HAVE ANOTHER DRINK
By Pastor Jim May
Acts 2:1-13, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine."
New Years Eve, a time of celebration waiting for the ball to drop over Times Square, the Jambalaya Pot over the Jackson Brewery in New Orleans, and the clock to move to the hour of midnight and the beginning of a New Year! Oh how the world loves a celebration; any excuse to have another drink; one more chance to drown your sorrows, forget your past for a moment, and think of better times. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may literally die.
New Years day has fully come, but the partygoers and revelers are certainly not in one mind and one accord. Some are still in a drunken stupor from the night before, and adding to that stupor as the day goes on. Some are hugging “John” as their head spins and their stomach churns from the wonderful excitement of the night before. Some are asleep, trying to sleep off the effects of a night of celebration.
There was a rush all right, when they snorted the coke. There was a rush when the alcohol began to flow, and it filled their house, their heart and their mind. It was a mighty wind, but it was not the wind of the Spirit of God, but the wind of sin that came crushing into their hearts driving them ever deeper into the depths of depravity.
Some tried to speak through swollen tongues and a tongue that seemed to be disconnected through the power of drugs and alcohol, and the language they spoke could definitely be considered a “different tongue” than any you would have heard before. They spoke the language of sin, the tongue of the devil and through their words and actions they gave praise to Satan’s power over them.
Noise filled the air as literally millions of dollars in fireworks lit up the skies; burning away, in smoke and flame, while children went to bed hungry and crying out for their celebrating parents. But there was no time for the kids. There was just too much to celebrate and too many adult beverages to consume to worry about kids at a time like this.
Yes, that’s the way it is in our modern civilized world. Everyone is looking only for a good time. Where’s the party, and pass the booze. Let’s get it on. Go for the gusto. Give it all you got – then turn out the lights when the last hoorah is done.
I’m convinced that the words of the preacher in Ecclesiastes 1:9 are true, "… there is no new thing under the sun."
Mankind has always been just as he is today, from the time of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, until the time that Jesus comes back to stop it all, there has been no change in the hearts of unregenerate men. They are all looking for another way to forget their sin.
As we look at the passage of scripture that we read in Acts chapter 2, we get the impression that those who stood around on that day, hearing and seeing the wonderful outpouring of the Holy Ghost with fire and the evidence of speaking in other tongues, actually thought that this was just one more bunch of drunken revelers on the Day of Pentecost. Though it was not as prevalent in Jewish society for people to be drunk so early in the day in those days, it must have been fairly common for such a thought to even enter into the mind of the people.
But how could they have thought that this manifestation was really coming from the mind and mouth of a bunch of drunken people, drunk on new wine from the vineyards? Have you ever heard a bunch of drunks speaking in languages that they never learned so that other people could understand them?
I do not hang around with the party crowd and have not been around them in such a condition in quite some time. But I can still remember the days in Vietnam, when the soldier would finally get a chance for relaxation. Just about every one of them would get drunk out of their mind. Some would grow silent. Some would get loud and boisterous. Many would shout and speak things that are not fit to be heard in any crowd. But not one, in all those times, did I ever hear one of them break out into a foreign language like Spanish, Greek, Latin, French or some other language. All they could do is to slaughter the language that they already knew, to the point that you couldn’t understand anything they said. There was never a thought that they were anything other than drunk – period!
The whole thing was that they really didn’t know what was happening. This was a new thing, and only those who received the Holy Ghost that day could understand what was happening. The rest of the world stood by in amazement, in doubts, in confusion, wondering what was happening here? It was something that none of them had ever seen or heard before – BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD EVER HAPPENED IN THIS FASHION!
The promise of the Comforter was being fulfilled right before their very eyes and ears. They saw the arrival of the “Paracleet of Heaven”; “one called along side to help”; the One sent from the Father in Heaven to teach us the ways of the Lord and lead us into all truth. What a day that must have been!
I’ve seen the mighty wind of the Spirit blow in many of the church services that I have been in through the years. I have seen it blow in and like the waves of sea that wind seemed to move from one end of the congregation to the other and back again. People would lift their hands spontaneously. No preacher had to tell them to pray. No minister had to stand and lead them in the proper manner of speaking. No leader had to choreograph the move of the Spirit. God just took control.
I don’t know what the appearing of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost was like. None of us was there. I don’t know if there was a literal flame of glory on the top of each head of those who received the baptism. I don’t know if the tongues of fire were like flashes of glory and power that appeared almost like a lightning bolt out of heaven. The Holy Ghost could appear in any fashion that He chooses.
One thing I know, when the Holy Ghost baptism comes, there is fire that comes with it. There is a fire that will make you shout. There is a fire that will make you move. There is a fire that will make you speak. There is a fire that will make you worship God. That fire is a symbol of God’s power that comes in like a flood to stir your heart and soul to great exploits for the Kingdom of God.
It may appear to the world like you are drunk on wine, but let me tell you that it’s not the fermented wine of the world, but the New Wine of the Spirit of God that fills your heart.
I encourage you here right now to HAVE ANOTHER DRINK! Taste of that sweet New Wine of the Holy Ghost and let God fill you once again with his fire and power!
We need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost and Fire! We need a new anointing to speak and preach the Word of the Lord to a lost and dying world. We need a fresh Spirit to teach our children about Jesus. We can’t do it without that power from on High. Lord - refill us once again!
This in-filling, anointing power of the Holy Ghost is not given to us so that we can just claim it and hold on to it. On the day that the Holy Ghost came, He came not only to help those who were waiting for His coming; not only to fill them with power and give them new tongues; but He came so that the “wonderful works of God” could be broadcast in every tongue and language of those who would hear!
The language that comes when the Holy Ghost comes is a universal tongue, an outward sign of an inward possession of the Holy Ghost in us. What that means is that, no matter how you witness, or whom you witness to, the Holy Spirit within you will drive home the message that you are trying to give.
When you tell others about Jesus and speak of the wonderful works of God, it’s not your words, or your tongue, that does the work. It’s the fire of the Holy Ghost and the power of God in those words that reaches out the heart of a man and shakes him. God’s Word will not return void. It won’t bounce off of deaf ears. The power of the Holy Ghost will not only bless you for speaking, but will have it’s desired effect upon the one who hears and they will be forced to make a decision about Jesus right on the spot.
What must we do to have the power of the Holy Ghost alive in us? We must learn to wait before the Lord until He comes in like a mighty rushing wind. We are too accustomed to having things quickly and easily. The Holy Ghost wants to fill you, but sometimes it takes some tarrying at the altar in prayer and fasting. It always takes a heart that is repentant before God and a heart that is hungry for more of God. It takes a man or woman who is thirsty for a move of God in their lives. THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER DRINK OF THAT NEW WINE! Nothing else will do!
When we get thirsty enough, hungry enough and we have paid the price in waiting upon the Lord, that’s when the Holy Ghost will come!
Oh that He would come right now! Come Lord and fill this House where we are sitting. Come and blow upon us one more time like that mighty rushing wind from Heaven. Come and burn within us and upon us like tongues of fire and help us to speak in the language of angels the wonderful works of God one more time.
Lord Jesus, we want to begin this New Year on fire for you! We need that power and anointing to come right now! We can’t do it without you Lord!
As the Disciple John said, while on the isle of Patmos, when he wrote final words of the Revelation, “even so, Come Lord Jesus”. Come Holy Spirit and fill us once again. Speak through us once again. Lead us and teach us thy ways oh, Lord! We need you! Come while we wait before you right now!
