Text: Acts 1:1-8
Theme: The Power of the Holy Spirit.
Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever!
Introduction:
The Holy Spirit of God is introduced in the Old Testament with several occasions severally. But St. Luke introduces the Holy Spirit in different altitude.
He is no more the property of a few prophets, saints but for everyone who seeks him. The promises of the OT are going to be fulfilled in the Acts of the Apostles. Though He is unseen by the World but experienced by believers, he took the form of Dove, the form of fire, and the form of flames of tongues.
Today, I would like to share with you the works of the Holy Ghost with reference to his power. He instructs us, he indwells, and he ignites us for holy life and evangelism.
1. He instructs (Acts 1:1-3)
The Holy Spirit instructs into God’s counsel, God’s Wisdom, God’s plans, purposes and the Will of God from the holy scriptures. The Holy Spirit purifies us, brings God's presence closer to us, and he empowers us to live a life that reflects God's Holy image and likeness the true nature.
Jesus told that the Holy Spirit will teach you all the truth, and help you remember all that Christ has taught you (John 14:26; 16:12-13). His anointing teaches us all things (1 John 2:27). He teaches us to speak the very thing needed on critical hours (Luke 12:12).
Nehemiah thanked God for the His good spirit who instructed the wilderness community during their journey and led then into a land flowing with honey and milk (Nehemiah 9:20).
He searches the depths of God in scripture and reveals to us what no eye has seen which he has prepared for us in the earth as well in the heavens (1 Corinthians 2:10). He teaches combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:13).
He is the spirit of Counsel and Strength (Isaiah 11:2). He reveals the events before the death who has completely surrendered to his will (Luke 2:26).
The Holy Spirit opens our ears to hear God’s voice (Ephesians 6). The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the prophetic vision of God and understand it for the Church, the world (Proverbs 29:18). The Holy Spirit opens our minds to give us knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God and his ways (Isaiah 11:2). The Holy Spirit opens our tongues to praise God and to speak his word with faith, conviction, and boldness, to encourage the fainthearted, the hopeless, and the weak (Isaiah 56:4). The Spirit anoints our hands to bring blessing, healing, comfort, and help to others (Acts 7, 8, 9). The Spirit equips our feet with a speed and haste to bring the good news to every one near and far (John 20 - Mary, John 21 – Emmaus Disciples).
The Holy Spirit purifies our hearts and minds and sets us on fire with the love of Christ. The Holy Spirit will often give people greater confidence, sharper insight, clearer direction, or even a thought that opens doors for them to serve God in ways they never even imagined.
2. He indwells (Acts 1:4-5)
My wife and I, when we visited Europe for the first time, were amazed to see such huge Church buildings, high towers, beautified and wonderful architectural designs, but now turned into Bars, theatres, and Markets because they forgot to please the Holy Spirit who like only the sanctity of the people rather than the designs and beauties.
Holy Spirit indwells in us as a person. He sits at our thrones of the Hearts because he likes the temple of God rather than the buildings constructed by the hands of the people.
The word Parakletos refers to a person ‘Who,’ and not a thing ‘what.’ This word is transliterated as “Paraclete” literal sense of “called to one’s side”, “One who is called to someone’s aid.”
The word parakletos is translated in the Bible by various translations as Counsellor (NIV), Helper (ESV, NASB, and NKJ), Comforter (KJV), and an Advocate (NRS, NLT, and NET), a mediator or an intercessor.
Edward Klink refers this title as “the intimate presence of God with his people”. Parakletos is found five times in New Testament. Four in Jesus’ Farewell Address (John 13-16), The fifth in John’s epistle (1 John 2:1-2).
His Relationship is explained in three eras of our lives and distinguished by three prepositions “meta, para, and en”. He is with us, He in us, and He is beside us. The word ‘with’ for ‘meta’, the word “beside” for ‘para’, the word “in” for “en”.
Accepting the forgiveness offered through the blood and ransom of Jesus Christ guarantees the separation from sin and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Holy Spirit is a one-time event.
“…When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory ”(Ephesians 1:13,14).
“Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20).
Ongoing work and filling by the Holy Spirit is that which Paul warns us not to quench, stifle, or grieve (1 Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30). “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).
3. He ignites (Acts 1:6-8)
He ignites us with his fire and spreads quickly to all. He consumes everything. He ignites the seed of the revival in the hearts of the people. As we come closer to God and grow in his Character through his Word, the Holy Spirit IGNITES our spirits for works of evangelism, and service. Jesus we fan into flame this spirit of power, love and self-control which God has generously gifted us (2 Timothy 1:6, 7).
Malachi 3:2-3 describes God as a refiner’s fire, purifying the Levites like gold and silver. Isaiah 6:6-7 gives the understanding that God cleansed Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal. Acts 2:3 makes clear that the tongues above the disciples looked like fire. John Wesley told that his heart was strangely warmed.
The spirit of burning can transform us to look more like Jesus and bring fire on earth. The fire is a vital human need and a violent destructive force.
Prayer ignites the Fire in you and initiates to meet with God in prayer connects with His desire to meet you regularly. God’s power through personal prayer with Him burns away the sin in us.
John the Baptist cried, “I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and Fire.” (Matthew 3:11 NIV).
Water baptism is from outside to inside but fire baptism is from the inside out. Water washes, the fire purifies. The reference to fire represents both purification and judgment. It shows how God cleanses and strengthens believers by removing their impurities and helping them live holy lives.
You shall be baptised, be Filled, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, completely inducted into him, be part of his personality. Your personality has to be changed into his personality.
Jesus commanded his apostles not to leave for evangelism, ministry, souls winning, and meeting people without first receiving the baptism of fire, which is an empowerment from heaven and clothing of power. The baptism with fire is an assignment of authority, a license to destroy satanic forces, and a permission given to us by Jesus against the Kingdom of Darkness.
Fr. Pius Lakra, SVD says, ‘The Holy Spirit moves, inspires, purifies and brings forth something new in individual life as well as in the life of the Church. At Pentecost, the fire came down on all the believers who gathered at upper room, symbolising that God’s presence is now available to all who believe in him. Believers need to be ignited by the Spirit to set the world on fire and to breathe in, life in the church, and to bring winds of change, to renew the creation’.
Ambassador M Ogwu Ogbe in his ebook ‘Ignite the Raw Fire Power within You’ says, ‘Holy Spirit Baptism continuously infilling is necessary to live a life full of His presence, power and leading. With the increased outpouring of demonic activities in our world today as we race towards the end, it will be practically impossible to be effective in ministry and live a successful and victorious Christian life without the infilling and continuously infilling of the Holy Spirit for ministry in advancing the kingdom of God in a wicked world.’
Karen O'Reilly says, ‘The fire of the Holy Spirit transforms believers by purifying their hearts, empowering them for ministry, igniting their passion and zeal, manifesting God's presence, and bringing conviction and guidance. When we embrace this transformative fire, we are enabled to live holy, empowered, and passionate lives, fully committed to God's purposes.’
Conclusion: The power of the Holy Spirit helps us to be instructed in the holy scriptures, he indwells and guides in to the holiness. He Ignites the individuals, communities to bring revolution in society.
