5. Developing Christian qualities and character. The Spirit makes spiritually barren individuals as fertile as a tree bearing all kinds of fruit:

“BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. . . . Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature, its passions and desires.”
—Galatians 5:22-24.

We can define healthy religion by these fruits. It's not about rituals; it's about qualities: genuine love, deep joy, abiding peace. The fruit of the Spirit demonstrates that we are grafted into the true vine, Jesus.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5.

Jesus Christ can actually live His abundant life through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

6. Preparing us as witnesses. Jesus promises those who've made a commitment to Him as Lord and Saviour:

“YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER when the HOLY SPIRIT comes on you; and you will be MY WITNESSES . . . to the ends of the earth.”
—Acts 1:8.

We may not have all the answers; we may not know all the right Bible texts, but the Spirit can give us a story to tell that moves hearts and minds. All who are willing can be made witnesses by the Spirit. The apostles had trouble communicating even with each other before Pentecost. But after the Spirit came they proclaimed Christ with such power that they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, KJV).