The Promise of the Spirit

June 20, 2008

By Ken Horn

“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” (Acts 1:8, NIV).

God has a promise for you. There is an exciting dimension of joyful and victorious living available to every Christian. It is the dimension of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives us the strength we need to live a powerful Christian life. Without His help we are weak and defeated. With His help we can witness, serve and build God’s kingdom in confidence and victory.

There is no substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. And Luke 11:13 tells us God delights in giving this gift to us: “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!” He helps us to be effective in spiritual warfare. Walking in the Spirit keeps us from sinning and causes our lives to bear spiritual fruit. (See Galatians 5:16,22,23.)

The powerful revival in the Book of Acts took place because the Holy Spirit empowered His church. Pentecostals believe the Holy Spirit still works and ministers as He did in the Book of Acts — and that means He can move strongly in your life.

An abundant, powerful, Spirit-led walk is available to every believer. All Christians are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, but a deeper dimension of the Spirit is available in the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This Baptism is a wonderful promise that will bless anyone with a deepened spiritual walk and increase their effectiveness and enjoyment of fellowship with God.

— Ken Horn is the editor of Today’s Pentecostal Evangel and blogs at Snapshots (khorn.agblogger.org).