You might as well try to hear without ears or breathe without lungs, as try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart. ― D. L. Moody.

The Prophecy and Fulfillment: (Joel 2:28 -29, Acts 2:1–18). In the last days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people…. Pentecost was a divinely planned event; it was no mere afterthought with God. The coming of the Holy Spirit was as much a part of the redemptive plan as was the incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, and ten days after He ascended up into heaven, a great event took place, the equal of which the world has not witnessed since. This event is designated in the Bible as “the day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1). It was the day on which the Holy Spirit made a unique visit to the earth in fulfilment of the prophesy of Joel.

The Third of the Trinity: (John 14:16, 17) The God of the Bible is one God revealed in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth . . .” (John 14:16, 17). This text is a clear expression of the doctrine of the Trinity, directing the mind to that day on which the Third Person of the blessed Holy Trinity came. The word “another” in John 14:16 is the translation of the Greek word ‘ALLOS’ meaning another of the same kind. When the Holy Spirit came, the disciples would find in Him no qualitative difference from the Father and the Son. All three persons possess all of the essential and unique attributes of Deity. The Holy Spirit came as the Third Person in the Godhead, co-equal with both the Father and the Son. He is called God (Isaiah 6:8, 9; cf. Acts 28:25, 26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 10:15; Acts 5:1-4; II Corinthians 3:18 R.V.). The fact of His Deity is obviously clear in that He possesses the essential attributes of God. Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), omniscient (I Corinthians 2:9-11), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10) and omnipotent (Job 26:13). His coming was not simply the power of an influence; it was the presence of the living God. He had been on earth before, but now He came to stay. The Spirit has attributes that only a person could have. He has intelligence (1 Cor 2:10-13), feelings (Eph 4:30), and a will (1 Cor 12:11; Acts 16:6-12). He prays (Rom 8:26). He does miracles (Acts 8:39). He can be lied to (Acts 5:3). He can be insulted (Heb 10:29). He teaches and directs (John 14:26; Acts 8:29; Rom 8:14). In 1 Cor 12:11 Paul describes the Holy’s Spirit’s role in distributing spiritual gifts: “It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things” (1 Cor 12:11).

Meaning and Importance of Pentecost: (Luke 24:49) The Greek word for “Pentecost” means fiftieth, and it was celebrated the fiftieth day from the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was “the day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1) by the descent of the Holy Spirit, Jew and Gentile were made fellow heirs and of the same body (Ephesians 3:6). Pentecost marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the divine plan of taking the Gospel into all the world to every creature. We bow in humble gratitude to God when we realize that the birthday of the Church was in preparation through every stage of human history. The Church was being formed and anointed by God’s eternal presence. Pentecost was the guarantee of the presence of the Holy Spirit. He came to indwell and possess the hearts of believers. We insist in placing the emphasis upon Him. What happened at Pentecost? The Spirit came. God’s purpose is to draw men to Himself and make them like His Son, Jesus Christ. To this end Christ gave Himself.  But the process of producing Godlikeness is still going on today, and it is the primary work of the Spirit to accomplish this. Undoubtedly the disciples were somewhat startled when Christ commissioned them to go forth into all the world and present His Gospel to all men. But He anticipated their fears and eased their burdened hearts when He added, “After that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” At Pentecost, that is exactly what took place. The Holy Spirit came. Now, for over 2000 years, men have defied suffering, sorrow and death in order that Christ’s transforming Gospel might reach all men and fashion them into His likeness. And in every instance a work has been wrought, not by the disciples themselves, but by the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost.

The Danger of Spirit-less Church: (Romans 8). Without the Holy Spirit, there is no walking with God, for God is Spirit. And no power over sin, self and Satan. Flesh and human efforts can never fulfil the will of God nor set free from the law of sin and death. According to St. Seraphim, the purpose of this life is, “The acquisition of the Holy Spirit.” Without the Holy Spirit, there is no Christian faith and no Christian life and no Christian ministry. All of our Christian efforts and spiritual struggle are guided toward this one thing: obtaining an increase of the Holy Spirit.  This is what it means to become spiritual.  This is the goal of Christianity:  the union of man with God by the Holy Spirit.

We Need to Ask God for the Holy Ghost: The teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, while He was here upon earth, prepared the way for Pentecost. He said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him” (Luke 11:13). Again, He promised that “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, the Father will send in My name” (John 14:26), and, “If I depart, I will send Him unto you” (John 16:7). The ascension of Jesus Christ back to the Father did not mean that the effort of God to save men had ceased, the Holy Spirit would come in the Son’s place to carry on. Pentecost did not take the disciples by surprise. The Lord Jesus had prepared them for the Spirit’s coming. Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament, striving against Sin (Genesis 6:3), endowing with skill (Exodus 28:3; 31:2-5; 35:21-35), empowering for service (Judges 3:10, 34; I Samuel 10:6), and causing men to speak God’s message (Numbers 24:2; II Samuel 23:2; II Chronicles 20:14). But none of the old testament saints knew Him as the disciples learned to know Him at Pentecost.

Ministry Today Must Recognize Holy Ghost: We need to recognize the Pentecostal Person in the ministry today. There is a prevailing impotence that none can deny, and all because the Person of the Holy Spirit is lost in our lives and churches today. We have emphasized the program and the personnel behind it, but we have shut out Him who alone can produce lasting results. The works of the flesh can never produce the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the lifeline of power in the Church. The coming of the Spirit was the commencement of the Church… “Ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). By the Spirit the body of Christ was formed, and by Him it is held together.

The Power of Pentecost: The day of Pentecost brought with it a demonstration of unusual power at which time there were wonders to behold.  They were signs which were the symbols of the Holy Spirit’s coming, the signs of sound, sight, and speech. The first was heard, the second was seen, and the third was both heard and seen. There was the sign of sight. “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” (Acts 2:3). To the Jew, fire had always been a symbol of the divine presence and it is a glorious expression and illustration of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Scripture says, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). He is called, “the Spirit of burning” (Isaiah 4:4). He is likened to the consuming fire which purges the wheat from the chaff (Matthew 3:11, 12). Fire is used to describe the illuminating power of the Spirit, for the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of our Lord are called, “the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation 4:5). Speaking in tongues was a sign of the Spirit’s presence, and such a sign was given to the whole group so that they all spoke with tongues (10:46). The personal and practical aspect of the Spirit’s ministry is summed up in the statement, “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” This is the normal state, and it is commanded in Ephesians 5:18. More important than seeking after the Pentecostal phenomena is to surrender our lives to the Pentecostal Person who longs to fill us with Himself in order that we might be equipped to carry out the Great Commission.

The believer who is empowered for service must lose confidence in self and depends wholly upon the Lord. The plain teaching of Scripture is that the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38) and infirmed (Romans 6:19), and that we are to put no confidence in it (Philippians 3:3), nor make provision for it (Romans 13:14). We dare not trust ourselves. We need to learn that “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). The man of wisdom has said, “The Lord shall be thy confidence” (Proverbs 3:26). If we hope to be used of God, our confidence must be toward Him (I John 3:21), and in Christ (I John 5:14).

Divine Instruction to be Embraced: “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). We need to be clothed upon with power if we are to engage ourselves in aggressive spiritual work. Like Peter, we must be filled with the Spirit if we plan to go forth to serve Christ. No doubt to “tarry” went hard with the impulsive, enthusiastic apostle, but they did it. There was an unlimited field of service. Holy Ghost is the Results Producer. Peter’s Message produced…….

CONVICTION. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts” (Act 2: 37). Wherever real conviction results, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. When our Lord promised the Holy Spirit, He said, “When He is come, He will reprove (convict) the world of sin” (John 16:8).

CONVERSION: The conviction wrought by the Spirit through the disciples brought from the crowd the question, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). True repentance effects not only a change of mind and attitude, but a complete moral reformation which is seen in sorrow for sin and a deep regret that the person repenting has violated the holy laws of God.

CONTINUANCE: The new converts “continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine. “they continued steadfastly” (Acts 2:42). The three thousand, more or less, did not constitute the tabulated results after the sermon was preached.

The Fruit of the Spirit is only Possible by the Holy Spirit: In Galatians 5:22–23, we learn that the fruit of the Spirit, holy character traits, are brought forth in us by the Spirit. The Spirit is our “seal” or “deposit,” a guarantee of life eternal now with God and of “something more” that is coming (2 Cor. 1:22). The words of Jesus that we are to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12) represent a powerful command, but how can we ever begin to obey them—to love the least of these, turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, forgive our enemies, etc., in our own strength? We need something from beyond ourselves: more strength than we naturally possess. We need the Holy Ghost.

Holy Spirit is Christ without the limitations of the flesh: He is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Witness, the Spirit of Conviction, the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit of Help, the Spirit of Liberty, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Revelation, the Spirit of Promise, the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of Meekness, the Spirit of Sound Mind, the Spirit of Grace, the Spirit of Glory, and the Spirit of Prophecy. Holy Spirit has an abundance of wisdom, resources, and power. . . The resources of the Church are in “the supply of the Spirit.” Do not neglect the Holy Spirit?