Growing up, we had an old-school Children’s Bible with colorful illustrations splashed across the pages. I had a few pictures I’d pore over and examine with great interest. One that particularly intrigued me was a depiction of the disciples at Pentecost, each with a flame of fire dancing on top of his head. None of them appeared to be in pain, their hair wasn’t on fire, and they weren’t burning to death, so the illustration always seemed curious to me. It wasn’t until years later that I learned the significance of the scene that I’d found so fascinating. It was all about the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Probably the least understood and most overlooked aspect of the Triune God is the Holy Spirit. He hovered over the waters during creation and played an active role in bringing the earth into existence. He’s been characterized as a ghost, a fire, a wind, and a dove, but He is none of these things—they are simply manifestations that reveal different qualities about Him. During the time of the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon different people for fixed amounts of time to accomplish specific purposes, but He didn’t stay with them throughout their lives. We see this with Saul (Israel’s first king-see 1 Sam 16:14), Samson (the mighty man in the book of Judges- see Judges 16:20) and David (Israel’s best known and most beloved king-see Psalm 51:11).
In the New Testament, Jesus promised His disciples: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:16-17a, NIV.) But it wasn’t until after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven that this promise was fulfilled. There was a distinct turning point when the Holy Spirit came to earth to stay. He began taking up residence in the hearts of those who believed in Jesus and trusted Him to be their Savior during Pentecost, a Jewish feast that had been celebrated since the time of Moses.
The story unfolds in the New Testament book of Acts. Faithful Jews from far and wide traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Jesus’ disciples were there to participate in the festivities and were all gathered together in one place. “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:2-4, NIV)
Other Jews gathered in amazement when they heard the disciples from the backwater town of Galilee communicating in languages spoken around the world. People in the crowd from different nations and cultures heard unschooled men speaking in each of their native tongues as they proclaimed the name of Jesus and shared the good news of salvation offered through Him.
In the midst of the excitement and confusion, Peter stood to address the crowd with boldness and confidence. (This was the same Peter who had been one of the twelve disciples, who had walked on water, and who had denied he knew Jesus during His trial). He explained that they were witnessing the fulfillment of a prophecy from the book of Joel in the Old Testament:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy…
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” (Acts 2:17,18 & 21, NIV)
Peter told the crowd that Jesus was the Messiah, the long-awaited and much-anticipated Savior that had been promised to the Jews since the time of Abraham. He finished by challenging them to respond to the good news: “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39, NIV)
Let’s not miss a few key parts of this story:
- The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and enabled them to speak in different languages to tell people about Jesus. (Consequently, this was the way God redeemed the confusion of languages created when people built the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.)
- The arrival of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of both Old Testament prophecy in the book of Joel and the promise Jesus had made to His disciples in John 14 before He was crucified.
- Peter promised that all individuals who chose to repent, be baptized, and accept forgiveness for their sins would receive the Holy Spirit.
This was a significant turning point for followers of Jesus. It was the start of the Christian faith and the beginning of a new era when God’s Holy Spirit would live permanently within the hearts of those who believed in Jesus and accepted Him as their Savior. And what’s most exciting about this is that it’s not just a lesson about church history, but something that impacts us today. Scripture tells us, “you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13, NIV)
If you’ve received Christ as your Savior, then the Holy Spirit resides within you. Like an official document with a notary’s seal verifying its authenticity, you’ve been marked as “officially” belonging to God. Sadly, this gift of the Spirit is often underutilized and undervalued by believers today. It’s up to each of us to unwrap it and discover the many blessings and benefits of having the Spirit of the living God residing within us. Make it a priority to learn more about this awesome gift and watch your life transform in the process.
Listen to “Holy Spirit” by Francesca Battistelli and have a renewed sense of wonder about the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life.
- Photo from The Children’s Bible, Golden Press, 1965
- Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God, Lifeway Press, 2018