose to raise those he did.

Well maybe they aren't saved helpme, or maybe their work isn't done and the devil is trying to take them out prematurely, or maybe it is a sign of God's power ... as it was when Lazarus was raised. Remember that Jesus waited THREE days before going there, and when He got there He joined in mourning. And why did He do that? To teach them "I am the resurrection and the life". It was a lesson they never forgot!

The Widow of Nain's son was raised because of Jesus compassion for the widow, who had no other means of support and would have suffered greatly without her son. As for Jairus's daughter in Luke 8 ... I think Jesus raised her simply because He was asked in faith.

helpme - All the books in the world couldn't hold in them all the things Jesus did. I'm sure there were more.
BrokenbtR - Don't need any more reason than that, OT