The Holy Spirit in Missions

The outpour of the Holy Spirit, which is seen in Acts 2, played a huge role in the early church and Christianity. The Holy Spirit empowered the early Christians to go out through all the earth, proclaiming the gospel and moving in power. The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples, Acts 1:8, to go forth, establish the church and be witnesses of the Messiah. They were witnesses to the cornerstone that the church was built on, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was incredibly significant to the early church and still is today. The Holy Spirit is the one Jesus sent us after He ascended to heaven. Thus, we are empowered to do all things through the Holy Spirit. In Bob Roberts' book, Transformation, he states that in John 14-16 the Holy Spirit, "convicts us, guides us, comforts us, and empowers us." The Holy Spirit was sent for us, to send us. Thus, the Missio Dei, or mission of God, is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. He, the Holy Spirit, empowers us to do the will of God because He IS God. The Holy Spirit is then absolutely essential to the mission of God: reaching lost people and transforming them into disciples that move in power. All throughout Acts we see the Holy Spirit move in astounding ways that empowered the disciples, not just "The Twelve", but all disciples/followers of Christ or the Way. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and leads them to righteousness, not anything a person can fabricate. It is all done through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in the mission of God because, as previously stated, He is God. Therefore, we see the absolute need for the Holy Spirit to discern the will of God and act on it.