Category Archives: Pentecost

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 14 Other gods vrs The Spirit of Truth

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Paul and Barnabas continued on their missionary journey. God bore witness to His grace by “enabling them to perform signs and wonders.” When they went to Lystra, Paul prayed for healing of a man who was lame from birth. He was healed, “jumping up and walking.” The crowds were convinced that Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes, gods, come down to them in human form. They proceeded to try to worship them. Paul tells them this:

““Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”” Acts 14:15-17 ESV

The people of Lystra followed idols, “vain things.” We also follow “vain things” in our time. We may not bow down to a golden calf or believe in all the Greek gods of ancient times. But we worship our own way over God’s way. This is what the people of the town were doing. God showed His kindness to them so they could find Him, but they could not see Him. Because they were intent on “going their own way.” We do the same.

This is why Jesus came. This is why He sent the Holy Spirit to enable the believers to be witnesses of Him. He wants us to know Him. He wants us to turn from our worthless ways to the living God, who created us and desires for us to know Him intimately. Let us not be as the town of Lystra. They heard what Paul said and turned on him, stoning him and dragging him outside the city. We have the opportunity to accept the truth and let it change us. May we listen to the Spirit of Truth! Come Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 13 Set Apart to Proclaim!

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The church in Antioch had prophets and teachers. They were worshipping the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit spoke to the to set apart Barnabas and Saul/ Paul for a work to which He had called them. They fasted and prayed and then sent them off. The rest of the chapter tells the accounts of two of the places Barnabas and Paul stopped on their missionary journey.

Both of the places they stopped had opposition from the enemy/ Satan. But they were not deterred from proclaiming the Good News of Jesus! And in both places people believed! The chapter ends with this statement:

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52 ESV

The Holy Spirit has a work for us to do as well. We are to proclaim the mighty deeds that God has done on our behalf. We will face opposition! The enemy does not want us to lift up Jesus so those around us can see. We can take courage! We can be filled with the Holy Spirit and joy! God’s Word will continue to spread and He wants to use us and set us apart as He did Barnabas and Paul! We can be a witness as they were through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 12 Mind Blowing Miracle!

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I love this account of God’s power as He delivered Peter from jail. What God did was so amazing it was hard for Peter to understand and for the disciples gathered praying for Him to believe. It was mind blowing!

As the angel appears, Peter’s chains fell off and gates were opened, Peter thought he was seeing a vision. When Peter went to where the disciples were the servant Rhoda answered. The disciples thought she was “out of her mind.”

What struck me was these very disciples were praying for Peter! God loves to work amazing miracles in our lives and the lives of others! He loves to perform the kind of miracles that leave us speechless and scratching our heads. He loves to display His power and His glory!

The disciples saw what was an impossible situation and they were faithful in prayer. They could not and did not imagine the miraculous that God did to answer their prayers. God came through! Peter was freed. In the end, the one who put Peter in jail in the first place died because he failed to give glory to God. And “the word of God increased and multiplied.” (Verse 24)

God’s plan goes on! The work of the Holy Spirit through His people that was started on Pentecost continued on and it continues on today! Be faithful to pray and be assured we serve a God of mind blowing miracles!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 11: 19-30 The Intimate God

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The Good News of Jesus keeps spreading! Especially among the non Jews/ Gentiles. The Lord’s hand was on the ones spreading the news. He was working in the hearts of the people. As it says in verse 23, the grace of God had done” it! The grace is defined in Webster 1828 Dictionary as the “Favorable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin.” The Holy Spirit was influencing the people. He was drawing them to Himself, to have their hearts changed so they could know Him in the deepest part of themselves.

If we listen and open ourselves to Him, the Holy Spirit is always extending God’s favor towards us. He is always leaning towards us desiring to give Himself to us! The presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is evidence that God WANTS us to know Him intimately! Not just a surface, Sunday Church only relationship. 24/7. Every day all day!

May we be as the early believers in Antioch who believed in God and turned to the Lord! May we be full of the Holy Spirit and Faith!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 11:1-18 The Same Gift

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It was a big deal to the early Jewish Christians for someone to share the good news of Jesus to a non Jew/ Gentile. So when they heard that Peter had went to spend time with Cornelius, a Gentile, they criticized him. Peter told them the account of what happened in Caesarea.

He told the Jewish believers in Jerusalem that Cornelius was instructed by an Angel to send for him. The Angel told him Peter would tell Cornelius and his household how “they would be saved.” Then Peter told the story:

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.” Acts 11:15 ESV

Peter also baptized them in water after they had been “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Verse 16)

He explained:

“If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”” Acts 11:17 ESV

So the Jewish believers praised God because the Gentiles were granted repentance as well.

In our day and time we can ask the same question Peter did, “Who am I that I can stand in God’s way?” God longs to fill us with His Holy Spirit baptizing us in the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to follow Him in water baptism. He wants us to repent and “to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…”

Do we follow Jesus as the early Christians did? Do we long for all of God that He offers for us to experience of Himself? Or do we stand in the way of what God wants to do in our lives?

He wants us to believe in Him, follow His example of being baptized in water, and to be baptized in the Holy Spirit as well. He wanted this for the Gentile believers in Caesarea over 2000 years ago. He is the same God today!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 10:23-48 The Gift Poured Out Again!

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Peter went to the house of Cornelius as Jesus had told him to do. When he arrived there was a large gathering of gentiles there. He testified of Jesus and explained:

“…that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”” Acts 10:43 ESV

As Peter was speaking the Holy Spirit was poured out on those who heard him just as He came at Pentecost.

“For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”” Acts 10:46-47 ESV

The same Holy Spirit that filled the disciples gathered at Pentecost came and filled the new Gentile believers! They began to speak in tongues and praise God! Then Peter baptized them with water.

God never changes. He is not a “one and done God” never to come and fill again! The promise of the Holy Spirit was for the Gentiles gathered and for all who would come after them. What He did for the believers at Pentecost, He did for the Gentile Believers at Cornelius’s house. He will also do this in our day for a heart that hungers and thirsts for Him. He will fill!

Come Holy Spirit and fill us!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 10:1-23 Peter’s Vision

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Peter was a devout Jew. He did not touch the things considered “unclean”. There was a list of forbidden foods that included pork and catfish. The Jewish people did not eat them. They would not go to a gentile (non Jewish) home and eat dinner with them. Peter followed that law too. But Peter had a vision. Jesus had plans to teach Peter that He was not only Savior of the Jewish nation but of the whole world. Jesus declared, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This is good news for a Missouri girl. I can go ahead and enjoy my BBQ pork steak and fried catfish! But much more than that! When God is in our lives He makes us clean! We are part of the promise of Abraham a part of God’s holy nation! We are His people as well!

What Peter saw was a part of what God spoke in Joel chapter two:

““And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28 ESV

The Holy Spirit gave Peter the vision, and it was a vision God used to reach the Gentiles with his Good News. Or as Joel 2 said God “Will pour out His Spirit on all flesh…” including the Gentiles! More Good News for a Missouri girl! We are included in His precious promise!

Holy Spirit come!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 9:32-43 “Get up!”

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Two major miracles! One…Peter commands a man paralyzed for eight years to get up and walk in the name of Jesus! Two… Peter commands a believer who had died to get up and she did! In both cases people heard of the miracles and “turned to the Lord.” They “believed in the Lord.”

Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit, not only with boldness, but with the Spirit displaying signs and wonders through his commands. All of this was done in the name of Jesus! It pointed to Jesus, who was and still is alive!

The Holy Spirit wants to empower us today to see signs and wonders that bring glory to Jesus and testify of His living lordship over all. May we hunger and thirst to be full of Him so we can be a display of God’s love, His image here today! And May we see the Holy Spirit work the unimaginable through our lives so all will see and be in awe of our glorious God!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 9:1-31 Power to Witness

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The young man Saul, who held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen, grew to be a man who was known as one who persecuted the church. Then Jesus stepped in. Jesus appeared to Saul as he walked along the road to Damascus with authority to arrest Christians when he arrived. Jesus spoke to Saul was blinded by the great light from heaven and Jesus told Him to go into the city. So he did. He waited and prayed. God appeared to a man named Ananias and sent him to Saul. Ananias went to Saul and prayed for him to receive his sight again and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

God had plans for Saul to make him a “chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles.” God has a plan and a purpose for us as well. The Holy Spirit fills us so that we can be a witness, or testify, of Jesus the Son of God. He gives us boldness to lift Jesus up to those around us so that Jesus can draw all men to Himself!

May we seek to know this fullness of the Holy Spirit so we can “Know God and Make Him Known!”

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 8:26-40 Obedience to the Holy Spirit

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An Angel of the Lord tells Philip to go to a certain desert road. It is there Philip sees a haricot with an Ethiopian eunuch that was a court official for the queen of Ethiopia. The Holy Spirit tells Philip to go to the chariot. The official on the chariot is reading scripture and doesn’t understand it. He invites Philip to ride along with him so Philip can explain the scriptures to him. The man believes and Philip baptizes him. Then Philip is “carried away” by the Spirit of the Lord.

Philip was very in tune with the Holy Spirit’s prompting and he was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s directions. He was used by God as he listened attentively to what God directed him and obeyed. Because of Philip’s obedience, he was able to witness to and be a part in introducing someone to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit wants us to listen to Him as well. He wants us to obey His prompting. He desires to use us for His greater purposes. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He will speak to us and direct us. He will lead us just as He did Philip after he was filled with the Holy Spirit in the upper room at Pentecost.

May we be overflowing with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and follow His leading!