The Spirit lives as God with the church (Acts 5:3-4, 9). In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira lied both to Peter and to the church, but Peter told them that they lied to the Holy Spirit. Peter also said that they did not lie to men but to God. To lie to the Spirit is to lie to God. This means that the Spirit as the very God is with the church. The Spirit with us is the presence of God. In the Old Testament, God’s presence with Israel was in the form of a cloud. The cloud was God’s presence, typifying the Spirit as the presence of God. When the Spirit is with us, God is with us. The Spirit is God’s presence.
The Spirit co-witnesses with the apostles. In Acts 5:32, the apostles said, “And we are witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When the apostles were testifying, witnessing, the Spirit went along with them. He co-witnessed with them. This is one of the functions of the Spirit.
The Spirit has the function of infilling (Acts 6:3, 5a; 7:55; 11:24; 13:52). We should experience the infilling of the Spirit constantly and unceasingly. When we feel empty inwardly, this means we are short of the infilling Spirit. Something is wrong within us that is occupying us. Then we need to confess our sins, wrongdoings, shortcomings, and mistakes to the Lord so that we can experience the infilling of the Spirit.
The Spirit also functions in speaking. Acts 6:10 says concerning Stephen, “And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.” When Stephen spoke, he spoke with the Spirit. The most effective and common function of the Spirit is the Spirit’s speaking. The Spirit is speaking all the time to us.
The Spirit also has the function of struggling (Acts 7:51). This means that we may be fighting and offending the Spirit. Therefore, He struggles with us. There is a struggle between us and the Spirit.
The Spirit is also the directing Spirit (Acts 8:29; 10:19; ll:12a; 21:4). He tells us what to do and directs us.
After Philip finished the work of preaching, the Spirit came and caught him away (Acts 8:39a). Sometimes after we have accomplished something for the Lord, we want to enjoy the result of our work. Philip did a wonderful work of preaching, and he may have desired to enjoy the result of his work. Then the Spirit came and caught him away.
The Spirit also has the function of comforting. Acts 9:31 says the church was going on in “the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” In the midst of suffering, the church was going on in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and enjoying the Spirit as the Comforter. The Spirit as the Comforter takes care of our case, our affairs.
As we have seen, the Spirit has the function of anointing (Acts 10:38a). To anoint is to “paint.” Every coat of paint that we apply to a certain thing adds more elements of the paint to it. The Holy Spirit anoints us, paints us, with the divine element as the paint. As we are being anointed, we get more and more of God. This anointing also teaches us in all things (1 John 2:27). By the anointing of the all-inclusive compound Spirit, we know and enjoy the Father, the Son, and the Spirit as our life and life supply.
In Acts 13 the Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Saul (vv. 2, 4). In verse 3 Barnabas and Saul were sent by the other three brothers. But verse 4 says that they were sent out by the Spirit. This proves that the three were one with the Spirit in the Lord’s move, and the Spirit honored their sending as His.