The Day of The Fire Fell Acts 2:1-2:4
You may be wondering why we are going so slowly through the book of Acts but I promise you that I have a good reason.
You see, what is written in the book of Acts, as in the rest of the Bible, is extremely important to us, here at Elim Bible church and I don’t want to miss one single thing. So let’s see what the Word has in store for us today.
On this day the coming of Holy Spirit would be different from anything the Jews or anyone else for that matter had ever seen or experienced.
On this day, the Holy Spirit would indwell believers (move in), rather than simply “coming upon them,” like He did in the OT.
This would be a permanent filling!
This was the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in [John 14:16-17 NKJV] where He said “16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
You might even say it this way; before Pentecost the Holy Spirit was WITH God’s people, after Pentecost the Holy Spirit is IN God’s people!
In the last message we discovered 3 reasons the Holy Spirit is symbolized by wind…1.Wind is invisible 2.Wind is unstoppable and 3. Wind is essential and that was the miracle of sound!
Today, as we examine the fire of Pentecost, we will see the miracle of sight…
Look at verse 3. READ
This flame settled above the heads of all 120 disciples.
Why is the Holy Spirit symbolized by fire? Let me give you three reasons.
1. Because fire purifies
[Malachi 3:2-3 NIV] 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;...”
[Numbers 31:23a NKJV] “everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean;…”
There was a group of women who met for Bible study. They were studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three when they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement applied to the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out more about the process of refining silver, and to get back to the group at their next Bible study.
The following week, the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest, beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith work, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, then she thought again about the verse, that "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, that not only did he have to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "But how do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that’s easy--when I see my image in it."
God wants to see HIS image in you/me so each of us must stay in the fire long enough for Him to see His image…
Here’s one of those rhetorical questions for you.
What is God’s #1 goal for our lives?
You might say…“I think God really wants me to be happy!” After all is that not what we desire for OUR children?
God does want you to be happy, fulfilled, abundant…but that’s not His #1 goal for your life!
Maybe your answer would be “God wants me to be healthy.” When you ask an expecting mother if she wants a boy or a girl? Most will say they don’t care, as long as it’s healthy!
God cares about our physical wellbeing, and we have seen that right here as He has chosen to heal some and others He has given strength to deal with it!…but that’s not His #1 goal for our lives!
God’s #1 God for your life and mine is that we be “Holy”.
More than He wants you to be happy or healthy He wants you to be holy!
I’m talking about living a pure life, gaining victory over sins which have held us prisoners. Breaking the chains of sinful addictions/habits/thoughts/actions!
[I Pet. 1:16] “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
The Holy Spirit symbolized by fire because one of His great ministries is to burn out the impurities in our lives!
He works in us to help us live Holy in 2 ways:
• Through Conviction
Conviction is that still, small voice inside of you that makes you feel uncomfortable just before you sin. He does this to keep us from surrendering to the temptation. (Illustration: pushy salesman at Sam’s)
John R. Rice, after being saved for many years, was asked if he had gotten to the place where he no longer sinned. He said, “no, but I’ve gotten to the place where I can’t enjoy it!”
A true Christian cannot be content with known sin in their life, because the Holy Spirit will bring conviction! He’s the “invisible fence” in the life of a believer.
You’ve seen those invisible fences that keep the neighbor’s dog in the yard.
It’s a wire buried around the perimeter of your yard. It uses an electric signal to communicate with the dog’s collar. When he gets close to the limit of his freedom, a beeping sound, from his collar warns him and if he crosses the line he receives a mild electrical shock!
The Holy Spirit gives the same kind of warning:
[1Co 10:13 NKJV] “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God [is] faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear [it].”
And if we ignore His warning, we get spanked.
I used to hate working on Datsun automobiles. They had this lady trapped in the dash who reminded you of EVERYTHING. If you left the key in the ignition she would tell you.
One day a guy was driving down the road and the lady in his dash said, “The fuel level is low.” Over and over she repeated it!
Now he knew he had enough gas to go 30 miles to next town but that woman just kept repeating her warning. He thought to himself, “It’s bad enough to have a wife that nags as you drive but this is ridiculous” so he pulled over, yanked out some wires and laughed. He was still laughing when car sputtered to a stop, just short of town! The man said he knew it was all in his head, but he was sure he could hear that woman’s voice laughing!
What does this silly story have to do with anything?
Well if you ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit long enough He will get quiet and you’ll stop short of God’s goal for your life and you will be sorry! You won’t hear Him laugh, however, because sin is no laughing matter to God.
As a believer, when we go somewhere we don’t belong, we’ll hear that voice. When we think something, say something, act on something, crave something, plan to rent that movie, go to that website or tell that joke The Spirit will convict us. Maybe you are tempted to stay in bed on Sunday or you try to justify holding back that tithe or maybe you start to repeat some rumor…The Holy Spirit’s ministry to you is to bring you under conviction.
So we see the Holy Spirit’s Ministry is one of conviction… but it’s also one of Empowerment
The Holy Spirit doesn’t just tell us what’s wrong; He will also tell us how to fix it, and empower us or strengthen us to get it right!
[Eze 36:27 NKJV] “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [them].”
“But pastor I have tried and I just can’t give it up!” That may be true, but He can!!
Here’s the real question. Do you REALLY want to give it up?
Because once you do…He’ll empower you to do just that! Whatever you need to get out of your life He, not only can but He will empower you to give it up.
