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Central Distinctives part 3
[Pastor Randy's blog]
06/04/2010
By alonso, randy
I have often heard people say, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be an Acts 2 church?" What they mean is, the mighty rushing wind and the tongues of fire coming out of heaven, the three thousand souls saved and baptized, and the amazing fellowship of those first Holy Spirit filled believers. And I say, "Amen, that would be wonderful and possible!" But we can't have an Acts 2 church today without an Acts 1, Empowerment.
When Jesus was about to leave His Apostles He said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you..." (Acts 1:8). What proceeded from there was their expectation through prayer of Jesus promise. A Central distinctive is that the Holy Spirit empowers the believer after his conversion. This empowering is separate from the initial indwelling of the Holy Spirit that takes place at conversion. There are three words I would like to briefly explain that will enable us to better understand the desire of God for our lives that can manifest itself in similar ways to the believers of Acts 2.
First is the word para which means, alongside. In John 14:16-17, Jesus said he would give another Comforter referring to the Holy Spirit. "For he dwells with you". When we first encounter the Holy Spirit he comes alongside of us and convicts us of our sin and makes us aware that Jesus is the answer for what has been missing in our lives. It's at this time that Jesus forgives us of our sin as we invite Him into our lives.
Second, is the word en and is just like our word 'in'. Jesus said in John 14 that not only will the Holy Spirit come alongside us but as a result of convicting us of our sin He will then 'come in'. (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14) He will be in you. He takes up permanent residence in our lives and becomes our guide and teacher in the Word of God. If you will read John 16:13-14, Ephesians 5:18, I Corinthians 6:19-20, these scriptures will help you with the broader picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Third, is the word epi which Jesus is referring to in Acts 1:8 and is different and separate from the first two. He said the "Holy Spirit will come upon you". He comes along, in, and then 'on' the believer. He will come 'over' you. He will 'overflow' in your life. Picture a glass of water with a sponge next to it. The water is the Holy Spirit and you are the sponge. He comes alongside you. Then picture the water being poured into the sponge. Now it is in you. Then picture a pale of water and the sponge being submerged in the pale. As you pull the sponge up out of the water it overflows the sponge. That is you and I being empowered by the Holy Spirit to become the mighty witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of earth that Jesus said we would be in Acts 1:8.
The Apostles, after witnessing Jesus ascend back into heaven then followed His directions to go back to Jerusalem and wait while praying for the Holy Spirit to come 'upon' them, and He certainly did! Now as the result of an Acts 1 obedience they experienced an Acts 2 manifestation of the mighty working power of the Holy Spirit upon them.
My dear friends, we are becoming all that God intends us to be and do as we submit ourselves to the word of God and truly desire and yield to the Holy Spirit. We can be changed, our homes can be changed, our church can be changed, our city can be changed and our world can be changed! But only through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit as He overflows our lives.
Comments
06/08/2010 12:47p
By LaFontaine, Sherry
I will be praying Nehemiah 4: 10 -14. I pray that the strength and number of the laborers will increase, that they will not look at the rubble, obstacles or enemies attacks. That all will be stationed in the exposed places, families strategically positioned with the weapons of the Lord. That all will remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for the vision that God has given, that God will frustrate any of the enemies plots and all will continue on to the “wall” each to his own work being (EMPOWERED)!!!