1.3 The Holy Spirit In Us

Nothing is more sacred to than when the Holy Spirit tabernacles within followers of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit does not walk next to, over, under, or around people - He abides within them. This is the promise of the New Covenant that was receievd on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was poured on believers like tongues of fire. They were so inundated with the presence of the Lord that they staggered as if they were drunk. They miraculously spoke in other languages as the Spirit moved upon their vocal cords so that people from many different nations heard them speaking in their own tongues.

This was the powder keg of the explosive growth of the New Testament church. The God who was too holy to draw near to in the Old Testament was within reach of anyone who repented of their sins and called on the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness. Jew believers were astounded because this same baptism of fire was granted to Gentiles as well. It signified that the New Covenant was available to anyone of any ethnicity or gender who had faith in Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament. His ministry was baptism in water for repentance, but that there was one coming who would baptize with a holy fire. That did not occur until the day of Pentecost after Jesus had ascended on high.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not simply the product of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It is a remarkable experience in which the presence and power of the Lord is a tangible experience. Whereas the glory of the Lord filled the Old Testament temple in response to sacrifices, the glory now comes upon New Covenant believers.