Today the 5 am brethren in
Christ read more about Jesus’ command on receiving the power from on
high, and how the disciples had obeyed and received.
Luke 24:36-53 The apostles and disciples still did
not believe despite the physical appearance of the resurrected Jesus.
They were terrified and frightened. He showed them His hands and feet
and asked them to touch and see that He had flesh and bones and not a
ghost. He even ate with them. He opened their understanding that they
might comprehend the Scriptures (the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the
Psalms) which were written concerning Him and must be fulfilled.
[
John 20:22 He breathed on them, and said to them, “
Receive the Holy Spirit.”]
(continue Luke 24 above)Then He spoke this last word, “
Behold, I
send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of
Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.“
The Acts of the Apostles (also
titled “the Acts of the Holy Spirit”) recorded the actual physical
historical events demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit being
received and lived out in the lives of the apostles and disciples, as
they believed and obeyed the words of God (including all that Jesus had
spoken).
_________
Bible verses:
Acts 1:2 Until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the
Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
1:8
And 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.
1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and and supplication…
2:1
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2:2 And
suddenly there came…
2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
______________________The following recorded the conversation between
the religious Jewish leaders and Peter and John after many had
witnessed Peter healing a man born lame. Five thousand men heard the
word of God they preached and believed. The high priest, rulers, elders,
and scribes arrested the two apostles and interrogated them:
4:7 “
By what power or by what name have you done this?”
4:8-10 Then Peter,
filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “…that by the name of Jesus Christ…this man stands here before you whole.”
4:13 Now when they
saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And
they realized that they had been with Jesus.
________________After this Peter and John were let go and went to
their own companions and reported…they all prayed to God with one
accord. The following is part of the prayer and what happened after the
prayer. The physical evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed
their prayer.
4:24-30 Lord, You are God…the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord and against His Christ. For truly against Your holy servant
Jesus, Whom you anointed…to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose
determined before to be done.
Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they speak Your word.
30 “
By stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled were shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…
____________The power of the Holy Spirit was manifested through the
increasing number of believers, and the healing and deliverance of
multitude of sick people and those tormented by evil spirits. Even
Peter’s shadow could cause healing.
5:16 …and
they were all healed.
5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
did not cease teaching Jesus as the Christ.
____________The Holy Spirit led the apostles and disciples to set
proper priority for leadership as in the kingdom of God. (6:1-10)
Priority of the apostles: 6:4 “But we will give ourselves
continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (2 “It is not
desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”)
Priority for qualification set for appointment of the other church leaders:
be of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, full of
faith and power, do great wonders and signs among the people, able to
speak God’s words by wisdom and by the Holy Spirit.
______________
Baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying of hand was recorded in the following episode.
Philip preached Christ (the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus) to
the Samaritans and the multitudes with one accord heeded the things
spoken by Him, hearing and seeing the miracles He did. Unclean spirits
were cast out and many paralyzed and lame healed. There was great joy.
They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But when the two
apostles Peter and John came they had to pray for them to receive the
Holy Spirit. Why? Because they did not have the physical evidence
(praying in tongues).
8:17
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
8:18-19 And when Simon (a former sorcerer) saw that…he offered them
(Peter and John) money, saying, :Give Me this power also, that anyone on
Whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
(Simon saw the physical evidence of the Holy Spirit and knew this is real!)
Peter corrected Simon and told Him that the baptism of the Holy
Spirit as evidenced by physical manifestation of speaking in tongues is
the gift of God.
What was the difference between the multitudes of believers who
received when Peter and John laid hands on them and the former sorcerer
Simon?
The
multitudes of believers just believed that
God wanted to give them this gift and they
all received by faith.
Simon was filled with other thoughts and desires:
- Envy of the others’ possession of a power which is greater than the one He used to display.
- Worry about own congregation (followers) having gone to another
‘church’. His regular income would be adversely affected unless he
copied their method and displayed their power too.
- Perhaps He even secretly prayed for the power but could not receive.
He was filled with jealousy and bitterness. After all He was more
qualified and experienced in spiritual matters.
Simon was not exceptionally wicked. The same problem occurs today in churches.
Those who have prayed and still do not manifest the physical fruits of
the Holy Spirit witness the exodus of their church members. Some have
taken human measures and invested heavily in upgrading the hardware,
like expensive building, furniture, sound system, musical instruments,
having professionally trained worship leaders, singers and dancers,
inviting motivational speakers etc.
But The Acts of the Apostles has shown otherwise. The real problem is not in the external. It is inside the heart.
8:20-23 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because
you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have
neither part nor portion in this matter, for Your heart is not right in
the sight of God. Repent therefore of this Your wickedness, and pray
God if perhaps the thought of Your heart may be forgiven you. For I see
that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
_____________________
Pentecost
is here again. The watchman urges the leaders of churches who do not yet
manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit and desire to receive the gifts
to turn to Your Bible and the word of God. Be still before the Lord and
wait upon Him.
- Read what Jesus has commanded.
- Believe and obey.
- Read the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
- Believe and obey.
- Repent for unbelief and walking according to the flesh and not in
the Spirit and pray humbly for spiritual weapon, the might of God to “pull
down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
- Live a lifestyle of living before God. Have the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)
Pentecost Prayer of the watchman:
“
“
I pray that God, the Father of glory, give us the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of our
understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of
our calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who
believe, according to the working of His mighty power…”
