The Holy Spirit in God’s Kingdom has insurmountable significance. Whatever Jesus displayed to men while on earth, He does the same to all from heaven. It is in the Holy Spirit. He bestows God’s image and power to yield peace in men. He, who is the likeness of God, gives eternal life to men through the Spirit. Eternal life demands holiness and those who possess the Spirit has it in them. Holiness is God’s image and the Spirit keeps it. Thus, it has elsewhere been said of the believers that were transformed in Christ as those that are transferred from the domain of darkness into His kingdom. They obtained peace. To this end God availed the Spirit to the believing that His kingdom is everlasting. And His servant was inspired to say, “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:8).
Undoubtedly, Jesus has the authority to baptize. He gives the Spirit to those who believe in Him in the likeness of those who wholly believed in Him when on earth. There were many things that Jesus did while on earth that no man or angel has ever done. And, the first thing dawning on our mind is His death on the cross for our sins. Then, it is His resurrection from the dead that gives hope of eternal life. Forgiveness of sins for eternal life is epitomized by holiness. But for this to happen, Jesus had to perform a certain will of God. So, we see Him demonstrate the kingdom of God through preaching and performing works. This was God’s compassion through Jesus for men that are in dire need of it. His compassion is the basis for holiness in men. And men realized faith, wisdom, and knowledge of the works of God and of the will of God.
After demonstrating God’s kingdom and His time to depart came, He spoke of the Spirit whom the Father will send to teach and remind of all the things He said; He gave the significance of the Spirit. So, men lived and continue to live holy to God. The Spirit’s presence among men glorifies God. If the disciples were taught by Jesus and if we have the word, what need is there for another Helper from God? It is to provide Jesus, who separates us from all sin and the unbelieving. It is He who guided the disciples. Through them He also gave us the word. And since He is in the Spirit, we understand Him just as they. God made eternal life possible to all who believe by availing Jesus. His absence in the flesh is not a loss to the believing, but a joy as He continues to sanctify, help and provide in the Spirit. So, the word of God continues to produce disciples, believers and the whole administration of the church. “For David says of Him, ‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN’” (Acts 2:25).
How magnificent is the working nature of God! If we want to be with the Jesus, who was also in the flesh, if we desire to talk to Him, receive from Him and ask Him, He is ready to appear and remain by our side. This is through the Holy Spirit. We will know His presence, because His power that flows into us by faith gives peace. For the same reason David knew the Lord to be in his presence at all times, though he has never seen Him; and many still wonder, how? Jesus who knew His presence is indispensable to believers beforehand spoke of the Spirit through whom He makes His presence known. We count it true, since by way of promise He said, ‘lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ His presence brings strength to overcome fear, discouragement or the sense of being cast down. Whether we are a parent, preacher or just a believer, we ought to first become fearless in Christ to perform our duties righteously. In other words, we are to obtain His peace. Then, in Him we are godly. So, we have been reminded that “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (1 Cor. 3:17).
See to it that you do not neglect the faith to which you have come to. For the faith that is of God avails you the Spirit to see Christ Jesus in your presence; you will see His might. Everything that God desires for you Jesus will make known to you. It is for this reason John the Baptist glorified the baptism of Jesus over his. The ministry of Jesus in the Spirit is always with unassailable glory; nothing can stand before it. Since in power He performs toward us His ministry for God, we who believed in Him perform our ministry for Him. And, our ministry is to remain holy to God and be a temple for His rest. This will avail us His purpose and blessings through which we obtain joy. Surely, there will be weapons formed against us, but they will not prosper against the resting place of God. Yet, when we allow those weapons to dictate us, we lose what we found. For they have the power to mislead us whom Jesus prepared for God’s glory. Then, the outcome as Paul earlier said will be inevitable. And, “I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” (Col. 2:4).
There is one God, one Lord and one Spirit. They are one. Because they are one, they perform functions that God determined before the foundation of the world. God showed Himself to Israel as the Lord, Jesus appeared to men as Immanuel, i.e. God with us, and became our Lord. Jesus declared that God is Spirit. And, He further said that blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. The Holy Spirit typifies God, because God does all things in Him. Yet, many are confused regarding them and in ignorance confuse those who hear them. Of them you ought to beware. For they deliver persuasive arguments with corruptible knowledge. Such knowledge has the power to deceive you. But if you are baptized by Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit; you have God. Then, no weapon can overcome you. He, teaches, provides and protects you with undefeatable power. At no stage will you find yourself defenseless.
It is an advantage to have the Lord in your presence. You realize God’s plans for you. Then, you refuse speaking evil, deceit or to entertain the corruptible knowledge. You will see good days. For what God has commanded you fulfilled. “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT” (1 Pet. 3:11). This is to desire life, an impediment to those who seek to delude you. It keeps Jesus in your presence. They that try to persuade you with deceit will lose all power against you. For they become unaware that God’s command brought forth in you more than they imagined. It made you holy for Him. It makes you see the Lord at your side. It gave your faith a wonderful outcome, which is intimacy with God. You receive wisdom, works, knowledge, purpose and blessings. You will be taught to do good. God will lead you to become useful to Him.
Many do not realize the importance of the Holy Spirit. They have gone about in various ways to voice their knowledge of Him. But, the first and the foremost reason Jesus baptizes people with the Holy Spirit is to establish God’s gift in them. It is peace. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22). To this end He came and those that believe Him to be the Son of God will find peace. When He died on the cross, it was to bring peace between God and man. He gives it to us by giving the Holy Spirit. It brings us out of all the worries of the world, from sin and its works, from sufferings, losses and temptations. We know it, since His power enters us through faith. Many a church having misconstrued the significance of Christ baptizing them with the Spirit failed to possess His peace.
When Christ gave peace to the disciples, He made them a resting place for God. Christ gives men gifts, blessings and promises through the Holy Spirit, but not without first planting in them the peace that brings intimacy with God. In it every suffering, loss, anxiousness, temptation, and the like are dealt with. For this reason, the churches ought to turn to Christ for peace. Only then they will fully realize the Spirit’s potential toward them. Until that time they have not been transformed. But, let us brethren persist in the faith to keep the Lord in our presence that we do not miss the unending joy. For if we do not persist in it we have this saying to come true upon us. “All your fortifications are fig trees with ripe fruit– When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth” (Nah. 3:12).