Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth.

This past Sunday we celebrated Pentecost. Most people have heard the term Pentecostal or Pentecost. It is a word that has been the cause of numerous theological discussions and debates.

The Bible speaks about the coming of the Holy Spirit in the book of Joel chapter 2 and we see the promise again mentioned by Jesus in the gospels.

We then see the fulfillment of those promises in the book of Acts chapter 1 and 2.

The teaching of the Holy Spirit is then expanded upon throughout the book of Acts and then into the books of the Bible written by Paul. So, what is it? What is this Holy Spirit that we have read and heard about?

The first thing we need to understand is that the Holy Spirit is not an “it”. The Holy Spirit is a “he”. He is the third person in the trinity. He was promised by Jesus and is given as a comforter and helper.

For many, the Holy Spirit and Pentecostal is equated to speaking in unknown tongues as described in the book of Acts, but the Holy Spirit is far more than tongues.

The Holy Spirit was given to us so that we can fulfill the great commission, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel … go and make disciples of all men.”

The Holy Spirit that was given at the day of Pentecost was given so that the name of Jesus Christ would be proclaimed throughout the entire world. Pentecost is a marked day of celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wasn’t given just so we could have fun worship experiences or just so we can shout and proclaim the joy that we have in Christ. The Holy Spirit was given so that we can accurately speak and represent Jesus Christ and his teaching.

The place of the Holy Spirit in our lives should be central. He wants to help us in our decision making. He wants to lead us into righteousness and living our lives pleasing to God. He wants to govern our speech so that Christ’s love is accurately represented and shown to the entire world.

Pentecost was more than just a group of 120 people in an upper room that started what we now know as the church.

Jesus told his disciples that it was good for him to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come. The Holy Spirit will teach us righteousness and bring to our remembrance all the things that Christ had spoken.

Notice the giving of the Holy Spirit wasn’t so we could please ourselves and have great personal experiences with God, but so the world could come to know what true salvation is. I am unashamedly Pentecostal.

What I mean by that is I live my life by the standards that are in Scripture and desire to be led daily by the Holy Spirit in my actions, words, and relationships. This is truly power to live.

The Greek word for power that is mentioned in Acts is the word “dunamis” it is where we get our word dynamite from in English.

The power of the Holy Spirit given on the day of Pentecost fulfilled this definition. A devastating or destructive force.

We see the thumbprints of Satan all over the world today.

There are so many things that have been polluted and perverted by his manipulation. For many their eyes have been blinded by the deceptiveness of his arguments.

How do we combat those things? IT is by the same Holy Spirit that came on the day of Pentecost. Through this blessed Holy Spirit, we have the power to destroy the strongholds of the enemy.

We can walk in victory even in the face of adversity. We are free from the chains of the world and now walk in authority not given by man, but rather given by God through his Holy Spirit that dwells in us.

How do we walk in this power that was given on Pentecost? Jesus called the Holy Spirit a gift to us.

Pray and ask the Lord to let His Spirit lead your life. Listen to that still small voice that is speaking in the midst of decisions. As you read the Scripture ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to bring you new insights and open your eyes to things you have never seen in Scripture before.

Speak your testimony of what God has done in your life to others around you and declare the goodness and salvation of Jesus Christ.

Pentecost is more and I challenge you to actively seek that meaning in your own life. May the Spirit of Almighty God guide you and draw near to you as you seek Him.