The Work of the Holy Spirit
JUST as God the Father promised, with ever increasing emphasis in the Old Testament the
coming time in which His Son should be manifested, so during the latter months of Jesus’ ministry He promised when He went away He also would bestow a gift upon the world, even the Holy Ghost. As the hour of his departure approached, and Calvary’s cross cast its shadow over the fearful hearts of His disciples, Jesus more and more sought to impress upon the minds of His people the necessity and importance of receiving His gift the Comforter.
So many times did the Lord promise the Spirit and explain the importance of His coming and His office work in our lives from conviction to baptism, and on to perfection, that time and space will permit our giving only a few quotations at this time.
In the 16th chapter of John, Jesus said: “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not
away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send Him unto you.” Here and
in other places He begins to enumerate the different reasons why we should receive the Holy Ghost, and to explain still more fully His office work in this world :
(1) When He is come He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:8.
(2) Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth. John 16 :13.
(3) He will not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. John 16 :13.
(4) He will shew you things to come. John 16 :13.
(5) He shall glorify ME. John 16 :14.
(6) He shall receive of mine, and show it unto
you. John 16:14.
(7) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send you from the Father, even the Spirit of
truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me. John 15 :26.
(8) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14 :26.
(9) But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Acts 1:8.
Jesus’ parting words to His little flock after His death and resurrection, as His pierced feet
were rising from earth as He ascended to His Father, rang out clear and plain : “Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from
on high.” Luke 24 :49.
True to His commission, Acts 1 :12 shows the little band of faithful followers (one hundred and
twenty in number) wending their way to Jerusalem, to tarry until they should receive the promised gift. “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter and James and John, and Andrew and Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. Acts 1 :13, 14.
–Aimee Semple McPherson