Pentecost.
Pentecost….here we go. So here’s the thing, when Jesus breathed on the disciples in John 20:22, and said “Receive the Holy Spirit,” a very unique door opened that had never been open previously. Subsequent to this history-altering event, there was a special prayer meeting in an Upper Room that occurred 50 days after the Passover had been celebrated. This divine encounter is known as “Pentecost,” and while there is not enough room here to delve into the theology of that event, it is very possible to observe what happened immediately following. For example, Peter left the prayer meeting and began to preach (evangelize) and 3,000 people (at least) got saved. We find out later in Acts 19 that pockets of new believers have now materialized, and Paul goes to them and specifically asks if they “receive[d] the Holy Spirit when they believed?” (verse 2) To which they said they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.
Everything Paul did after this required some serious supernatural power: reasoning/persuading people to accept Christ, being confronted by people who spoke against him, facing the seven sons of Sceva and their accompanying demons, enduring a riot and then challenging the Gentiles who worshiped other gods.
Today, it sometimes seems like having the Holy Spirit means that you can slightly improve your life as a Christian. This is not at all His purpose. The Holy Spirit will empower you to reach the lost, proclaim the Gospel, pray and believe for miracles, all so that non-believers will hear about Jesus, repent, turn their hearts toward God and follow Him. GI currently has SIX mission teams out, and ALL of them are doing exactly that.
Jonathan Haward, President & Founder
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