The Presence, Guidance, and Power of the Holy Spirit
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly, there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear each of us in his own native language?
“Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
Pentecost Sunday is the day we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit. We also use this time to celebrate the official birthing of the New Testament Church, when the Holy Spirit empowered believers to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide.
Pentecost represents harmony and expansion and demonstrates the unity and diversity of the early church. For us, Pentecost is not simply a historical celebration, but rather a reminder and a celebration that God gave us the gift of His Spirit to empower us and guide us each day.
Today is quite simply a celebration of the Holy Spirit's presence, guidance, and power in our daily lives. It enables us to live out our purpose.
God mapped out our lives so that we would succeed in every vantage point of our lives, and He gave us His Spirit to empower us for the journey.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit Fulfilled
We see in Acts 2:1-4 the culmination of God's promises to pour out His Spirit on those who believed. We already know that God will do what He said He would do. The text shows that those in the upper room didn’t just stumble upon the fulfilled promise, but positioned themselves to be ready to receive God’s promise.
Here’s our challenge: God always handles His part, but we often neglect to be in a position to receive what God has promised and prepared for us. So how did the disciples prepare themselves?
They positioned themselves to receive the promise in two ways.
Everyone who gathered in the upper room had the same agenda. They positioned themselves to receive in unity, gathering around a singular purpose. They were going to obey Jesus’ command and wait for the promise of the Spirit. There were no side agendas.
Something powerful happens when the people of God come together in unity. The enemy fights hard to divide us because he recognizes that we would be unstoppable if galvanized around a single purpose.
While the people of God gathered in unity, they also gathered in prayer. Jesus was no longer on the earth. They had witnessed Jesus’ death and burial. They needed the Lord’s advocate to do the assignment He had given them. They had a God-sized problem and, therefore, needed a God-sized response.
In some situations, you’ll find that God and God alone is the solution. While you can appreciate help from your brothers and sisters in Christ, you need the power of the One, Whose power is inexhaustible.
Those in the upper room weren’t just quietly waiting for the Holy Spirit's arrival but were inflamed with the faith-filled expectation that God would honor His word. Through this passage, we know that God kept His word and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit just as He had promised.
The Presence of the Holy Spirit Revealed
In Acts 2:3-4, we see the tangible manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the tongues of fire that rested on each of them, painting a picture of God’s abiding presence and signifying the personal and powerful presence of God through the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.
We continue to have the gift of God’s abiding presence within us—reason enough for us to praise God for Pentecost. The gift of His abiding presence assures us of absolute and certain victory. Because God is with us, we cannot fail. When we get into His presence, we get everything that comes with His presence.
His Cleansing Presence
God has vowed to be with us. We get not just His abiding presence but His cleansing presence. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. He leads us into truth, refines our character, and conforms us to the image of Christ.
His Unifying Presence
The tongues of fire on each individual’s head symbolize the individual’s experience of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. The fire was not limited to one person, but distributed to everyone there. We are all filled with the same Holy Spirit that transcends differences and creates a diverse yet unified body of Christ.
The Guidance of the Holy Spirit
We see the guiding work of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:12-15, and we even see it today because the Holy Spirit will always provide clarity and insight. There is no confusion when the Holy Spirit is involved.
The Power of the Holy Spirit
In Acts 2:14, we see the power of the Holy Spirit manifested in a boldness that Peter would not have otherwise had as he stood boldly and courageously before thousands declaring the oracles of God.
A boldness comes upon you as a result of the Holy Spirit that you can’t get anywhere else. The boldness of the Holy Spirit allows you to face fear and still show up for the job.
It’s not about the absence of fear, but being able to stand in the courage and boldness of God because the God we serve is bigger than anything. You are never outmatched as long as God is on your side.
The Force Multiplying Power of the Holy Spirit
A force multiplier is a combination of factors that allow machines or weapons to accomplish greater feats than without it. In Acts 2:14-36, Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit, delivers a message that details the promise of the Holy Spirit, the finished work of Jesus, and the grace available to all humanity for salvation.
We are expected to show up for God’s assignments. However, the power of the Holy Spirit is the force multiplier and takes what we do and multiplies the outcome to be greater than anything we could ever have done on our own.
We don’t get absolved from the work, but the Holy Spirit empowers us for the job, strengthens us, and makes us more effective.
Conclusion
This is why we are thankful for Pentecost. This is why we praise God because God, in His faithfulness, gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, we can do far beyond what we could do on our own because God is with us and in us.
We don’t have to accomplish God’s purpose through our own strength, but through the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. Give God praise that He is the God that cannot fail, and let’s thank God for the gift of His presence.
The power of the Holy Spirit is with us daily, wherever we are and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the force multiplier, and let us continue honoring His presence and guidance.
