"The Holy Spirit"

The Holy Spirit is believed to have been around since Creation. The reason behind this is that in Genesis 1 it says, "The Spirit of God was floating over the waters". The first overt mention is when Jesus is talking to his disciples shortly before his death in John 14: 15-18, (15) “If you love Me, keep My commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— (17) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (18) I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. But the first appearance is after Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. Told in Matthew 3.

Christians believe that the Holy Spirit leads people to Jesus and helps them to lead a Christian life. The Holy Spirit dwells inside every Christian, our body is his temple. The Spirit is described as the 'Counselor' that guides people in the way of the truth. The Spirit's action in our life is believed to produce positive results. Through the influence of the Spirit a person sees the world around him more clearly and can use his mind and body in ways that are pleasing to God. Christians agree that certain spiritual gifts are given from the Spirit still today, including the gift of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy. The experience of the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as being anointed one. Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as the promised "Advocate". After his resurrection, Christ told his disciples they would be "baptized with the Holy Ghost", and would receive power from him in Acts 1:4-8, (4) Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. (5) John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (6) So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (7) He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” A promise that was fulfilled in the events recounted in the second chapter of Acts. During the first Pentecost, Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem when a mighty wind was heard and tongues of fire appeared over their heads. A crowd of people of different races heard the disciples speaking, and each of them heard them speaking in his or her native language. The Holy Spirit's existence is verified in the Apostles Creed. This is taken to further imply that the Holy Spirit is co-eternal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is also asserted to be the "Lord and Giver of Life".

The Pentecostal Christian movement derives its name from the event of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit when Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem. They also believe that, once received, the Holy Spirit is God working through the recipient to perform the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are in 1 Corinthians 12.(1) Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. (2) You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. (3) So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. (4) There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. (5) There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. (6) God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. (7) A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (8) To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. (9) The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. (10) He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. (11) It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. (12) The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (13) Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. (14) Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. (15) If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. (16) And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? (18) But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. (19) How strange a body would be if it had only one part! (20) Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. (21) The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” (22) In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. (23) And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, (24) while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. (25) This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. (26) If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. (27) All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. (28) Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages. (29) Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? (30) Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! (31) So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. The Pentecostal movement places special emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Especially on the gifts mentioned above, believing that they are still given today. Pentecost believe that the 'Baptism with the Holy Spirit' is seperate from the born again experience. An experience in which the Spirit's power is received by Christians in a new way, resulting in being more able to do signs, miracles and wonders for the sake of Evangelism or for Ministry within the Church. There are also many Pentecostals who believe that Spirit baptism is a necessary element in salvation, not a "second blessing". Many Pentecostals also believe that the being filled with Holy Spirit gives you the ability to speak in tongues.