“When the Feast of Pentecost came, they
were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong
wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole
building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and
they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted
them” (Acts 2:1-4, The Message).
Like a mighty rushing wind, the Holy Spirit arrived at
Pentecost. The Word supplies a scriptural basis for what the disciples received
in Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33. In these parallel Gospel
passages, John the Baptist reveals a baptism that follows remission of sin. “I
baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who
is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). Jesus told his disciples what to do following
His ascension. “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father
promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with
water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts
1: 4).
What is this baptism of the Holy Spirit fire foretold by
John the Baptist and Jesus? It was without question the Holy Spirit which came
on the day of Pentecost. Especially poignant is Jesus’ promise! “If you then,
though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke
11:13). “If you believe,” Jesus promises, “you will receive whatever you ask for
in prayer" (Matthew 21:22).
The Holy Spirit fills a life that hungers for all He has
to offer–for a heart that yearns to no longer limit Him. He empowers a life that
hungers for spiritual, emotional, and mental wholeness–for completeness. He
empowers a heart that yearns for discernment, seeks wisdom, and desires to make
a difference in a dying world. He fills that place where you thought joy was
fleeting. He brings instant peace in the midst of sudden pain. He lives in your
heart in depths that you never thought possible.
Every day I long for all that He has for me. As I seek
His heart, I yearn to know the power and the greatest joy of His presence. But I
must let go of my own self, and my own desires. I must surrender my life in
prayer, faith, obedience, and
praise.
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