Whenever believers gather together as the Body of Christ, they become his body with Jesus as its head and the Holy Spirit dwelling in each believer. Jesus teaches that all who believe in him as their Lord and Savior and obeys his teachings, he promised to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in that believer forever.
John 14: 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17the Spirit of truth.
John 14: 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit makes his home in you and will be with you forever when you love him by obeying what he commands. The Holy Spirit does not live outside of a believer but within as their seal that guarantee one’s eternal life which Paul states in Ephesian 4. You do not want the Holy Spirit outside of you, but always inside of you.
In Acts 2, Jesus first fulfilled his promise when he sent the Holy Spirit to his 109 disciples and 11 apostles after he went home to his Father. He did this at Pentecost the festival of thanksgiving for the harvested crops that God required the Jews to celebrate.
Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
The tongues of fire occurred only in this story in the New Testament to show the receiving of the Holy Spirit. The other sign of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was when the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak in various tongues which is a gift, he gave to them.
The vision of tongues of fire was so that we could read it in the Bible as an event that they eye witnessed when they received the Holy Spirit as God’s truth so that by faith, we believe they did.
The Bible is God’s truth and by faith we believe everything that we read in it as God’s true. What we read is not to seek seeing the evidence of tongues of fire appearing over us to believe that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us. Jesus’s gift of giving us the Holy Spirit comes only by having faith in him as your Savior and obeying him as your Lord.
Paul teaches that speaking in tongues was a sign for unbelievers to believe that someone has received the Holy Spirit. He said tongues was a sign for unbelievers.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit enabling the disciples to speak in tongues was so the God fearing unbelieving Jews could eye witness the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and to hear the testimony of Jesus in their own language.
Acts 2: 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. "
The Holy Spirit gave the gift of speaking in tongues was so the disciples and apostles could serve God’s purpose and turn unbeliever’s hearts to Jesus.
In Acts 2 the gospel message was given to God fearing Jews because the gospel is best received by those who fear God.
The Jews feared God because they wanted what God promised them if they obey him that God would be their God and they would be his people and not because they were going to hell.
The gospel is not to scare people about going to hell to believe in God. The gospel is an invitation for those who love God to be with him in his love forever because hell is reserved for those who do not love or want to be with God forever.
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in various tongues so that each Jew could understand it in their own language the words the Spirit gave him.
Acts 2: 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 " 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
The Jews understood Peter as he quoted from the book of Joel that God foretold the signs of the coming of the Lord which they were witnessing by the pouring out to the Holy Spirit by speaking in many tongues that Jesus is their Lord who came to save them.
Acts 2: 22 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: " 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
Peter tells them that they witnessed the miracles, wonders, and signs that Jesus did that proved he was sent by God as his Son which they helped in crucifying him. But being the Son of God, God raised him from the dead which David prophesied that death had no hold on Jesus which showed him the way to eternal life.
Acts 2: 29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ' 36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Peter tells the Jews to stop putting their hope in a descendant of David returning and reinstating his earthly kingdom. But to turn to Jesus and his kingdom of eternal life in heaven were there in no more death or decay when God resurrected Jesus from the grave and Peter and the other apostles and disciples eyewitnessed.
Acts 2: 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Some of the Jews believed in Peter’s words and were convicted and believed that Jesus was their promised Messiah that they have been waiting for and had crucified. Their Godly sorrow made them repent and turn from those who did not believe in Jesus and turn to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Peter tells them to receive Jesus they must be baptized in knowing his name completely then they will receive the Holy Spirit and be saved.
The receiving of the Holy Spirit came to those who feared God and accepted the Holy Spirit filled words of Peter about Jesus and his promise of eternal life.
To know God is to know the Holy Spirit for the words we read in the Bible are his words that he gave to his chosen authors to write and for us to be blessed by.
You know you are filled with the Holy Spirit when you are overcome to speak God’s word boldly.
Acts 4:31, They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Holy Spirit makes his home in you if you believe and obey in Jesus as your Lord and Savior because only when the Holy Spirit dwells in you, he becomes your seal of your eternal inheritance.
Be safe in Jesus, Ps. Glenn