Introducing the Holy Spirit || Now What? || Part 3

How many of you have experienced the transformative power of accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? How many of you have committed to living a life of repentance, knowing that it leads to a new, purposeful life? How many of you believe that the only path to heaven is through Jesus? If you have, it’s a testament to the hope and inspiration that Jesus brings. If you haven’t, no worries. The Bible says you need to say that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and turn away from your sinful lifestyle into the one God has created for you. If you’re interested in doing so, this series will help you.

Once you make the decision, you may feel like nothing has changed. Your next question may be “What’s next?” or “What now?” That’s what I intend to answer in this series. Over the following 4 parts of this series, we’ll look at the new things you will do with the Holy Spirit inside your heart. Be aware that there will be a 5-part miniseries inside Part 3 because there’s SO much to cover. I hope you enjoy this series. I’m simply calling it “Now What?”

Part 3 of this series will be about how we will be empowered to serve God do his will. This is the part that I mentioned would be a funky setup. This blog is your regular part 3 of the “Now What” series; however, it will not end here. Today, we will focus on Acts 1:8. The other focus passage for this section is Romans 12:6-21, which takes up 9 pages of notes alone. The Romans passage will be divided into a miniseries that will continue from today’s work. That miniseries will go on for five weeks. After that, we’ll roll into Part 4. Hope you understand that. I don’t know why I’m making it such a big deal, but I am.

Acts 1:8

8             But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The power we receive from the Holy Spirit includes these things: courage, boldness, confidence, authority, and more. These are some of the core foundations we need to go out and do whatever God calls us to do. The disciples needed all these gifts to fulfill their mission, and we can ask God to fill us with these gifts so that we can fulfill the mission he sets for us. I remember hearing God tell me that I would have a unique gift of communicating the teachings of the Bible. I wasn’t sure what that meant or what that looked like. I wasn’t even sure how teaching about God and the Bible could be unique. What I do isn’t all that special. However, the fruits of it have shown otherwise. The work I have been able to do through the church has shown it. The work that I have put into my blog has shown it. The work that I have been able to do on TikTok has shown it. The work that I have done has shown the results. It doesn’t matter how I see it. It’s how God sees it. It’s how those who respond to the fruits of labor enjoy it. That’s what matters beyond everything.

Jesus told his disciples to witness (to share the Gospel and their testimony) to people of all nations. The areas mentioned by Luke are symbolic, representing the world’s four corners. Before they did this, they had to wait. Before I did it, I waited. I wasn’t going to do it until God said go. Even this blog iteration didn’t happen until 2020 when God knew many people would need inspiration, motivation, and God above everything. God has important work for us to do for him, but we must do it through the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power. I remember times when I’ve written something or preached on something I will have no recollection of saying. That’s the Holy Spirit taking over, using me as the vessel to communicate what God needs to say. It’s removing myself, my perceptions, my biases, my agenda, and more out of the way and allowing the Spirit to flow.

We need God’s timing and power to be truly effective. Moving when he says move and doing what he says to do. When we take things into our own hands and run, we struggle. Sometimes, waiting is part of the plan. We don’t like to wait because our society wants everything right now. But we should wait for his leadership instead of running ahead of God and his plans. Some of the things I’ve had to wait for are things that happen from minutes to days to months to multiple years. I didn’t see the waiting in the moment, but I was the waiting in the reflection.

Acts 1:8 describes a series of ever-widening circles. The Good News was to spread geographically, from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria and finally to the ends of the earth. It would begin with the devout Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, spread to the people of a mixed race in Samaria, and finally, be offered to the Gentiles all over the world. This work is ongoing, primarily if someone in your family, work, school, or community has yet to hear the Good News of Jesus. Communities all over the world are becoming increasingly diverse. The world is an ever-growing, ever-diversifying society, yet our God is the same God for all of us. Sure, Christianity has different flavors, but we all follow the same God. People of every nation, tongue, and race always live around you. Make sure you are contributing God’s loving message to the ever-widening circle.

Acts 2:1-4

1             On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.

2             Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

3             Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.

4             And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

Pentecost was known as the Festival of Harvest, which occurred 50 days after Passover. It was one of the three major annual festivals, one of thanksgiving for the harvested crops. Jesus was crucified at Passover and ascended 40 days after his resurrection. The Holy Spirit came 10 days after the ascension. Jews of many nations gathered in Jerusalem for the festival, which gave Peter an international audience to share his first speech after the Holy Spirit came. Through the Holy Spirit, his speech resulted in a worldwide harvest of new believers – newly baptized Christians that converted totaled about 3,000. The fact that this happened fulfilled what John the Baptist had said about the Holy Spirit baptizing with fire and what Joel had said about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Why fire, especially the image of tongues of fire? The fire symbolizes God’s purifying presence, which burns away the undesirable elements of our lives and ignites our hearts to ignite the passion of those around us. On Mount Sinai, God confirmed the validity of the Old Testament laws with fire from heaven. On Mount Carmel, God sent fire from heaven to burn up Elijah’s sacrifice, signifying God’s consuming power. At Pentecost, God confirmed the ministry of the Holy Spirit by sending fire.

God made his presence significantly known – the Holy Spirit came, sounds of a roaring windstorm, and fire. Imagine if something like that happened to us today. Would our first response be that it was God? Would we want God to reveal himself like that to us? He might, but we must watch how we expect that to happen. If it doesn’t meet our expectations, we will lose out on our relationship with God and the ability to get to know who he is. When we ask God to reveal himself, we must believe it will happen. We will know when it does. We will feel our own Pentecost moment. In 1 Kings 19:10-13, Elijah needed a message from God. It was a great wind, then an earthquake, then a fire. God’s message itself comes in a gentle whisper, too. Either way, it can happen to you.

These people were literally speaking in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability – a miraculous attention-getter for the intentional crowd gathered in town for the festival. All the nations that were there recognized their own languages. More than that, they saw the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples continued ministering in the Holy Spirit’s power wherever they went. The Acts of the Apostles (book of Acts) shows us how the Holy Spirit directed the beginning of the church. When you receive Christ in your heart and the Holy Spirit takes over, you will also be guided to minister in the Holy Spirit’s power. It may not be like the disciples, but it will be with your gifts and talents.

Again, this is just the beginning of the conversation. Over the following 5 Bible Study Blogs (I need a catchier title), we will be in Romans 12:6-21, dissecting every part of it. We’ll look at the gifts that God gives us, honoring those around us, being hospitable, respecting each other, and loving as Jesus loved. Until then, stay blessed!