What Does the Assemblies of God Believe About the Holy Spirit?
- Boundless Team
- Feb 26
- 6 min read
Tier 3 – Growing Disciples
The Assemblies of God believes the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully God, coequal with the Father and Jesus, who actively works in believers today. We emphasize a distinct baptism in the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues, that empowers believers for service and witness.
Let's be honest, when it comes to the Holy Spirit, there's a lot of confusion out there. Some churches barely mention Him. Others make Him sound mysterious and unapproachable. At First Assembly Memphis, we believe the Holy Spirit is absolutely central to everything we do, and I want to break down exactly what the Assemblies of God teaches about Him.
This isn't just theological theory. It's about how the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead wants to live and move in your life today.
The Holy Spirit Is a Divine Person, Not Just a Force
First things first: the Holy Spirit isn't an "it." He's not some cosmic energy field or vague spiritual force. The Assemblies of God affirms that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully God, coequal with God the Father and Jesus Christ.
That means when you encounter the Holy Spirit, you're encountering God Himself. He's not a lesser deity or a spiritual sidekick. He has personality, will, emotions, and purpose. He speaks, leads, teaches, comforts, and empowers. The Bible introduces us to Him from Genesis 1:2 when He hovered over the waters at creation, all the way through Revelation when He invites people to come to Jesus.
Understanding the Holy Spirit as a person changes everything. You're not trying to tap into some abstract power, you're building a relationship with God Himself who lives inside you.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit: A Distinct Experience
Here's where Assemblies of God doctrine gets specific and, honestly, pretty exciting. We believe in baptism in the Holy Spirit as a distinct, special experience that follows salvation.
Let me unpack that. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. That's the moment you're born again (John 3:5-8). But the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate, subsequent experience where God empowers you in a fresh, powerful way.
Think of it like this: salvation is when you receive the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is when the Holy Spirit fully receives you, filling you to overflowing for service and witness.
Jesus Himself told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for this promise: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). These were already believers, already followers of Christ. But they needed empowerment for the mission ahead.
This baptism brings:
An overflowing fullness of the Spirit
Deepened reverence and love for God
Greater dedication to His work
More active love for Christ, His Word, and the lost
Power for effective witnessing
This is one of our four cardinal doctrines, alongside salvation, divine healing, and the Second Coming of Christ. We don't see it as optional or outdated, we see it as essential for Spirit-empowered living.
Speaking in Tongues: The Initial Physical Evidence
Now we're getting to the part that makes some people uncomfortable and others curious. The Assemblies of God teaches that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit.
I know, that sounds specific. And it is. But it's rooted in Scripture.
On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, when believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit, they all spoke in other tongues. Throughout the book of Acts, whenever the baptism in the Holy Spirit is described in detail, speaking in tongues accompanies it (Acts 10:44-46, Acts 19:6).
Let me be clear: we're not saying tongues is the most important doctrine. We're not saying you're a second-class Christian without it. What we're saying is that based on the biblical pattern, when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit, they receive the ability to speak in languages they've never learned, either known earthly languages or heavenly prayer languages.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14 about the value of praying in tongues for personal edification. It's a gift that builds you up spiritually, helps you pray when you don't know what to say, and connects you to God in a profound way.
Is it weird? Maybe to our rational Western minds. Is it biblical? Absolutely.
The Holy Spirit's Role in Your Life
Beyond the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has ongoing, active roles in every believer's life.
He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus said in John 16:8 that the Spirit would do this work. Before you ever came to Christ, the Holy Spirit was already working on your heart, showing you your need for a Savior.
He leads you into all truth. Jesus promised that the Spirit would guide believers, teach them, and reveal Christ to them (John 16:13). Every time you read Scripture and something clicks, every time you sense God's direction, that's the Holy Spirit at work.
He serves as your Comforter. In a world full of anxiety, grief, and uncertainty, the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter or Helper (John 14:26). He walks with you through every valley.
He unifies believers into one body. Through His indwelling presence, the Holy Spirit connects every believer into the global Church. You're part of something bigger than yourself, and the Spirit makes that unity possible.
He empowers worship and service. The Assemblies of God teaches that the Holy Spirit is the source and power of all acceptable worship and service. When you serve, when you worship, when you love others, it's His power working through you.
Spiritual Gifts: Tools for Ministry
The Holy Spirit doesn't just empower you for your own benefit. He gives you spiritual gifts, supernatural abilities given at His discretion, for the benefit of the church and the revelation of Jesus Christ.
First Corinthians 12 lists nine gifts of the Spirit:
Word of wisdom
Word of knowledge
Faith
Gifts of healings
Working of miracles
Prophecy
Discerning of spirits
Different kinds of tongues
Interpretation of tongues
These aren't natural talents you develop. They're supernatural endowments the Spirit distributes as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). And here's the beautiful part: every believer can operate in these gifts. Paul encourages us to earnestly desire spiritual gifts and to excel in using them to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:12).
At First Assembly Memphis, we create space for these gifts to operate, in our services, in prayer times, in ministry settings. We believe the gifts are for today, not just the first century.
Why This Matters for Memphis and Beyond
You might be thinking, "Okay, this is all interesting theology, but what does it mean for my life in the 901?"
Everything.
The Holy Spirit isn't interested in making you religiously informed. He wants to make you spiritually empowered. He wants to help you navigate your job, your relationships, your calling. He wants to give you boldness to share your faith with your coworkers in Cordova, wisdom to lead your family in Bartlett, and supernatural love for the broken people in your Arlington neighborhood.
When you're baptized in the Holy Spirit, you're not joining some elite spiritual club. You're being equipped for the mission God has for you right where you are.
This is why First Assembly Memphis exists: to help people encounter the living God through the power of the Holy Spirit. We're not just a place to attend services. We're a community where the Spirit moves, gifts operate, lives are changed, and people are empowered for Kingdom work.
Want to Go Deeper?
If you're in Memphis, Cordova, Arlington, Bartlett, or the 901, join us in person: www.famemphis.org
Outside the area? Join our online church community: www.boundlessonlinechurch.org
Need prayer? Call or Text: (901) 213-7341
Curious about what else we believe? Check out our full statement of faith at www.famemphis.org/our-beliefs. And if you want prayer for the baptism in the Holy Spirit or have questions about what we've covered here, reach out. We'd love to walk with you on this journey.
The Holy Spirit isn't a doctrine to debate: He's a person to know. And He's ready to meet you right where you are.
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