Category Archives: Pentecost

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 7 Power to Be a Martyr (Witness)

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The religious leaders arrested Stephen and set up false witnesses to testify against him. As they accused him, they asked Stephen if the testimony against him was true. Stephen then recites a summary of the history of Israel. In this testimony he points out how God had been faithful to the people, but the people had not been faithful to God. They followed their own selves and “resisted the Holy Spirit.” They killed the prophets who announced the coming of Jesus and eventually killed Jesus, the “Righteous One.”

This angered the crowd all the more so they seized him.

“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”Acts 7:55 ESV

Stephen told them what he saw. They rushed at Stephen and they stoned him to death.

There standing in the crowd, approving of the killing, was a young man named Saul, who eventually encountered Jesus and became the Apostle Paul. Stephen’s witness, empowered by the Holy Spirit, influenced a man who became one of the first missionaries and a writer of much of the New Testament.

The Holy Spirit’s power in Stephen’s life enabled Him to endure persecution and death. The Holy Spirit’s presence in Stephen enabled Him to bring glory to God no matter the circumstances. We live in a world that is increasingly wicked as the world in Stephen’s time was. We need the power to be a witness that Jesus promised before Pentecost.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We need to be full of the Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 6 Stephen- Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit

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I love the account of Stephen in Acts. Stephen is a man that the Bible describes as being “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” He was chosen to take care of food distribution in the early church because He had those attributes. As Stephen was faithful in His role, he was “full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” He spoke with wisdom and the Spirit’s power.

Stephen did some of the more ordinary work within the early church with extraordinary power. Why? Because He was experiencing the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in His life. He was full of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit was not only given at Pentecost for the twelve Apostles to work signs and wonders as they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus to the world around them. The Holy Spirit came so everyone within the church could be full of Him. The Holy Spirit used a man in charge of food distribution to widows within the church to perform “signs and wonders” and the Holy Spirit gave him supernatural wisdom and power as he spoke as well.

The Holy Spirit’s power to be a witness is for everyone within the church! He longs to empower us and to work through us giving supernatural wisdom, signs, and wonders as we do whatever our role is when we follow Jesus.

May we be as Stephen was “full of faith and the Holy Spirit!”

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 5:12-41 The Holy Spirit’s Witness

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The apostles performed incredible miracles in the name of Jesus. The people knew the power of the Holy Spirit was within the followers of Jesus! They would lay their sick in their beds out on the streets so Peter’s shadow might touch them as he walked by. Crowds gathered bringing their sick and demon possessed to be prayed for. All were healed.

This made the religious leaders jealous. So they arrested the apostles again. This time an Angel set the apostles free. Now the religious leaders are very concerned. They wanted it stopped.

Peter and the apostles once again told the religious leaders that they crucified God’s Son, and in repentance, forgiveness of sins comes. Then they said: 

“And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”” Acts 5:32 ESV

It was the Holy Spirit within the apostles that gave them the power to be witnesses of Jesus! The Holy Spirit was a witness too! Their testimony evidenced by the miraculous was impossible to deny! Unless one chose to ignore the evidence and turn the other way.

The Holy Spirit longs to testify of Jesus within our lives as well! He wants to show a life changed and empowered by Himself to those around us! He wants to work within us to create what God intended for us to be all along, the image of God! He desires to display the miraculous!

That is the purpose of Pentecost all those years ago! The Holy Spirit within us, empowering us to be a witness- a living testimony of what God is like to the world. As we give ourselves to Him and ask for Him to fill us to overflowing, and we obey Him, we will be a display of the miraculous power and love of our Heavenly Father. Our lives, through the Spirit, will glorify Him!

Come Holy Spirit! Make us a witness, with You displaying the miraculous, as Peter and the apostles were over 2000 years ago!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 5:1-16 Lying to the Holy Spirit

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Ananias and Sapphira wanted to look good like some of the others who had sold their property and given the proceeds to the Church. They conspired to give but lie about how much they gave. They kept some of the money for themselves. They lied to the Holy Spirit and to man. Both of them fell dead when confronted with their sin.

After reading this I ask myself do I try to lie to the Holy Spirit as well? Do I act as if or try to give the impression that I am following God whole heartedly when I hold back,on purpose, things that I do not want to surrender to Him? The Holy Spirit who fills us with Himself, knows us. Pretending to follow Jesus so that we look good is offensive to God. God knows living wholehearted for Him is what is best for us. The Holy Spirit does not want us to pretend or be half hearted. He wants to consume all of us! It is the same as Jesus told the Church at Laodicea regarding their acting like they were following God wholeheartedly:

““‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”Revelation 3:15-16 ESV

A good cup of coffee is only good hot or ice cold as ice coffee. Lukewarm it is only worth spitting out and throwing away. It is the same for us. May we never try to lie within our hearts about our devotion to God! May we be flaming HOT in our love for Him! May we not lie to the Holy Spirit regarding what we come to give to Him!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 4:1-22 Filled With Boldness!

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Peter and John were arrested and out in jail for preaching Jesus and His resurrection power. The religious rulers could not have them spreading the good news. It threatened their power. After a night in jail Peter and John were brought before the religious rulers to be questioned. They did not cower in fear!

Verse 8 says that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he replied to their questions. The word says they were bold! This was a testimony that they knew Peter and John had been with Jesus!

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 ESV

Life can throw circumstances that seem insurmountable. But through the power of the Holy Spirit we can be bold to face them! This will be a testimony to all those who are around us that we have “been with Jesus.”

The Holy Spirit that came at Pentecost comes to us still today to fill us full of Him so we can be bold and show the world Jesus to those around us!

Holy Spirit fill us with boldness!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 3:11-26 Connection Restored

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After Peter declared to the paralyzed man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus, the people around saw him jumping, running and walking and praising God. The people who saw this were utterly astounded. Peter once again preaches to the crowd that gathered. He explained how the Jesus they had handed over to be killed had risen from the grave and there is power in the name of Jesus, the risen Lord.

“And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” Acts 3:16 ESV

And concluded that repentance, turning from their wickedness to God so that Jesus may restore all things.

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” Acts 3:19-21 ESV

Jesus came so that what was lost, our relationship with God and our original design—us as God’s image bearer—could be restored. This comes through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, uniting us with Him. Our connection to God that was lost through sin is reconnected by the Holy Spirit’s filling of us. This connection gives us power and boldness to declare Jesus name over impossible and to see God work miracles in the lives around us!

May we repent, turning from our wickedness to God, and be filled with His Holy Spirit, connected to Him, so we too may bring glory to God in the words we speak and the deeds we do!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 3:1-10 What I Do Have

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Peter and John now full of the Holy Spirit were headed to the temple to pray. There they saw a lame man begging. Peter told the man to look at him.

“But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!””Acts 3:6 ESV

“What I do have….” As spirit-filled believers, what do we have? The name of Jesus! We have the authority He has given us in His name. It is through this name that we are assured by the words of Jesus we are able to do “greater works.”

““Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:12-13 ESV

But do we live this way? Is our communion/ connection with God so tight that we live as His visible representation to the world around us?

Peter and John were God’s representatives that day. Through the power of the Holy Spirit they were witnesses of the all powerful God to whom lame legs are meant to be a display of His healing power. They were a conduit of God’s presence that brought “wonder and amazement” to those who were near them.

We are meant for such things! May our lives be fervently HOT with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit so those around us take note that we have been with Jesus! And they would desire to KNOW Him!

Holy Spirit fill us as You did at Pentecost!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 2:41-47 Changed Lives, Devoted lives

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On the day of Pentecost, lives were changed. Not only were the disciples who had waited in the upper room totally transformed by the Holy Spirit filling them, over 3000 people believed. These believers proceeded to live with evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their life. The lived lives devoted: They devoted themselves to learning about Jesus and His kingdom through the apostles’ teachings. They spent time together hanging out or time in fellowship eating together. They devoted themselves to prayer. They worshiped in temple courts daily. They ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

The results were wonders and signs that filled everyone with awe and they had favor with all the people.

As Jesus had told them when He walked with them on earth, 

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” John 13:35 ESV

The people around them saw the change and were amazed. They knew that the followers of Jesus had something different, something better than what they had. Our world needs this today!

May we seek to be full of the Holy Spirit and out of this fullness be a demonstration of Jesus Himself, His image bearers. May we be plugged in to fellowship (relationship) with other spirit-filled believers so that our love for one another will be a demonstration of Heaven to those who live on Earth! May signs and wonders be in our midst! Come Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 2:14-41 No One and Done Deal!

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The day of Pentecost arrives. The Holy Spirit comes and fills the disciples in the upper room. The commotion of it all pours out of the room because the Holy Spirit cannot be contained by four walls. The disciples went out into the street below and the Peter began to preach. What a sermon it was! He stands with boldness and proclaims the truth regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit. He speaks of the promise from long ago finally fulfilled: God’s Spirit being poured out on all flesh, men and women prophesying, visions, dreams.

This promise of power from on high to be witnesses, the precious gift of the Holy Spirit in us had come. The promise was for then and the promise is for now!

“”For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”” Acts 2:39 ESV

Jesus came as God with us. The Holy Spirit comes as God in us! The beauty of this promise is that it is not a one and done deal of long ago. He longs to fill us today!

May we open our hearts and receive The Gift! Come Holy Spirit!

“And Peter said to them, “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 2:38 ESV

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 2:1-13 The Holy Spirit Comes!

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The Holy Spirit comes! I love this section of scriptures. It displays the power of God, a mighty wind, the house was shaken, tongues of fire, and then “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

The Holy Spirit’s coming wasn’t a private affair. His coming poured out of that upper room and onto the streets. There just so happened to be a crowd there. “God fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” The Holy Spirit came so that all who would surrender their lives to Him could be filled. He didn’t limit Himself to certain races, only men, only a few in a small place. His coming, His in filling was for everyone who would receive Him. His coming is for us now!

May we desire to have Him fill our lives and may His presence in us pour out onto all those around us! Come Holy Spirit!