Do we express thanks to the Holy Spirit appropriately and often enough? We often find it difficult to express thanks to the Spirit because we don’t know quite what the Spirit has done for us that we ought to give thanks for. We’ve got the Father’s deal down pretty down pat and we’re familiar with Jesus’ work, but the Spirit seems a little too fluid to nail down; a little too ethereal to grab a hold of.

Acts 2:1-13 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” 

“Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”  Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

The question of those who were making fun of the apostles helps us to see the scene in a little more detail – the apostles were animatedly, enthusiastically, nearly giddily declaring the wonders of God. The Jewish Feast of Weeks was a celebration of the incoming wheat harvest, whereby farmers would parade into town bearing the first cut of wheat and offer it at the temple to the God of Israel. Inherent in their offering was the idea that this portion of the harvest acted as a guarantee of the rest of the harvest; it was like a deposit offered to God in return for the guarantee of the remainder of the harvest.

The Spirit was given “in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come”. (2 Corinthians 1:22) … “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (Ephesians 1:14) A deposit acts as a guarantee that the full amount will be paid. Upon what is the Holy Spirit a deposit? On what promises does the Spirit serve as a guarantee?

The gift of the Spirit guarantees: That we will “be holy and blameless in [God’s} sight” our “adoption to sonship” our “redemption through [Christ’s] blood, the forgiveness of sins” the knowledge of “the mystery of [God’s will” our inclusion “in Christ when [we hear] the message of truth, the gospel of [our] salvation”. All the promises of God are made secure through the gift of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is truly the gift that keeps on giving. “To each [follower of Jesus] the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). When we place our faith in Christ and receive the gift of His Spirit, the Spirit then gifts to us various abilities, skills, and talents that exist beyond our own innate abilities. The strength of the church is the Spirit, given to the church to extend to it gifts that build it up beyond its own capabilities.

Recall that Jesus himself describes the gift of the Spirit in this way in Acts 1:8: “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). Why would an empowering be necessary to act as a witness? Just as the apostles spilled out of the upper room empowered by the Spirit and declaring the wonders of God to those on the streets of Jerusalem, so too are we to spill out of this place, empowered by the Spirit to declare the wonders of God to our community.

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 4:6). When anything is done centered in God’s will, it is not successful because of our strength, power, ingenuity or ability; it is successful because of the presence of God’s Spirit within such a task or venture. It is through the Spirit that the church was birthed and it is through the Spirit that the church exists today. Why is the power of the Spirit necessary for our role as witnesses of Jesus Christ?

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). “[Our] enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. (1 Peter 5:8) Our enemy knows Christ’s promise that “the gates of Hades will not overcome [the church]” (Matthew 16:18) and he hates the followers of Jesus for this.   He’s taken action, having ”blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). God has given us His Holy Spirit, who empowers us as Christ’s witnesses even in the face of such stiff opposition.

As those who follow Jesus, we ought to thank the Spirit for His presence with us, for the security He provides us, for His gifting of the church, and for His empowering of us as witnesses of Jesus. Have we personally experienced the Spirit’s empowering in our lives? It’s as simple as making a request – “Holy Spirit, come fill my life today”.