The Difference the Holy Spirit Makes

“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." 
Acts 1:8 (NIV)

The most significant event since the coming of Jesus Christ was when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.  Jesus told His faithful followers to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus had given them specific teachings about the Holy Spirit and His role in their lives following His ascension. He told them the Holy Spirit would be their comforter and counselor and would indwell each of His followers. He would guide them in all truth and empower them to be His witnesses.    

But it wouldn’t be until after it happened, as was so often the case, that His disciples understood what He meant.  In verse five, Jesus foretold, “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:5 (NLT). Then He instructed them to return to Jerusalem, wait, and pray. He didn’t tell them specifically when it would take place. After that, Luke records that Jesus was “… taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him!” Acts 1:9 (NLT). In the following verses, he adds, “As they strained to see Him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday He will return from heaven in the same way you saw Him go!’ ” Acts 1:10-11 (NLT).

Can you imagine the wonder and expectation that filled their minds and must have occupied their conversations about what He meant as they returned to Jerusalem to pray and wait? A day passed, then two, three; a week, and nothing!  They remained in an upper room, praying and waiting, when suddenly, after ten days, on a Jewish festival called Pentecost, it happened!  As Jewish people from all over the known world at that time gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate this annual feast, God surprised them with the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

Just as in baptism, when you are immersed in water, the Holy Spirit descended on His followers, baptizing them all in Christ! Supernatural phenomena followed with the sound of a rushing wind, but there was no breeze felt; tongues of fire lit on people’s heads, but they felt no heat! Then the message of the Gospel was proclaimed in multiple languages, known only to those who gathered from the various regions of the world, by uneducated, monolingual Galileans who followed Christ! It left everyone there wondering what this all meant!

Peter, who had only days before denied knowing Jesus three times, stood up and boldly proclaimed the Good News of the risen Christ!  The church that Jesus promised Peter was born that day on the solid rock of Christ Himself, and 3,000 people who professed their faith in Jesus were immediately baptized!  Wow!  What a way to launch the church!  It was miraculous to see so many lives changed! 

Every baptism I see is like that to me!  This coming Sunday, June 8th, is the anniversary of that great historical event at Pentecost!  Pentecost is an annual Jewish festival held 50 days after Passover.  Fifty days after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God sent the Holy Spirit to permanently reside in the hearts and lives of Christ followers just as He had promised!  We are celebrating what God did then in a huge way this weekend with a Super Summer Baptism following every service on all our campuses. If you are in the Houston area and would like to be a part of this spectacular event, you are welcome.  I’m praying for another powerful move of the Holy Spirit!  He is still changing lives today! You can register now to follow Christ in believer’s baptism at any one of our three campuses and experience the refreshing power of His indwelling presence!

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Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.