John the Baptist was sent as a forerunner for Jesus’ coming. The Lord had instructed him to baptize people who showed they had repented (Luke 3:7,8) He was also told that he would recognize Messiah by seeing the Spirit descending from Heaven upon Him (John 1:32-33). And He would be the one who would baptize with or in the Spirit, which occurred at Pentecost (Acts 1:5,8).
NEW BIRTH
Being born again is the work of the Spirit. Jesus said, “…unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) He also said, “…unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6) Being born again is the work of the Spirit within the human spirit.
Jesus said to the Samaritan women at the well “But whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. ( John 4:13-14) Jesus continued teaching the woman about true worship and how it is done. “But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshipper will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24).
OUTFLOW OF THE SPIRIT
Jesus said in John 7:37-39 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirt, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
JESUS PROMISES A HELPER WILL COME
While teaching His disciples how He would go to the Cross, be buried, rise, and ascend to the Father, He said, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in You. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18). Jesus further said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I said to you.” (John 14:26).
THE SPIRIT GLORIFIES JESUS
Jesus said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of me.” (John 15:26) Jesus said about the work of the Spirit, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14)
JESUS COMMISSIONS HIS DISCIPLES
Jesus, after He was raised from the dead with the disciples in the upper room, “Said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'” (John 20:21-22). The complete fulfillment of that command was manifested on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).