Pentecost is for Now
The Holy Spirit will take us up to other places in visions (Ezekiel 11:24) Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
I have wondered why it did not happen while the congregation was there. I do know that each person standing there was involved in another ministry of the church. I would say that we were each given an extra dose of anointing from the Holy Spirit to help us with our ministry.
The Pentacost Story
LIKE THE RUSH OF A MIGHTY WIND ...
Acts 2:1-20
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power."
All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
-Debi Webster Perry-
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is bigger than just tongues. Expect the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:1-6
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
What to expect with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
1. Expect Supernatural Wisdom
Acts 6:10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. The Holy Spirit gives you wisdom how to take care of challenges in your family and witness.
2. Expect to Receive the Release of His Perfect Love and Expect the supernatural love of God.
Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
3. Expect All the Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
4. Expect All the Gifts to be Instantly Deposited Into Us
I Corinthians 12:8 - 10 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
The Holy Spirit equips you. You can expect to meet the need of those around you. Covet the best gift that is in the situation at that moment.
5. Expect the Strength to Live a Consecrated Life
Revelation 12:11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
The Holy Spirit becomes that power. Read Romans 6 in its entirety. Expect a life of worship, a life of reading your bible, and a life of His intimacy. It is easier to live a Holy life.
6. Expect the Ability to Resist and Defeat Your Enemies
Expect the ability to resist and defeat your enemies - Satan, sin, and self. Only a Christian with the Holy Spirit's supernatural anointing can expect a brand new ability. Sin is your enemy. You can not keep sin and you together. It is like a magnet, if you put both ends together they resist each other. We receive a new ability to defeat Satan.
7. Expect to Live in Unity with the Body of Christ
After the Baptism of the Holy Spirit you can expect to live in unity with others in the body of Christ. They will know we are Christians by out LOVE.
8. Expect to Live the Rest of Your Life on Earth with POWER
Power to cast out demons, to witness, to worship in a way that we have freedom.
-Bits and Pieces of sermon from Tim Davis-
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." (Acts 1:8)
This promise of our Lord signaled the beginning of the immense change from the old covenant to the new. Prior to the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16) on the day of Pentecost, the saints of God were empowered both selectively and infrequently.
We, however, upon whom the "better thing" has come (Hebrews 11:40), are all temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Since we have been "quickened" (made alive) by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 3:18), we surely should then "walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25). What then is the dunamis (power) that the Holy Spirit provides to us?
Obviously, the power comes from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit Himself (Ephesians 3:16-20). Our flesh has "no good thing" (Romans 7:18) to provide for an empowered, Spirit-filled life. Apart from the dwelling of God’s Spirit in us (Ephesians 1:14), we would be unable to live righteously (John 15:5).
But thanks be to the omnipotent and omniscient Creator that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts to use in Christ’s assembly to mature and to encourage each other (Ephesians 4:7-16). The Holy Spirit also grants us the ability to develop His "fruit" in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Then, with the encouragement and maturity we gain through our churches, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit being obvious in our daily lives, the great privilege of sharing the gospel with the lost becomes a delightful exercise of "power" (Romans 1:16) that is clear, not only in careful words of testimony, but in and through a life empowered by the Holy Spirit (1Thessalonians 1:5). -Power of the Holy Spirit by Henry Morris III, D.Min.-
Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of Lords, the God of God's, Your greatness goes before you. We thank you for Your Son, Jesus. We thank you for Your mighty Holy Spirit. We thank You for Your Spirit Breathed Word.
Jesus, You said, dunamis power of God will come upon us when we receive the Holy Ghost, (Acts 1:8). You said in Ephesians 1:17, that we are to pray for the revelation of the greatness of your dunamis power toward us who believe. We are asking you for it now. We ask you to give us the revelation of that dunamis power. We ask you to give us the manifestation of it. We desire to receive this dunamis power "for this and this alone will meet the necessity of the human heart and this and this alone will have the power to overcome the forces of darkness." We've reached this hour and we do believe that things have shifted and things have changed and that there will be a great move of God on the earth -- a great manifestation of the power of God through the sons and daughters of God. And we are asking you for it right now. And we believe it right now. We believe that we are the sons and daughters of God and that we can receive that power and walk in it daily by looking to you as our source. We receive that power now by faith and we walk in it daily. Show us how to manifest that power on behalf of others in healings, miracles, signs, and wonders. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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