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Jehovah’s Gift of Holy SpiritThe Watchtower—1992 | February 1
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Jehovah’s Gift of Holy Spirit
“How much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!”—LUKE 11:13.
1, 2. (a) What promise did Jesus make about holy spirit, and why is this truly comforting? (b) What is the holy spirit?
IN THE fall of the year 32 C.E. while Jesus was preaching the good news in Judea, he spoke to his disciples about Jehovah’s generosity. He used some powerful illustrations and then made a wonderful promise, saying: “If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!”—Luke 11:13.
2 What a comfort those words are! As we endure the turmoil of this world’s last days, face the enmity of Satan and his demons, and fight our own fallen inclinations, it is truly heartwarming to know that God will strengthen us by his spirit. Indeed, faithful endurance is impossible without that support. Have you experienced the power of this spirit, which is God’s own active force? Do you understand how much it can help you? Do you use it to the full?
The Power of Holy Spirit
3, 4. Illustrate the power of holy spirit.
3 Consider first the power of holy spirit. Think back to the year 1954. That was when a hydrogen bomb was detonated over Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific. An instant after the bomb exploded, that beautiful island was engulfed in an immense fireball and battered by an explosion equal in force to the detonation of 15 million tons of TNT. Where did all that destructive power come from? It was the result of changing into energy just a small fraction of the uranium and hydrogen that made up the core of the bomb. What, though, if scientists could do the opposite of what they had accomplished at Bikini? Suppose they could capture all that fiery energy and convert it into a few pounds of uranium and hydrogen. What an achievement that would be! Yet, Jehovah did something similar to that but on a vastly greater scale when “in the beginning [he] created the heavens and the earth.”—Genesis 1:1.
4 Jehovah has vast reserves of dynamic energy. (Isaiah 40:26) In the creation, he must have harnessed some of this energy when he formed all the matter that makes up the universe. What did he use in this creative activity? Holy spirit. We read: “By the word of Jehovah the heavens themselves were made, and by the spirit of his mouth all their army.” (Psalm 33:6) And the Genesis account of creation reads: “God’s active force [holy spirit] was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) What a mighty force the holy spirit is!
Miraculous Works
5. In what lofty ways does holy spirit operate?
5 Holy spirit still operates in very lofty ways. It guides and directs Jehovah’s heavenly organization. (Ezekiel 1:20, 21) Like the energy released by the hydrogen bomb, it can be used destructively to execute judgment on Jehovah’s enemies, but it has also operated in other ways that excite us to wonder.—Isaiah 11:15; 30:27, 28; 40:7, 8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8.
6. How did holy spirit support Moses and the children of Israel in their dealings with Egypt?
6 For example, about 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah sent Moses to appear before Pharaoh of Egypt to demand freedom for the children of Israel. For the previous 40 years, Moses had been a shepherd in Midian, so why should Pharaoh listen to a shepherd? Because Moses came in the name of the only true God, Jehovah. To prove this, Jehovah empowered him to perform miracles. So impressive were these that even the Egyptian priests were forced to admit: “It is the finger of God!”a (Exodus 8:19) Jehovah brought ten plagues on Egypt, the final one of which forced Pharaoh to let God’s people leave Egypt. When Pharaoh stubbornly pursued them with his army, the Israelites escaped when a way was miraculously opened up through the Red Sea. The Egyptian army followed them and drowned in the sea.—Isaiah 63:11-14; Haggai 2:4, 5.
7. (a) What were some reasons why the holy spirit worked miracles? (b) Although miracles wrought by holy spirit no longer occur, why is the record of them in the Bible comforting?
7 Yes, Jehovah through his spirit worked powerful miracles in behalf of the Israelites in Moses’ time, and at other times too. What was the intent of those miracles? They furthered Jehovah’s purposes, caused his name to be known, and demonstrated his power. And sometimes, as with Moses, they proved conclusively that an individual had Jehovah’s backing. (Exodus 4:1-9; 9:14-16) However, miracles wrought by holy spirit have been rare throughout history.b Likely, most individuals living in Bible times never witnessed one, and today they no longer occur. Nevertheless, as we today wrestle with problems that may seem insurmountable, is it not a comfort to know that if we ask Jehovah in faith, he will give us the same spirit that supported Moses before Pharaoh and opened a way for the Israelites through the Red Sea?—Matthew 17:20.
Inspired Writings
8. What was the role of the holy spirit in the giving of the Ten Commandments?
8 After their deliverance from Egypt, Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where Jehovah concluded a covenant with them and gave them his Law. A central part of that Law given through Moses was the Ten Commandments, and the original copies of these were engraved on stone tablets. How? By holy spirit. The Bible says: “Now as soon as [Jehovah] had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai he proceeded to give Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone written on by God’s finger.”—Exodus 31:18; 34:1.
9, 10. How was the holy spirit active in the writing of the Hebrew Scriptures, and how is this evident from expressions used by Jesus’ disciples?
9 In addition to the Ten Commandments, Jehovah through his spirit gave Israel hundreds of laws and regulations to guide the lives of faithful men and women. And more was to come. Centuries after Moses’ day, Levites testified in a public prayer to Jehovah: “You were indulgent with [the Israelites] for many years and kept bearing witness against them by your spirit by means of your prophets.” (Nehemiah 9:5, 30) Many inspired prophecies uttered by those prophets were recorded. Further, holy spirit moved faithful men to write down sacred histories and heartfelt songs of praise.
10 Paul was speaking of all these writings when he said: “All Scripture is inspired of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Samuel 23:2; 2 Peter 1:20, 21) Indeed, when quoting these scriptures, Jesus’ first-century disciples often used expressions such as “holy spirit . . . spoke by David’s mouth,” “holy spirit aptly spoke through Isaiah,” or just “the holy spirit says.” (Acts 1:16; 4:25; 28:25, 26; Hebrews 3:7) What a blessing that the same holy spirit that influenced the writing of the Holy Scriptures has preserved them so that they can guide and comfort us today!—1 Peter 1:25.
Reliance on Holy Spirit
11. What activity of the spirit was seen with regard to the building of the tabernacle?
11 While the Israelites were encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai, Jehovah commanded them to build a tabernacle as a center for true worship. How could they accomplish this? “Moses said to the sons of Israel: ‘See, Jehovah has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. And he proceeded to fill him with the spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in every sort of craftsmanship.’” (Exodus 35:30, 31) Holy spirit reinforced whatever natural skill Bezalel possessed, and he could successfully oversee the erection of that remarkable structure.
12. How did the spirit strengthen individuals in unusual ways after Moses’ time?
12 At a later time, Jehovah’s spirit became operative upon Samson, giving him superhuman strength to enable him to deliver Israel from the Philistines. (Judges 14:5-7, 9; 15:14-16; 16:28-30) Still later, Solomon was granted special wisdom as king of God’s chosen people. (2 Chronicles 1:12, 13) Under him, Israel prospered as never before, and its happy condition became a pattern for the blessings that God’s people will enjoy under the Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, the Greater Solomon.—1 Kings 4:20, 25, 29-34; Isaiah 2:3, 4; 11:1, 2; Matthew 12:42.
13. How does the record of the spirit’s strengthening Bezalel, Samson, and Solomon encourage us today?
13 What a blessing it is that Jehovah makes that same spirit available to us! When we feel inadequate to fulfill an assignment or engage in the preaching work, we can ask Jehovah to give us the same spirit that he gave to Bezalel. When we suffer sickness or endure persecution, the same spirit that gave Samson extraordinary strength will fortify us—though not, of course, miraculously. And when we face difficult problems or have to make important decisions, we can ask Jehovah, who gave Solomon extraordinary wisdom, to help us act wisely. Then, like Paul, we will say: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.” (Philippians 4:13) And James’ promise will apply to us: “If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him.”—James 1:5.
14. Who, in ancient times and today, have been supported by holy spirit?
14 Jehovah’s spirit was also upon Moses in his work of judging the nation. When others were appointed to help Moses, Jehovah said: “I shall have to take away some of the spirit that is upon you and place it upon them, and they will have to help you in carrying the load of the people that you may not carry it, just you alone.” (Numbers 11:17) Thus, those men did not have to act in their own strength. Holy spirit supported them. We read that on later occasions Jehovah’s spirit was upon other individuals. (Judges 3:10, 11; 11:29) When Samuel anointed David as future king of Israel, the record says: “Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah began to be operative upon David from that day forward.” (1 Samuel 16:13) Those today with weighty responsibilities—family, congregation, or organizational—can be comforted to know that God’s spirit still supports his servants as they take care of their obligations.
15. In what way has holy spirit strengthened Jehovah’s organization (a) in the days of Haggai and Zechariah? and (b) today?
15 Some thousand years after Moses’ day, faithful ones from among the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with the commission to rebuild the temple. (Ezra 1:1-4; Jeremiah 25:12; 29:14) Difficult obstacles arose, however, and they were discouraged for many years. Finally, Jehovah raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the Jews not to rely on their own strength. But how would the task be accomplished? “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Zechariah 4:6) And with the support of God’s spirit, the temple was built. God’s people today have similarly accomplished much. The preaching of the good news has expanded around the earth. Millions of individuals are being educated in truth and righteousness. Conventions are organized. Kingdom Halls and branch offices are built. Much of this has been done in the face of bitter opposition. But Jehovah’s Witnesses have not become discouraged, knowing that every single thing they have accomplished has been, not by a military force, nor by human power, but by God’s spirit.
God’s Spirit in the First Century
16. What experience did Jehovah’s pre-Christian servants have with the activity of God’s spirit?
16 As we have seen, pre-Christian servants of God were well aware of the power of God’s spirit. They relied on it to help them fulfill weighty obligations and to accomplish God’s will. They also knew that the Law and the other sacred writings were inspired, written under the influence of the spirit of Jehovah, and thus they were ‘God’s Word.’ (Psalm 119:105) What, though, of the Christian era?
17, 18. What were some miraculous manifestations of the spirit in the Christian era, and what purpose did these serve?
17 The first century of our Common Era also saw wonderful activities of God’s spirit. There was spirit-inspired prophesying. (1 Corinthians 14:1, 3) In fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that holy spirit would remind his disciples of all the things he had said and would teach them further aspects of the truth, a number of books were written under the influence of holy spirit. (John 14:26; 15:26, 27; 16:12, 13) And there were miracles, as will be discussed more fully in our next article. Indeed, the first century was ushered in by a remarkable miracle. About the year 2 B.C.E., a special baby was to be born, and as a sign, his young mother was to be a virgin. How could that be? By means of holy spirit. The record says: “The birth of Jesus Christ was in this way. During the time his mother Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant by holy spirit before they were united.”—Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35, 36.
18 When Jesus grew up, he cast out demons, healed the sick, even raised the dead in the power of holy spirit. Some of his followers also performed miracles and powerful works. These special abilities were gifts of the spirit. What was their purpose? Just as earlier miracles had done, they furthered God’s purposes and revealed his power. Moreover, they demonstrated the genuineness of Jesus’ claim that he was sent from God; and later, they proved that the first-century Christian congregation was God’s chosen nation.—Matthew 11:2-6; John 16:8; Acts 2:22; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Peter 2:9.
19. How is our faith strengthened by the Bible’s account of the miracles of Jesus and his apostles?
19 The apostle Paul, however, said that such miraculous manifestations of the spirit belonged to the childhood of the congregation and would pass away, so we today do not see such miracles wrought by holy spirit. (1 Corinthians 13:8-11) Still, the miracles performed by Jesus and his apostles have more than historic interest. They strengthen our faith in God’s promise that sickness and death will have no place under Jesus’ rulership in the new world.—Isaiah 25:6-8; 33:24; 65:20-24.
Benefit From God’s Holy Spirit
20, 21. How can we avail ourselves of the provision of holy spirit?
20 What a powerful force this spirit is! But how can Christians today avail themselves of it? First, Jesus said we should ask for it, so why not do just that? Pray to Jehovah to give you this wonderful gift not only in times of stress but on every occasion. In addition, read the Bible so that holy spirit can speak to you. (Compare Hebrews 3:7.) Meditate on what you read and apply it so that holy spirit can be an influence in your life. (Psalm 1:1-3) Further, associate—individually, in congregations, and at assemblies—with others who rely on God’s spirit. How richly holy spirit fortifies those who bless their God “in the congregated throngs”!—Psalm 68:26.
21 Is not Jehovah a generous God? He says we have only to ask for holy spirit and he will give it to us. How foolish to rely on our own wisdom and strength when such a powerful help is at our disposal! There are, however, other matters having to do with God’s spirit that affect us as Christians, and these will be discussed in the next article.
[Footnotes]
a The expression “finger of God” usually refers to holy spirit.—Compare Luke 11:20 and Matthew 12:28.
b The majority of the miracles recorded in the Bible took place during the time of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus and his apostles.
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‘In the Name of the Holy Spirit’The Watchtower—1992 | February 1
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‘In the Name of the Holy Spirit’
“Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of . . . the holy spirit.”—MATTHEW 28:19.
1. What new expression did John the Baptizer use in connection with holy spirit?
IN THE year 29 of our Common Era, John the Baptizer was active in Israel preparing the way for the Messiah, and in the course of his ministry, he announced something new about holy spirit. Of course, the Jews already knew what the Hebrew Scriptures said about the spirit. They may have been surprised, though, when John said: “I, for my part, baptize you with water because of your repentance; but the one coming after me . . . will baptize you people with holy spirit.” (Matthew 3:11) ‘Baptism with holy spirit’ was a new expression.
2. What new expression involving holy spirit did Jesus introduce?
2 The one coming was Jesus. During his earthly life, Jesus did not actually baptize anyone with holy spirit, although he did speak of the spirit many times. Moreover, after his resurrection, he referred to the holy spirit in still another new way. He told his disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) The expression “in the name of” means “in recognition of.” Water baptism in recognition of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit was to be different from baptism in holy spirit. It was also a new expression involving holy spirit.
Baptized in Holy Spirit
3, 4. (a) When did the first baptisms in holy spirit take place? (b) Apart from baptizing them, how did the holy spirit act toward Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost 33 C.E.?
3 As for baptism in holy spirit, Jesus promised his disciples just before his ascension: “You will be baptized in holy spirit not many days after this.” (Acts 1:5, 8) Shortly thereafter that promise was fulfilled. Holy spirit descended upon some 120 disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem as Jesus, from heaven, performed his first baptisms in holy spirit. (Acts 2:1-4, 33) With what result? The disciples became a part of the spiritual body of Christ. As the apostle Paul explains, “by one spirit [they] were all baptized into one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:13) At the same time, they were anointed to be future kings and priests in God’s heavenly Kingdom. (Ephesians 1:13, 14; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:6) The holy spirit also served as an initial seal and token of that glorious future inheritance, but that was not all.—2 Corinthians 1:21, 22.
4 A few years earlier, Jesus had said to Nicodemus: “Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3, 5) Now 120 humans had been born again. By means of holy spirit, they had been adopted as spiritual sons of God, brothers of Christ. (John 1:11-13; Romans 8:14, 15) All these activities of holy spirit are in their way more wonderful than miracles. Moreover, unlike one-time miracles, holy spirit did not cease after the death of the apostles but has continued to be active in this way right down to our day. It is the privilege of Jehovah’s Witnesses to have among them the last of the spirit-baptized members of Christ’s body, and these serve as a “faithful and discreet slave” to provide spiritual food in its proper time.—Matthew 24:45-47.
Baptized “in the Name of . . . the Holy Spirit”
5, 6. How did the first baptisms in holy spirit lead to water baptisms?
5 But what of the promised water baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit? Those first disciples who were baptized in spirit did not undergo such a water baptism. They had already received John’s water baptism, and since that was acceptable to Jehovah at that particular time, they did not have to be rebaptized. But at Pentecost 33 C.E., a large crowd of souls did receive the new water baptism. How did this happen?
6 The baptism of the 120 in holy spirit had been accompanied by a loud noise that attracted crowds. These were astonished to hear the disciples speaking in tongues, that is, in foreign languages understood by those present. The apostle Peter explained that this miracle was evidence that God’s spirit had been poured out by Jesus, who had been raised from the dead and was now sitting at God’s right hand in heaven. Peter encouraged his listeners: “Let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you impaled.” He then concluded by saying: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.” About 3,000 souls responded.—Acts 2:36, 38, 41.
7. In what way were the 3,000 baptized at Pentecost 33 C.E. baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit?
7 Can it be said that these were baptized in the name of (in recognition of) the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit? Yes. Though Peter did not tell them to get baptized in the name of the Father, they already recognized Jehovah as Sovereign Lord, since they were natural Jews, members of a nation dedicated to Him. Peter did say: ‘Be baptized in the name of the Son.’ So their baptism signified their recognition of Jesus as Lord and Christ. They were now his disciples and accepted that forgiveness of sins was henceforth through him. Finally, the baptism was in recognition of the holy spirit, and it was undergone in response to the promise that they would receive the spirit as a free gift.
8. (a) In addition to water baptism, what other baptism have anointed Christians received? (b) Who besides the 144,000 receive water baptism in the name of the holy spirit?
8 Those baptized in water on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. were also baptized in spirit, being anointed as future kings and priests in the heavenly Kingdom. According to the book of Revelation, there are only 144,000 of these. So those baptized in holy spirit and finally ‘sealed’ as Kingdom heirs number only 144,000. (Revelation 7:4; 14:1) However, all new disciples—whatever their hope—are baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. (Matthew 28:19, 20) What, then, does baptism in the name of the holy spirit imply for all Christians, whether of the “little flock” or of the “other sheep”? (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) Before answering that, let us note some of the activities of the spirit in the Christian era.
The Fruitage of the Spirit
9. What activity of the holy spirit is important to all Christians?
9 An important activity of holy spirit is in helping us to develop Christian personalities. True, because of imperfection we cannot avoid sinning. (Romans 7:21-23) But when we sincerely repent, Jehovah forgives us on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. (Matthew 12:31, 32; Romans 7:24, 25; 1 John 2:1, 2) Moreover, Jehovah expects us to struggle against our tendency to sin, and the holy spirit helps us to do this. “Keep walking by spirit,” said Paul, “and you will carry out no fleshly desire at all.” (Galatians 5:16) Paul went on to show that the spirit can produce the finest of qualities in us. He wrote: “The fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.
10. How is the fruitage of the spirit developed in a Christian?
10 How does the spirit make possible such fruitage in a Christian? It does not happen automatically just because we are dedicated and baptized Christians. We have to work at it. But if we associate with other Christians who display these qualities, if we pray to God for his spirit to help us develop specific qualities, if we avoid bad associations and study the Bible for counsel and good examples, then the fruitage of the spirit will grow in us.—Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 5:24-26; Hebrews 10:24, 25.
Appointed by Holy Spirit
11. In what way are elders appointed by holy spirit?
11 Paul, when addressing the elders of Ephesus, introduced another activity of holy spirit when he said: “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20:28) Yes, congregation overseers, or elders, are appointed by holy spirit. In what way? In that appointed elders must meet the qualifications outlined in the inspired Bible. (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9) They can develop those qualifications only with the help of holy spirit. Further, the body of elders that recommends a new elder prays for the guidance of holy spirit to discern whether he meets the qualifications or not. And the actual appointment is made under the supervision of the spirit-anointed faithful and discreet slave.
Be Guided by the Spirit
12. How can the spirit influence us through the Bible?
12 Christians recognize that the Holy Scriptures were written under the influence of holy spirit. Hence, they delve into them for spirit-inspired wisdom, as did Jehovah’s pre-Christian witnesses. (Proverbs 2:1-9) They read them, meditate on them, and let them guide their lives. (Psalm 1:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:16) They are thus helped by the spirit to ‘search into the deep things of God.’ (1 Corinthians 2:10, 13; 3:19) Guiding God’s servants in this way is an important activity of God’s spirit for our time.
13, 14. What did Jesus use to deal with problems in the congregation, and how does he do the same today?
13 Further, in the book of Revelation, the resurrected Jesus sent messages to seven congregations in Asia Minor. (Revelation, chapters 2 and 3) In them he revealed that he had inspected the congregations and discerned their spiritual condition. Some, he found, were setting a fine example of faith. In others, the elders had allowed sectarianism, immorality, and lukewarmness to corrupt the flock. The congregation at Sardis, apart from a few faithful souls, was spiritually dead. (Revelation 3:1, 4) How did Jesus handle these problems? With the holy spirit. When giving counsel to the seven congregations, Jesus’ message concluded in each case with the expression: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.”—Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22.
14 Today, too, Jesus inspects the congregations. And when he discerns problems, he still handles them by means of holy spirit. The spirit can help us recognize and overcome problems directly through our reading of the Bible. Help can also come through Bible literature published by the spirit-anointed faithful and discreet slave. Or it can come from spirit-appointed elders in the congregation. Whatever the case, whether the counsel is to individuals or to the congregation as a whole, do we heed Jesus’ words: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says”?
The Spirit and the Preaching Work
15. How did the spirit act toward Jesus with regard to the preaching work?
15 On one occasion when Jesus preached in a synagogue in Nazareth, he showed yet another activity of the spirit. The record tells us: “He opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away with a release.’ Then he started to say to them: ‘Today this scripture that you just heard is fulfilled.’” (Luke 4:17, 18, 21; Isaiah 61:1, 2) Yes, Jesus was anointed by holy spirit to preach good news.
16. In the first century, how was holy spirit deeply involved in the preaching of the good news?
16 Shortly before his death, Jesus foretold a grand preaching campaign to be accomplished by his followers. He said: “In all the nations the good news has to be preached.” (Mark 13:10) These words had an initial fulfillment in the first century, and the part played by holy spirit was noteworthy. It was holy spirit that directed Philip to preach to the Ethiopian eunuch. Holy spirit directed Peter to Cornelius, and holy spirit directed that Paul and Barnabas be sent out as apostles from Antioch. Later, when Paul wanted to preach in Asia and Bythinia, holy spirit in some way prevented him. God wanted the witness work to move into Europe.—Acts 8:29; 10:19; 13:2; 16:6, 7.
17. Today, how is holy spirit involved in the preaching work?
17 Today, holy spirit is again deeply involved in the preaching work. In a further fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1, 2, Jehovah’s spirit has anointed Jesus’ brothers to preach. In the final fulfillment of Mark 13:10, these anointed ones, aided by the great crowd, have preached the good news literally in “all nations.” (Revelation 7:9) And the spirit supports all of them in this. As in the first century, it opens up territories and guides the general progress of the work. It strengthens individuals, helping them overcome timidity and develop their teaching skills. Moreover, Jesus told his disciples: “You will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. However, when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak . . . , for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you.”—Matthew 10:18-20.
18, 19. In what way does the spirit join the bride in inviting meekhearted ones to “take life’s water free”?
18 In the book of Revelation, the Bible again stresses the involvement of holy spirit in the preaching work. There the apostle John reports: “The spirit and the bride keep on saying: ‘Come!’ And let anyone hearing say: ‘Come!’ And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.” (Revelation 22:17) The bride, represented by the remaining ones of the 144,000 still on earth, invite all to take of life’s water free. But notice, the holy spirit also says “Come!” In what way?
19 In that the message being preached by the bride class—today assisted by the great crowd of other sheep—comes from the Bible, written under the direct influence of holy spirit. And that same spirit has opened the hearts and minds of the bride class to understand the inspired Word and explain it to others. Those who are baptized as new disciples of Jesus Christ delight to take of life’s water free. And they are thrilled to cooperate with the spirit and the bride in saying “Come!” to yet others. Today, more than four million share with the spirit in this work.
Living Up to Our Baptism
20, 21. How can we live up to our baptism in the name of the holy spirit, and how should we view this baptism?
20 Baptism in the name of the holy spirit is a public declaration that we recognize the holy spirit and acknowledge the role it plays in Jehovah’s purposes. It implies that we will cooperate with the spirit, doing nothing to hinder its operation among Jehovah’s people. Thus, we recognize and cooperate with the faithful and discreet slave. We cooperate with the elder arrangement in the congregation. (Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4) We live by spiritual, not fleshly, wisdom and allow the spirit to mold our personality, making it more Christlike. (Romans 13:14) And we join wholeheartedly with the spirit and the bride in saying “Come!” to the millions who may yet respond.
21 What a serious thing it is to be baptized ‘in the name of the holy spirit’! Yet, what blessings can result! May the number of those thus baptized continue to increase. And may all of us continue to live up to the meaning of that baptism, as we slave for Jehovah and continue to be “aglow with the spirit.”—Romans 12:11.
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