TONGUES OF FIRE

And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come,

they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,

and began to speak with other tongues, as 

the Spirit gave them utterance. ACTS 2:1-4 KJV

This, as the apostle Peter was to tell those assembled on that day, was "that which was spoken by the prophet Joel at around 800 BC, when he said: "And it shall come to pass afterward 

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

Your young men shall see visions.

And also on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days....

And it shall come to pass 

That whoever calls on the name of the LORD

Shall be saved." JOEL 2:28,29,32

That first Day of Pentecost heralded the start of the New Testament church. To the amazement of the Jews gathered there in Jerusalem "from every nation under heaven," they heard the followers of  Jesus who had just been baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues - speaking each in their own languages concerning the wonderful works of God. What a powerful miraculous demonstration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that wonderful day!

But, it was to get even better as the day went on. The apostle Peter stood up with the other eleven disciples (apostles) - including the newly chosen Matthias who took the place of the traitor, Judas Iscariot. Peter explained the meaning of the outpouring of the  Holy Spirit at that time, and went on to preach a clear Gospel message of salvation to be found only in trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ - His substitutionary death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection from the dead three days later.

On that day, three thousand people were added to the Christian church.

They continued from that time meeting in the temple and from house to house in fellowship and prayer. The church continued to grow day by day! 

This mighty baptism in or with the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to His disciples before He ascended to heaven, forty days after His resurrection. Jesus told them to "wait or tarry in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

I find it interesting that Jesus did not tell them the number of days until they would be baptised in the Holy Spirit, but just that it would be "not many days from now." I suppose that this was so that the 120 or so disciples who were waiting in the Upper Room would continue in one accord and in GREAT EXPECTATION. 

The Baptism In The Holy Spirit was not then, and is not now just an experience of "warm fuzzies" to make us feel good. Jesus stated clearly the reason in Acts 1:8, where He said: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in  Jerusalem, and  in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

In John's Gospel, chapter 14:12, Jesus said to His disciples "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to My Father."

Jesus is the Head of the Church, and the Bible repeatedly refers to the  church as the Body of Christ. As has often been said, we, the church are His hands and His feet in the world today. It is through the Holy-Spirit empowered members of the Body of Christ that Jesus' power is touching and transforming lives around the world today.

For most of the time since the early Church, the truths of Pentecost and the accompanying gifts of the Holy Spirit were lost to the church, as it descended into a largely powerless centre of pomp and ceremony devoid of true spiritual life. The Reformation led by Martin Luther saw life beginning to be breathed back into the Church, and the Word of God again being held up as the bedrock for Christian growth and instruction in righteousness. The eighteenth century saw the evangelist ministry restored with the likes of the Wesleys, and George Whitefield, and others.

The Pentecostal distinctives of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit were not fully restored to the church until the first decade of the twentieth century. 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles was to be the centre of a phenomenon led by the Holy Spirit, and touching thousands from around the world, and birthing new Pentecostal movements which continue today - a ministry led by a one-eyed black son of former slaves. More about this coming soon!

If you would like to know more about how to become a Christian, go online to 

www.vision.org.au This is the home online of Vision Christian Media in Australia. Click on "Grow your faith," then "Looking for God" God Bless!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

PASTOR ANTHONY CASTRO

Online Holy-Spirit Anointed Ministry

Next Weekend

Be Blessed And Encouraged in The LORD

Streaming on Facebook at: Anthony Ray Castro

and www.livingwcctas.com

Further Details Throughout The Week