The Holy Spirit Comes

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

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. 5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” Acts 2:1–13 (NLT)

The promise Jesus had given them of his sustained presence, empowerment, and guidance through the coming of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled! John the Baptist had prophesied that Jesus would baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit and with fire! At about 9 o’clock that morning, as the believers were waiting and fervently praying for the promise to be fulfilled, there was a roar of sound like wind and suddenly something that looked like flames appeared and settled on each of them. Everyone present, about 120 people, were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages they did not know. People came running to see what was happening and people from at least sixteen regions, heard 120 Galileans speaking about God’s goodness in languages unique to their home countries! It was only the beginning!

I returned from my tour of duty in Vietnam in the late 1960’s fervently seeking to know Jesus better. I was led and drawn to the “Jesus People” movement and during that season three or four “brothers” laid hands on me and prayed for me to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I experienced a profound sense of God’s presence and power and “spoke in tongues”. The effects of that experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit have been both foundational and transformational in my faith journey.

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit whom you have graciously given to empower us for service and to guide us in your ways. Come, Holy Spirit! Amen!