The Gift of the Holy Spirit (study of Acts)

The gift of the Holy Spirit

• Offered through repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38)
• Available to all, as many as are called by God (Acts 2:39)
• Given to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32)

Power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8):

Receiving guidance

• Casting of lots (Acts 1:24-26)? This was before the Holy Spirit though…
• Conversation through the audible voice of Jesus, with ill effects (this is before Saul was baptized) (Acts 9:4-9)
• Visions (Acts 9:10-16, 10:10-16, 11:5-10, 16:9, 17:9-10, 22:18, 23:11)
• Through visitation by angels (Acts 5:19-20, 8:26, 10:3-6)
• Unknown methods (Acts 8:29, 13:4, 16:6-7)

Receiving supernatural help

• Freed from bondage (Acts 12:8-10, 16:26)

Supplication with expectation

• For boldness in speaking the word of God and in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:29-31).  This doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit gives you boldness in all your speaking.
• For the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15)

Instrument of God

• Baptism, as long as the person believes with all their heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37-39)
• The gift of the Holy Spirit, through laying on of hands, once the person is already baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16-18)
• Judgement (Acts 5:3-5, 8-9, 13:9-11)
• Unusual miracles (Acts 19:11)

Boldness and wisdom in speech

• In the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:29)
• Cutting listeners to the heart (Acts 2:37)
• Through which the Lord saves souls (Acts 2:47, 14:1, 14:21)
• Persuasion to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43, 14:22)
• Exhortation and strengthening of the brethren (Acts 15:32, 15:41, 18:23)
• Even for the uneducated (Acts 4:13)
• Dissenters unable to resist (Acts 6:10)
• Preaching Jesus, and reasoning, through the Scriptures (Acts 8:35, 17:2, 17, 18:4, 18:28)
• Teaching the story of Jesus (Acts 13:16-41, 17:22-34)

Healing

• Lame (Acts 3:6-8, 14:9-10)
• Sick people and those tormented by unclean spirits (Acts 5:15-16, 16:18, 19:12, 28:8-9)
• Blind (Acts 9:17-18)
• Paralysis (Acts 9:34)
• Death (Acts 9:40-41, 20:9-10 (not sure whether this was a healing or whether Paul simply recognized that Eutychus was still alive from the fall))

Other

• Speaking in other tongues (Acts 2:4-13).  This ability made their speech understandable by all tongues (Acts 2:6). It wasn’t that they began speaking in ‘spiritual’ or unknown language
• Ability to maintain a communal lifestyle (Acts 4:32-35)
• Rejoicing in being counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41)
• Great wonders and signs (Acts 6:8, 8:13, 15:12)
• Angelic appearance (Acts 6:15)
• Supernatural travel (Acts 8:39-40)
• Superior / super-natural fortitude (Acts 14:19-20)
• Absent of fear – of death or tribulations (Acts 20:23-24, 21:13)
• Assurance of safety (Acts 27:22-25)
• Supernatural protection (Acts 28:3-6)