Holy Spirit Part 2: “Missionary Spirit”

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8 ESV)

Right before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed His disciples to go back to Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father,” letting them know that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

On the day of Pentecost the Spirit came upon the disciples, and over time they became witnesses. There are numerous accounts of the apostles and disciples witnessing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God who worked through the early church to reach others, who performed miracles through them, who caused them to bravely proclaim the message even in the face of opposition and martyrdom, dwells in Christians today. The commission given to the first disciples, as well as all disciples since that time, is to share the gospel with others—and the Holy Spirit gives us power and anointing to do so.

One author wrote that the Holy Spirit is a “missionary Spirit.” When Christians are willing to share the gospel with others, God’s Spirit can and will charge people with power to move beyond themselves and become a witness.

The commission to witness is clear, the power to witness is present in the Holy Spirit, and when we do our part, when we choose to share the gospel with others, we are empowered and anointed by the Spirit to deliver the message to the lost and needy. Through your witness, others hear the voice of God’s Spirit calling them to salvation, to become God’s children, to live with Him forever. —Peter Amsterdam [1]

The Holy Spirit is God the evangelist. —J. I. Packer

[1] Anchor The Holy Spirit at Work in Our Lives