Much is said and believed concerning the gift which Jesus called in John 14:16 “another comforter”. Much of that which is said and believed may be more elaboration of Scripture than exposition. If you ask a thousand people when the Holy Spirit first indwelt men, of the many who do not answer “I do not know”, a very high percentage will attest to the day of Pentecost detailed in Acts chapter two.
This event seems to be the most popular accounting of the outward evidence of man interacting with the Lord simultaneously on both a Spiritual and physical level. Others might indicate numerous occasions throughout the old testament where accounts are given of God’s Spirit indwelling men. Those are often seen as temporary and although not unlike New Testament experiences in description, still distinguishable. We might describe them more as a visitation than an indwelling.
But at the Resurrection of the Lord, John refers to another time which suggests that Pentecost, for all its fame and notoriety, was not the first permanent indwelling interaction with man and God the Holy Spirit. In John 20:19 Jesus appears in the presence of the disciples who are sequestered for fear of their safety.
He gave them a precious gift which can truly only be obtained from being in His presence, unfathomable peace. Even if He had not declared it unto them vocally, it would have smothered their fears by Him merely being there. Demons, evil and the dread of them cannot but cower before him.
The second joy He pours out is His absolutely indisputable identity. He is the risen Lord. Only He bore that marks of the nail prints and the gash of the spear which satisfied the soldiers need to prove that the body was indeed beyond life. Knowing that He had only recently been crucified and resurrected causes me to wonder just how healed the wounds would have been. Speculation to be sure but a wonder nonetheless.
It may have been to settle their jubilation and excitement but He says again “Peace”. His commission to them is a simple and profound one. “As the Father has sent Me”. With purpose and resolve, He was sent. With determination and foreknowledge, he was sent. With understanding of the perils and conflicts, He was sent. And with the joy of the Father knowing the certainty of the outcome, He was sent. “So send I you”.
Now having completed all which was His to do and having declared “It is finished”, He passed the commission to those who remained and would follow, those who would do the greater things. “Even so send I you”. A simple beginning to a monumental task.
A charge given to men who were ill equipped and uncertain of how to proceed. They may have wondered how they could be equal to such a task. After all, they did not understand how they could have access to the Father in the same manner or level Jesus had demonstrated.
When Jesus had called Nathaniel as a disciple in John chapter one, He said “you shall see greater things than these”. In John chapter five Jesus describes the Father’s love for Himself by saying “He will shew Him greater works than these, that you may marvel”. Certainly, they and all Israel had seen and marveled but how would it be possible for them to see these greater things in their future?
In the same simplistic fashion as He had accepted the baptism of John, he breathed on them, and said unto them, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”. All power of the God of Heavenly Glory entered them. How unique that the very word for breath in the scriptures is the same word for God’s Spirit. How unique that when God first created man in Adam, He breathed the breath of life into Him. And what was it which departed when God’s greatest creation transgressed in unbelief? That very Spirit of eternal life.
Now, they received the restoration of the indwelling Spirit of Holy God. The debt for their sin was paid and they were once again clean and pure through the blood atonement. Notice that it was not a command, nor was it conditional. It was an act of the Holy sovereign creator God of the universe toward His cherished creation. They knew Him, saw Him, believed Him and received Him. All in a moment. All as their eyes were opened. All as He breathed on them. From that moment, the believers were permanently indwelt with His Spirit. As each person believes the truth of the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection, they to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to live in them and walk with them all the days of their lives.
Nor was this a sudden decision. For from before the foundations of the earth were laid by the Word of God, the scriptures declare we are chosen in Him. In John 14:16 Jesus said “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever”. The eternal Spirit living in each believer without end. If it is not eternal, it is not that Spirit. If He is not in them, they are but pretenders at best and hopeless without surrender of their own will and acceptance of His sacrifice.
Not only would His presence be permanent and irrevocable, but His purpose beside sealing and protecting the believer would be to “teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”. So, as we place the Word of God in our minds, even though we do not have perfect recall, the Spirit of God directs our thoughts to the very words Jesus spoke in every moment of need for His glory.
How were they to accomplish these greater things? Through the indwelling power of God the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter who was Promised. Their Eternity with Him was Promised and their understanding and knowledge of all Jesus said was Promised. It is difficult to comprehend how such unlearned men could operate in the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost unless you know they were doing so by the gift of the indwelling Spirit given By Jesus long before, on the day of His resurrection. To have His Joy, His Peace, His Promise, is to have Him as the indwelling Holy Spirit.