Why Does Jesus Want Us to Receive the Holy Spirit?

• Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit in John 14

John 14:8–17 (NIV84) “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

• And later in the chapter in John 14:26
  • And at the end of the next chapter (John 15:26).
  • And John 16:7
  • And after his Resurrection in Luke 24:49
• And in Acts 1:8, just before he floated up to heaven

Jesus definitely wants us to have the Holy Spirit, but why?

John 20:19-22 (NIV) 19  On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

• Aorist Imperative Active tense – A command – not ongoing, that happens and ends
• The same thing happens to you and me when we trust Jesus as our Savior

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) 13  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.

• There’s a 2nd reason Jesus wants us to have the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:3–5, 8 (NLT) 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… 8 [And] you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

“Baptizo” is the Greek word used here for “baptism.” 

• Baptizo cucumbers in spiced vinegar to makes pickles (to permeate and change all the way through)

• It is necessary that the world hear of Jesus, and come to trust in Him as their Savior

1 Timothy 2:3b-5 (NLT2) …God our Savior, 4  (who) wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5  For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

• How shall they hear if we don’t tell them?

Romans 10:13-14 (NLT2) For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” 14  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

John 14:26 (NIV84) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:13 (NLT) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

John 16:8–11 (MSG) “When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.”

Acts 4:31–32 (NLT) After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

Ephesians 5:18 (NLT2) Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.

• “be filled” is in the continuous present tense, giving the meaning, “Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit”

• God likes to be pursued, to be wanted

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Matthew 22:37 & Deut 6:5 (NIV) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV) Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

Luke 11:13 (NIV) “If you… know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!“