The Ministry of the Spirit in the Christian Life, Part 1: The Work of the Spirit in the Book of Acts

In the book of Acts we see the whole church baptized in the Spirit in Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19. These baptisms are public signs of God’s approval. We also see people filled with the Spirit for inspired proclamation, and we see Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit and marked by the fruit of the Spirit.

1. Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 19)

The disciples enjoyed the presence of Jesus for 40 days after the resurrection, then they were told to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. In this baptism, they were told they would receive power and be the witnesses of Christ throughout all of the earth. What Jesus described as a baptism is described as a filling of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. The baptism of the Holy Spirit resulted in the speaking of tongues. There are only 3 other chapters in Acts where we see the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In each of these, there are found manifestations of the power of God.

Acts 8:14-17 is one example. The purpose for the baptism of the spirit in Acts is to counter false claims of others claiming to be the messiah. The baptism of the spirit was God placing His stamp of approval. In Acts 11, we see Peter silence the circumcision party by showing to them that God accepted these gentiles without circumcision and thus, the church ought to do the same. The full church was representatively baptized by the Holy Spirit in the four baptisms shown in Acts 2, 8, 10 and 19.

There is no requirement that a person today exhibit any outward sign to show that they have received a second baptism, nor was that requirement present in the early church. The Bible records thousands of people who believed but who are not shown to display any dramatic manifestations. God reserved these significant manifestations to show the requirements of the faith.

2. Fillings with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; Acts 4:8, Acts 31; Acts 9:17; Acts 13:9)

The word that is translated to “filling” of the Holy Spirit is a word that is used to show temporary manifestations of things both natural and supernatural. The Sadducees were filled with jealousy when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. People were filled with wonder as they heard him. When people are filled with the Spirit, the experiences they have are a temporary result of this.

3. Being Full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, Acts 5; Acts 7:55; Acts 11:24; Acts 13:52)

This is not a description of people with a continuous burst of holy energy, but is used to describe the normative way that a person walks in their life. They are characterized by their desire to walk by faith and not by sight. They are those who display the fruit of the spirit as a regular pattern in their lives. This is what it means to be full of the Holy Spirit.

At salvation, a person was regenerated and indwelt. At the baptism of the Spirit, people manifested the spirit that shows God’s approval or that God used to make a point. Being filled with the spirit was to receive a sudden burst of power. Being full of the spirit was to live a life characterized by the power and fruit of the Spirit.