Who is the HolySpirit-Part Five

Pentecost

Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit descended from Heaven and came to rest upon each apostle whom Jesus had chosen. It is important to note here that up until the time that Jesus ascended to the Father in Heaven, He was the only person who had been baptised with the Holy Spirit when He was baptised by John the Baptist (John 1:32-34). This was when His ministry on earth began.

After Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to these apostles over a period of 40 days and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God and about the Holy Spirit’s coming. On one occasion while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4, 5 (NIV).

I wonder what was going through these apostle’s heads. How did they picture the Holy Spirit’s coming? I’m pretty sure that whatever they thought, it was nothing like what happened! Let us read about this baptism together in 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.

Wow!! This was quite an event and attracted plenty of attention all around them. I’m pretty sure that it was noisy and seemed chaotic. The people outside were amazed that they were hearing their own different dialects being spoken and some laughed.

Peter then addressed the people outside in Acts 2:14-21.

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. These men are not drunk as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “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 dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NIV)

Peter went on to explain to the people who Jesus really was and how according to God’s plan, He had been crucified and had been resurrected, and was now ascended to heaven to be seated on the right hand of God. Many repented and were saved and baptised that day.

Just before Jesus was taken up to heaven, He said these words: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8 NIV) And it had begun!!

When we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and were saved, our human spirit was renewed and we became born again. This renewing was done by the Holy Spirit, and I do believe that we received also a measure of His presence that came to live inside of us.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is different in that we receive His fullness. Most times, there is evidence of something that has happened like speaking in tongues, which is our heavenly language, or the person will cry as Holy Spirit fills them.

Many times, this is what happens when I pray for someone to be baptised with the Holy Spirit and oftentimes when I pray generally for people, too. It seems that is how Holy Spirit works through me. I remember at a church I attended some years ago, I was regularly on duty to pray for people to receive the baptism. There were times when it was disapproved of that the people I prayed for cried and only spoke in tongues later, when they expected an immediate reaction since that was how it happened most of the time.

However, I have learned that God doesn’t work according to our formulas, and when we give Him freedom to move He will do what is best for each person. He knows us and knows what we need. He is God and it is not for us to prescribe to Him. Let us pray together:

Father God, we thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to us. I ask Holy Spirit that You fill each person who is praying and asking to receive Your baptism. Your Word says Lord ‘so if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will Your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him’ Luke 11:13 (NLT). So I say: Be filled, in Jesus Name. Amen!

Enjoy a daily dose of God’s Word! Visit Verse of the Day tomorrow. 

Who is the Holy Spirit-Part One

Who is the Holy Spirit-Part Two

Who is the Holy Spirit-Part Three

Who is the Holy Spirit-Part Four

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