Several times during the years that Jesus taught those around Him, He promised that another person like Himself would be sent to be with those who believe in Him. He made this promise because, in order to fulfill the purpose of His taking on human form, it would be necessary that He suffer, be killed, buried, and raised from the dead, and then ascend into heaven to enjoy the glory He had with God the Father from times eternally past. He would no longer be with His disciples, and they would need a helper—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, Jesus said, would empower them. But what does it mean that the Holy Spirit will give the disciples of Jesus power? Power for what?
The first order of business for Jesus’s followers after He left them and ascended back into heaven to be with His Father was to tell people everywhere who Jesus was. Christ had given them specific instructions about this work. They were to start by telling the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea in clear terms that Jesus was their Messiah, the Savior King long promised to them by the prophets.
From Jerusalem, this band of believers was to spread the good news of salvation to people of every nation all over the world. Salvation through Jesus is good news because it is a magnificent act by God to restore mankind back into right relationship with Himself after they had revolted, declared independence from God, and wandered about living however they pleased—all the while suffering hardship and missing out on the fruitful life God had intended for them.
The reconciliation that God provided also required that mankind have a change of heart and mind. They must acknowledge God as being the sovereign creator and ruler of the universe and humbly worship Him who sustains them.
To fulfill this mission of sharing the good news of salvation, the disciples required help. They needed to remember all that Jesus had taught about God, Himself, the Kingdom of God, man, sin, the law, and more. They needed wisdom to answer those who opposed them and strength to endure harsh treatment, rejection, and, for some, even death. This is one reason for followers of Jesus being empowered by the Holy Spirit—to be able to tell others the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
All followers of Jesus work to fulfill this mission. Beyond this, those who have received God’s gracious salvation must also now live a life of obedience to God. This obedience that Jesus taught to be an essential element of life for His followers is not an obedience done to earn favor or gain salvation. Instead, it is an obedience that demonstrates humility and gratitude for the forgiveness that God grants to followers of Jesus because of what He had done through His life, suffering, death, and resurrection.
But it is obedience, nonetheless. For this, too, those who follow Jesus as Lord and Savior require help. They must think differently about God, Jesus, God’s law, the universe, the nature of man, sin, and more. In short, they need renewed minds—minds that are transformed from being focused on what a person wants for themselves to satisfy the demands of their body and life to being focused on loving God and others.
This renewal is the work of the Holy Spirit . . . in those who love and follow Jesus.
They need wisdom to make the right choices and attitudes that align with the truth that God has revealed about Himself and His kingdom. This renewal of heart and mind is the work of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would take up residence in those who love and follow Him. It is the power to live a life of loving obedience to God and loving service to others purely out of humility before God and gratitude toward Him for the gracious salvation He gave.
God made human beings like you and me to live in community in order to thrive. It is no surprise, then, that this helper that Jesus and His Father promised works in and through community to restore human thriving. For followers of Jesus, that community takes many forms, such as family, the assembly of believers that we call the church, neighborhoods, and other social institutions. By accepting the salvation that God has offered, a person is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who empowers them to thrive before God in Jesus Christ and in the context of human communities. This is another purpose of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit—He enables Christians to thrive as people in community with Jesus, family, other believers, and our neighbors.
