The Day of Pentecost is a pivotal point of Church history.

It’s described within the details of Acts 2, but Jesus prophesied this major momentum for His Church.

So what exactly does the Holy Spirit do? Everything.

In this post-Pentecost era, all the modern works of our triune God can be attributed to Him. He is responsible for everything we do effectively to build the Kingdom of God.

The mighty modern-day works of the Holy Spirit are so numerous that I cannot know or chronicle them all. But I’ll share five of them that are plain in Scripture and easily seen in the believer’s life.

1) The Holy Spirit convicts us.

Jesus said it, and you can read about it in John 16:7-10. Ever since the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been present in our world to convince us of the meaning of sin, what goodness really looks like, and the meaning of judgement.

This is sometimes seen as the exposing of sin. You can be sure that God knows about your sin. He knows because all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

2) The Holy Spirit points to Christ.

He does not seek to exalt His ministry among us. Instead, He continually points us back to Jesus. His guiding us into the Truth glorifies the Lord. Read about His pointing ministry in John 16:13-15.

I’m sometimes confused by my Spirit-filled peers. We preach so much about the Holy Spirit that we sometimes exclude our Savior. But the most genuine dynamic of a Spirit-filled Church is His pointing us to the saving works of Jesus Christ (justification, sanctification, and glorification).

3) The Holy Spirit teaches truth.

According to Jesus, He is our teacher. In John 14:25-26, He is called our helper. That means He comes alongside us and stands with us. Doesn’t that sound like a teacher who lovingly instructs us and reminds us of truths we already know?

Much is said about preaching in my Christian circles, but here’s the reality we should agree on. Any genuine teaching, insight, and revelation that comes through spoken ministry is a direct result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Body of Christ.

4) The Holy Spirit fills with love.

The Apostle Paul clarified this as he wrote to the Church in Rome. Click over and read this love-filled reference in Romans 5. Love is the way of Christ, and He repeatedly taught His disciples this excellent way. John, the beloved, enjoyed writing about this too.

If I were speaking instead of writing, this is what I’d say. “Hear this preacher loud and clear. Spirit-filled people do not engage in abuse, indifference, or violence. We are called to actively love people. The Holy Spirit does not endorse hateful words or prideful looks. These are not compatible with the fruit of the Spirit.”

5) The Holy Spirit empowers our witness.

Luke carefully wrote Acts as God-breathed words through him. In Acts 1:8, Jesus is saying, “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.” Yes, there are signs of the Spirit’s supernatural arrival. But please don’t mistake the signs for the purpose. The purpose of our enduement “with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) is to be a witness for Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the power behind our Great Commission. Telling others the good news about Jesus, making disciples, and helping others do the works of Christ, is only effectively done by the life-giving power of the Spirit. His fruit is grown through lives that are daily yielded to Christ. And these lives are Spirit-empowered witnesses.

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I’m not ashamed of these acts of the Holy Spirit, and you shouldn’t be either. Of course, there are many others. And these five are not in any particular order, but they’re only possible because the Day of Pentecost has fully come.

But wait! There’s more! I have one more powerful act of the Holy Spirit that I must share.

BONUS! The Holy Spirit gives us gifts.

These gifts are not for our glory or stardom. They’re for equipping, serving, and building up the Body of Christ. You can read three different passages about them in the New Testament. These are not exhaustive lists, but they give you plenty to study and pray about.

In this brief article, I’ve intentionally hyperlinked many passages of Scripture. Reading these will be good food for your soul.