“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that Your ways are good and we are no one to put limits and boundaries to what You do. Teach us to love You and walk before You in humility and brokenness. We must be one with You in Your concern for those who are wandering without direction and purpose. They need to be brought into Your habitat and into Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.”
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The disciples experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Their ministry was with power, signs and wonders, which took place as they witnessed Christ to people and reconciled them to God. Even today, we see signs, miracles and wonders taking place as God’s people witness Jesus and reconcile people to God. The Lord commanded the disciples to wait and be baptised with the Holy Spirit before they began their work of being His witnesses. The disciples waited and soon this specific experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit took place.
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We see this happening repeatedly. People in different situations were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in different tongues. Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. (45) And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. (46) For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. The believers from the Jewish background had had the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and they had spoken in different tongues. A similar experience was taking place with the Gentiles. They too were baptised with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in different tongues. This was a big affirmation and assurance for the Jewish believers that the Gospel had reached the Gentiles.
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. This happened with a group of disciples in Ephesus. They had been baptised with the baptism of John but they had not even heard whether there was a Holy Spirit. They were baptised with the Holy Spirit and they spoke with tongues and also prophesied.
Jesus commanded the disciples, to first be filled with the Holy Spirit and then to begin their task of being His witnesses. We, therefore, have no difficulty accepting that there is a specific and definite experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is required for us to be His witnesses. We witness in order to reconcile people to God. We reconcile people to God, so that man will once again grow in His image and have dominion over all of God’s creation. This is clear to us.
The next big question that has risen again and again is, “When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, will there always be the manifestation of the gift of speaking in other tongues? Is speaking in other tongues ‘the’ evidence of being baptised with the Holy Spirit?” Let us examine this matter, carefully, from the scriptures. I Corinthians 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: (8) for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (11) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
This is a wonderful clarification that Apostle Paul gives to us.
– It is one and the same Spirit, who works in all of us
– The manifestation of the Holy Spirit is not one, but several, and speaking in tongues is one of the manifestations of the Spirit.
– Faith is one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. This must be noted because without faith no one can please God.Yet, faith is also a special gift of the Holy Spirit.
– The manifestations of the Holy Spirit are given to each one for the profit of all.
– God distributes gifts of the Holy Spirit to us. He knows what is best.
We seek to be fully available to the Lord for His work to be His witnesses.
My desire
”Make me an effective tool in Your hands Lord Jesus to reconcile people to You.”