The Power of Pentecost
Today’s Verse:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ~Acts 2:1
Today is celebrated on the Christian calendar as Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost was the harvest festival of the Jews. It was also known as the Feast of Weeks. It was a blessed time when the Jews celebrated God’s blessing on their harvest. All the Jews would come to Jerusalem to celebrate. Pentecost means “fiftieth day” and followed the Feast of Passover. It was on this day that the ministry of the Holy Spirit was inaugurated in the lives of every person who placed their faith in Christ for their salvation.
There was the announcement.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” These disciples, small in number and weak in strength, were encouraged by Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One Who comes alongside of believers to teach and guide them in all truth. The Holy Spirit is the power of God in the lives of His people who desire to advance the cause of the gospel. Jesus made very clear in His announcement that “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses.”
There was the anticipation.
The disciples were assembled together in an upper room in Jerusalem, waiting for the Holy Spirit’s descent on their lives. We see them praying in anticipation. They did not pass the time in idleness, eating, or talking around the table. They prayed as a church. There was confession of sin, praying for sinners, praying for the world, and praying for one another. We see them in one accord. Personality differences, petty preferences, and power struggles were put to death. God cannot trust His power where strife and vainglory exist. For ten days, these disciples prepared their hearts for an unforgettable occurrence that would change them and the world.
There was the anointing.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The fullness of the Holy Spirit was preceded by His symbols. The sound of a mighty wind of Heaven blew through that room. Cloven tongues like as fire sat on each of them. Simultaneously, these surrendered disciples were indwelt and filled by the Holy Spirit. The indwelling is when the Holy Spirit has all of you. The filling of the Holy Spirit is when you have all of Him. The anointing of the Holy Spirit gave indication of God’s approval to use them to propagate the gospel, beginning in Jerusalem and, then, to the entire world.
There is the analysis.
The Spirit gave them utterance in foreign languages. This was unique to the moment of time, since the Scriptures were not completed yet. It was a miraculous sign for the Jews. The Spirit gave unusual ability to articulate the gospel, resulting in many souls being saved. The Spirit produced preachers whose words sinners were not able to resist (Acts 6:10). Throughout Acts, we read that the preachers were filled with the Holy Spirit and had great power in the work of the gospel. Without the Spirit’s power, we are powerless, inadequate, incapable, inept, and insufficient of ourselves. With the power of the Spirit, we are endued with incredible ability to take the gospel message and see souls saved. God is still looking to entrust the power of Pentecost in the lives of His people. Tarry some today until that power comes upon you.
Have a Spirit-empowered God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Job 5-7