These are the five ministries of the Holy Spirit:
1. REGENERATION: When we are saved unto eternal life by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour God gives us a brand new spirit that is not tainted by the original sin of Adam. Our first spiritual “birth” occurs at conception when God gives us a part of His eternal Spirit. When we are saved we are “reborn” with a new spirit.
2. BAPTISM: When we are saved God washes us with the “living water” of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit translates us from death to life by placing us in the body of Christ and our names are placed in the Book of Life whereby we have irrevocable eternal life in fellowship with our God and Father for eternity. Praise God for His mercy and grace!
3. INDWELLING: Upon salvation God’s Holy Spirit comes inside us to take up residence with our spirit. We are weak and can do nothing in the spiritual realm without God’s help. God has graciously given us a part of Himself to be our helper in our walk with God. The Holy Spirit will guide us, protect us, and control us if we allow it in order to overcome the flesh and the attacks against us from Satan and his demons.
4. SEALED: Once God, in His mercy and grace, saves us unto eternal life God seals us as His possession by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is proof to us and to every being in the spiritual realm that we belong to the Father and Scripture say nobody can take us out of His hand and our salvation is irrevocable. Think of the Holy Spirit like an earnest deposit in a real estate transaction. When we are ushered into heaven God will complete the purchase by welcoming us into to His heavenly family. God cannot lie and God will never change His mind and cast us away. If God puts down an earnest deposit on our eternal soul with His Holy Spirit then the transaction will happen just as the Scriptures indicate. Praise God for His faithfulness! The first four ministries of the Holy Spirit happen instantly when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and are saved. They can never be lost and we need not ask for them again. They are irrevocable. With these four ministries we are justified by faith in Christ and we have peace with God.
5. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT: This is the one ministry of the Holy Spirit that is not automatic and permanent. The full power of the Holy Spirit is a special gift from God. We have to pray for this gift from God and He grants it to those who would do great things for the kingdom of God. Once we have the full power of the Holy Spirit it can be withdrawn by God if not used properly. This is the same power of God that turned the weak-kneed disciples into fearless Apostles who spread the gospel to every corner of the earth. We can have this same power of the Holy Spirit if we pray for it for a specific purpose that fits the needs of God.