Thursday, June 28, 2012

An Amazing God...An Amazing People 4


Hello Everyone,
The purpose of the Spirit-Filled Life!

Acts 1:8 —
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The purpose is two-fold:
"Be my witnesses" - emphasizes who we are!
"Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria" - emphasizes what we DO!

The precedents for the Spirit-Filled Life!

It's important to watch what happened when the Holy Spirit worked in and through those He filled … because it sets the precedent for the ways the Holy Spirit wants to work in and through us!

Let's look at four occasions when people experienced a personal Pentecost:

Acts 2:4 — "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

Acts 8:14-19
14 "When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

Acts 10:44-46
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God."

Acts 19:6,7
"6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all."

There are two constants in each passage of people being filled with the PERSON and POWER of the Holy Spirit:
All were filled - the fullness of the Holy Spirit isn't for a select few it's for every hungry believer!
All spoke with tongues - languages they had never studied or learned previously.

The release of unrestricted praise and prayer was the universal experience of them all!
One of the most needed enablings of the Holy Spirit has been misunderstood, misused, and misrepresented!

Greater Things Are Still To Come!
Pastor Phil            

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