EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
By Ng Wah Lok
Introduction.
What in the world is Pentecost???
The word “ Pentecost” designates the 50th day after Passover, which was a Feast Day. Also known as the Feast of Weeks or Feast of Harvest.
It was on this day, in the Book of Acts, that the Holy Spirit was poured out on 120 Followers of Christ who were gathered in an Upper Room in Jerusalem. It was on this day that the Church was born in a Blaze of Glory.
Acts 1:8 – Promise of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-4 – Fulfillment at the day of Pentecost
The primary reason why God gave us the Holy Spirit is to empower us to serve Him.
1. JESUS WAS EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHILE HE WAS IN HUMAN FORM
In Luke 3:22, we see Jesus baptized in water and filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time.
Luke 3:21- 22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
In Luke 4:14 we Jesus returning in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
Then in Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quotes Isa 61:1-2 and claims that verse for Himself. He was going to work miracles, heal the blind, lame, deaf ie. He will begin a miraculous ministry.
Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
It is interesting to note that in the Old Testament, they are no records of miracles like healing of blind, lame, dumb, casting out of spirits. When Jesus performed this miracles, it was sign that He is the Messiah, the Anointed One prophesied in the Old Testament.
An interesting thing to note is that John the Baptist himself was not sure if Jesus was indeed the Messiah. So he sent his disciples to check out if Jesus was the Messiah.
Luke 7:20-23 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ’Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’" At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Remember that Jesus worked all these miracles only after He was filled with the Holy Spirit. For the first 30 years of his life, there are no record in the Bible that Jesus healed the sick.
2. JESUS PROMISED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES
Jesus promised that He will send the Holy Spirit to us in John 14:12-21 and John 14:26-27 . The Holy Spirit will become our counselor.
Jesus also promised that we will do greater things than these – v12
John 14:15-19
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
John 14:26-27
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
3. JESUS GAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE PENTECOST
John 20 records for us the resurrection of Jesus after his death. Here is the chronology of the events.
a) First day – Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb. The stone was rolled away and tomb is empty. – V1
b) Peter and John runs to the tomb and finds it empty. John immediately believes – v8
c) Mary Magdalene is the first to see Jesus. At that time , Jesus had not ascended to the Father.
d) That same day, Jesus appears to his disciples and breath the Holy Spirit on them – v19 – 23
John 20:19-23
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
This reception of the Holy Spirit comes when we receive Jesus as our personal Savior. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit in us.
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED DOWN TO EMPOWER THE DISCIPLES ON PENTECOST.
Even though the disciples received the Holy Spirit in John 20, they were not empowered yet. They were asked to wait at Jerusalem for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1: 4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured down.
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Immediately after Pentecost, we see the disciples began a miraculous ministry.
Acts 2:4 – They spoke with unknown languages
Acts 2:14,41 – Peter preaches boldly – 3000 souls saved
Acts 2:41 hose who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 3:6- Peter heals the lame man.
Acts 3:6-9 hen Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
We should note that Peter did not ask God to heal the lame person. He did it himself under the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4: 4 – 4000 saved
Acts 4:13 – Peter and John preaches boldly…
Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
Acts 5:12-16 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
Conclusion.
The average church is somewhere bogged down between Calvary and Pentecost.
a) Bethlehem means God With Us.
b) Calvary means God For Us.
c) But Pentecost means God In Us.
They have been to Calvary for Pardon, but they have not been to Pentecost For Power.
When we receive Jesus into our lives, we immediately receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – Salvation Experience
But when we pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us, we can then walk with the power of the Holy Spirit like the early disciples did – Baptism in the Holy Spirit
If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to minister on this earth, how much more we as a mortal beings need His power.
