Acts 2 - 9.3.24
SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:1-4 "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
OBSERVATION: This is one of the most significant days in ALL of history! The Holy Spirit came 50 days after Jesus rose from the dead, and10 days after He ascended back up to the Father.
Before Jesus went to the cross, He comforted His disciples as He gave them a promise. He told them to ask the Father to send ANOTHER Helper, that Helper was to be no other than THE HOLY SPIRIT! Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, Who first appeared on page 1 of the Bible would not only come in power, but that He would be like Him, and would be their new teacher. "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
THERE WAS A SOUND! The very first sound of God was when Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, They had sinned against Him, and their guilty feelings made them want to hide from Him. The Lord CALLED to them.
THERE WAS TONGUES OF FIRE! These were Spirit-empowered words! The disciples were praying in tongues, but the people were hearing words in their own language. They were all speaking Spirit-empowered words as they told about the wonderful works of God.
"And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved".
Just as Jesus promised, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would empower the disciples!
APPLICATION: "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." (Acts 2:37-41). We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we are born-again. Water baptism doesn't save us, but it is an outward expression of a person surrendering their will to the Lord." This is where a believer makes a public confession of their faith. "As believers in Christ we're to be filled with the Spirit, or "under the influence" of God's Spirit. God will not mislead us as we obediently follow Him. But when other things outside of Christ fill us, these "things" can lead us down paths that don't honor and glorify Him." (Billy Graham).
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit: The baptism of the Holy Spirit was predicted by John the Baptist and by Jesus before He ascended to heaven. "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, For the first time, people were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the Church had begun.
"And these signs will accompany those who believe; in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;" (Mark 16:17).
" For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge, according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the One Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between the spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, Who apportions to each one individually as He wills". (1 Corinthians 12:8-11).
"And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, administrating, and various kinds of tongues". (1 Corinthians 12:28).
PRAYER: Thank You God for saving me, and for sending the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach, and empower me. Thank You for filling me with Your wisdom and boldness so that I am able to be a witness of Your great love. Your continual infilling, which I pray for often, is what compels me to want to follow after You, and it helps me to be courageous as I step out in faith and trust You to do supernatural miracles as I pray and point people to Jesus.
- Robin Orefice
