Chapter Five
The Holy Spirit in the Early Church
“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth” (Acts 1:8).
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).
The promise
The first great outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred shortly after Jesus ascended into Heaven nearly two thousand years ago. Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus instructed the Disciples and His followers to wait in Jerusalem. He promised them they would be endued with power as they experienced the mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. They were “in one accord” as they waited expectantly for the promise the Lord had given them.
A total of 120 people, including the Disciples, (but without Judas, of course, who was now dead) and Mary, the mother of Jesus, waited together “in one place.” It is generally assumed that this was the “Last Supper room” and the room mentioned in Acts 1:13. It may well be that this was where this notable “Holy Spirit” revival took place, but there is no definite Scriptural indication that this was so.
In any event, several significant lessons can be learned by observing this group. First, they were willing to wait upon the Lord. All too often, people have a tendency to become impatient and refuse to wait for the Lord’s timetable for events. Often, failure to be still before God results in missing some of His great blessings. There are, to be sure, pressing demands and great needs everywhere. But one can more adequately respond to these challenges and needs after waiting on God for His direction and power.
Second, one might observe regarding this group that they were in one accord, in one spirit, as they sought the Lord. There is great strength in unity. Strength lies not basically in numbers, but in unity of Spirit.
Pentecost
“And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). This account describes the phenomenal events the group of Disciples experienced with their baptism in the Holy Spirit. Why did this take place on the Day of Pentecost? Why was it simultaneous with the Hebrew Festival of Harvest? Why not just any day? Let’s look at the special significance God placed on the feast days and Sabbaths He had established.
We know that the Feast of the Passover had to have occurred just fifty days prior to this because the Day of Pentecost was, by definition, the fiftieth day after Passover. Passover commemorated the killing of the Paschal Lamb, with its placing of its blood on the doorposts in Egypt. This caused the death angel to pass over the children of Israel during the tenth (death) plague. Blood was applied to the doorpost and life was spared. Primarily the Passover celebration renews the thought of lives saved by the sacrifice of the lamb.
It has been no coincidence that Jesus was offered as our Paschal Lamb on the commemoration of the original Passover. The killing of the Paschal Lamb was the type — the prophetic foreshadowing — of Jesus’ later role as the Paschal Lamb for the world. The Jews today still celebrate the Passover as a historic occasion, not realizing its prophetic significance in regard to Jesus Christ.
Like the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost had special significance. It was the Feast of Firstfruits as described in Exodus 23:16. This was the day when the celebrants were to consider God’s bountiful blessings as they came from their land. It was rather similar to our Thanksgiving, or the “Harvest Picnics” that used to be commonly held in rural areas when the crops were in. It was a time set aside by God for His children to think about harvests.
This Pentecost Day manifestation of the Holy Spirit baptism was the introduction to the “last days” outpouring foretold in Joel 2:28-32, which Peter referred to in Acts 2:16-21. It represented the “firstfruits” ingathering, the preliminary sample of the abundant harvest that was to follow. This was at the very beginning of the time of the Holy Spirit ministry — the establishment of the Church Age. And, of course, there was an immediate and tremendous harvest of souls right then and there. The Disciples burst from the room, and three thousand souls were immediately converted and committed to Christ (Acts 2:41). Shortly thereafter, five thousand men (plus others) became Believers (Acts 4:4).
And in the days immediately following, the Lord “added to the church daily such as should be saved.” The significance of God’s choice of the Day of Pentecost as the time of this initial Holy Spirit outpouring is obvious. As the building echoed to the sound of a mighty wind, as the cloven tongues of flame descended on the Disciples, as they broke out in unknown tongues — God was plucking the firstfruits of a harvest that was to sweep over and change the world. To be sure, its world-changing climax is yet to come, but it is just around the corner. Hallelujah! The harvest is almost complete and we are lucky enough to be in on its windup. Doesn’t that thrill your soul?
The celebration of Pentecost took place fifty days after Passover. This is referred to in Leviticus 23:15, “And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the Wave Offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete.”
The Scripture refers to a “new Meat Offering unto the Lord.” And just as the Heavenly fires fell onto the sacrifice presented on the altar (I Ki. 18:38), so the cloven tongues of flame came down on each person on the Day of Pentecost. This manifestation of fire from Heaven fell upon those who yielded. These were submitted Believers, offering up themselves as a living sacrifice, bound in love and obedience.
God’s acceptance of them was documented by an outpouring power as His Spirit breathed new life into the previously ineffectual group of Believers.
Zechariah 4:6 says, “This is the word of the Lord . . . saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” This prophetic utterance is a promise to the church in regard to the power of Pentecost.
Additionally, the Feast of Pentecost was a memorial to the giving of the Law of Sinai. The Sinai experience was accompanied by God’s Presence, His communication with Moses, and supernatural manifestations (fire, smoke, and quaking of the Earth). At Sinai, God’s Purpose was to administer justice through the Law. At Pentecost, God’s Purpose was to administer mercy through grace.
At Pentecost, God manifested Himself to Israel (and the rest of the world) in the person of the Holy Spirit. All that was concealed at Sinai and in the Old Testament and Covenant, was revealed through the Spirit at Pentecost.
Up until that moment, God had spent almost four thousand years projecting the shadow of what was to come. All earlier Spiritual Ceremonies (the wave offering, blood sacrifice, circumcision) were hints of what was eventually to be demonstrated in fullness. And it was this “latter day rain” — the release finally of God’s Grace in the Person of the Holy Spirit — that brought mankind, at last, “face to face” with God. And like Moses — who had to wear a veil to diffuse the glow when he came down from the mountain — man glows when he has a personal encounter with God.
Another significant aspect of the original Feast of Pentecost was that it was an all-inclusive celebration. This was not a case of the solitary priest entering the veil to offer sacrifice to God. Everyone could participate: sons, daughters, priests, and strangers were all invited. God was thus announcing to Israel that the blessings of Pentecost were for all. This was prophesied by Joel in the Scriptures mentioned (Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21).
The Spirit of God was promised for all flesh. Obviously God chose this particular occasion for the great initial outpouring of His Spirit to make Israel aware that the benefits were available to all.
And finally we should repeat for emphasis what we noted before: The Feast of Pentecost came after the Passover. The baptism in the Holy Spirit comes after the conversion. Of course, no specific period is required between salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For some it comes within moments, while others may wait years. This is often due to lack of knowledge or for other reasons, but the baptism in the Holy Spirit always follows one’s new birth in Christ — just as Pentecost follows Passover.
The three great feasts of the people of Israel were: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The last great Feast is Tabernacles, which many see as foretelling the Return of Christ for His Millennial Reign. Each of these great feasts (together with four other feasts which are related) contain deep meaning and hidden significance.
It was on the Day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended with power on the little group of Disciples. This was the realization of Jesus’ promise of the Comforter who was to come. The world shattering results of this event are still being felt today. The Disciples were well rewarded for their ten-day wait and their trust in the Lord. Who knows how much more might be accomplished today if we would all follow their example and wait patiently on the Lord.
The Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit was truly a phenomenal event. There were several phenomena associated with it. There was first the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Second, there were tongues of fire upon the heads of those present. And third, they spoke with other tongues (and prophesied).
This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit was certainly a dramatic event. Joy permeated the atmosphere, what with 120 people being filled with the Holy Spirit simultaneously! All who have experienced the baptism will almost invariably describe joy as one of the emotions experienced. And the unrestrained expressions of the Disciples’ joy drew the attention of passersby. They were even accused of being “drunk.”
When the Holy Spirit is allowed free rein in a church, joy and excitement are inevitably present. But this is not a run away display of uncontrolled emotion. There are no activities that will embarrass anyone, nor is it ever displeasing to God. There is a definite difference between the joy and excitement of the Spirit-anointing and plain old noise and confusion.
When the joy of the Lord is present, people do not sit idly by with frozen expressions, in the silence of a morgue. There is instead the lifting of hands (as Paul described in I Timothy 2:8). Additionally, there are almost always expressions of joy and exclamations such as “Hallelujah” or “Praise the Lord.” When the Glory of God fills a place — people can’t restrain themselves from joining in the worship of the Lord.
Some people are reluctant to allow the Holy Spirit to move in a congregation. Some view the book of Acts negatively and dislike any emphasis placed on the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit — especially manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit (I Cor. 12:8-10).
The early church experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit descended upon the waiting group, it was with the sound of a rushing wind and with tongues of fire. This was certainly a dramatic introduction of Holy Spirit power to the church.
Subsequent to this, people were baptized in the Holy Spirit as described in Acts and throughout the history of the New Testament church. No further incidents of the rushing wind or tongues of fire are described, however. Why were these manifestations confined only to that first dramatic time? Just because, I suspect, it was the first time!
Wind is associated with the Spirit of God in John 3:8 (The wind blows where it listeth) and fire is associated with the Spirit in Matthew 3:11 (baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire). It is therefore logical to conclude that these two phenomena accompanied the original visitation to document its prophetic legitimacy.
It was an unusual and dramatic event. Nothing like it had ever happened before. The first reaction of those who hadn’t experienced the baptism was that the participants were “drunk with new wine.” God therefore included the wind and the fire to document that this was indeed the phenomenon that had been prophesied. And once established the wind and fire were no longer necessary.
The other new experience was that they were baptized in the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues — which is the initial evidence of the mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. As later Believers experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, they still spoke in tongues — but the phenomena of the mighty wind and tongues of fire were absent, because they signaled the arrival of the Spirit, just as Jesus had promised.
The Disciples acted in an unusual manner as they experienced the outpouring of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. As mentioned, observers thought they were drunk. It is not unusual to see Believers actually stagger under the impact of the Holy Spirit. When my own mother was filled with the Holy Spirit, she did so. She staggered half a day as if she were drunk. She was in the Spirit, and many recognize this experience because they too have reeled under the power of God. Others, of course, may not have so unusual an initial encounter with the Holy Spirit, but many are overwhelmed and have the appearance of drunkenness.
In crusades across this nation, we see thousands of people worshipping God as His Glory fills the auditoriums. Sometime ago, I saw a distinguished looking gentleman fall under the power of the Holy Spirit as he was baptized and immersed in the Spirit. As the power of the Spirit came upon him, he fell to the floor, laughing as he tried to raise himself. There was a steady outpouring from his heart and from his life in the form of a delighted laugh. He struggled time after time to rise from the floor. After the auditorium had emptied, he was still trying to rise, laughing in the Holy Ghost, and experiencing the power of the Almighty God. Now some might call this “religious fanaticism,” but it is really the power of God at work changing lives. God always meets our needs according to His Word.
When the original 120 were baptized, as recorded in Acts, it seems to suggest that scores of people came to mock and accuse them of drunkenness. But Simon Peter (the new Simon Peter, bold in the Lord) stood and declared, “For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:15). This was rather early in the morning — about nine o’clock — and they were not drunk with wine, but rather filled with the Spirit.
Prophecy fulfilled
In the next breath Peter told them that this was the fulfillment of a Prophecy by Joel. This Prophetic Promise was: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). As this promise was fulfilled and the Spirit of God was uniquely manifested in the early Believers, people questioned the experience, mocked them, and claimed they were drunk.
Religious resistance
Jesus was opposed by the religious leaders of His day. Undoubtedly, religious people were involved in mocking the early Believers when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Much of the church world still mocks those who enter into the Pentecostal experience. They fortify their position by saying they are not mocking the Bible but only “religious fanaticism.” They particularly object to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues!
This criticism comes not from ungodly sinners — but rather from those who identify themselves with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. As in the days of the early church, there is a religious hierarchy that objects to many things of the Spirit. In some churches today individuals can commit virtually any imaginable sin and remain in good standing. But if they are baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues, they will not be tolerated in the fellowship.
We have, more than once, heard of church leaders who have stated that they would prefer to see their pastor involved with a woman or involved in theft from the church fund than have him become interested in Charismatic, or Pentecostal, philosophy. This animosity extends particularly to the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Religious prejudices are always strong, and many fail to study the results (or the fruit) of their prejudices. Countless individuals, after the baptism, have experienced new release in their spirit, new joy in their Christian life, new appreciation for God’s Word, and new insight and understanding of (and love for) the Lord Jesus Christ. All this is accompanied by a newly empowered witness for the Lord.
There are all too many who faithfully attend church but refuse to open their hearts to the move of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, there are multitudes moving into the dynamic power and rich blessings that accompany the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
As in the days of the New Testament church, as reported in the book of Acts, people by the thousands are having a similar experience today. And as in the early church, this experience often results in churches filled beyond capacity, souls added to the Kingdom, and the blessings of God flowing forth. The events recorded in the Second Chapter of Acts resulted in momentous events two thousand years ago, and are still making dramatic changes today.
Jerusalem at pentecost
There were devout men from every nation dwelling in Jerusalem, which was the commercial center of the Middle East. Some were simply on business, while others were present for the religious feast day. As the Disciples erupted out onto the street, word spread rapidly and a crowd gathered because: “every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6)
“And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful Works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine” (Acts 2:7-13).
Those in Jerusalem were dumbfounded as they heard and saw the effects of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Disciples spoke with other tongues — which is to say, in other languages. These were languages that the Disciples and the 120 had never learned, but which flowed forth from them under the anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit. It was the manifestation and evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The people present were from a number of different nations and heard them speaking in the individual languages of their native lands. Many times when someone speaks in another tongue or language, there is no one present who happens to understand that particular language. It is then a devotional expression for the individual in his communion with the Lord.
It is both a language that could be understood somewhere in the world — and an expression of the individual’s innermost being or spirit.
This speaking in tongues (or different languages) is not normally for the purpose of evangelizing the lost; it is generally an expression of praise. There are, however, numerous accounts of individuals speaking in an unknown language while someone is present who understands the language. Some of these incidents have involved languages used in remote areas which were recognized and understood by a missionary who had worked in these areas. Invariably the message is an expression of praise to the Lord.
Many added to the church
With the curious crowd of skeptics gathered around the Disciples, Peter seized the opportunity and preached to them. He preached in his own language, which would have been Hebrew or Aramaic. He was not therefore speaking in tongues at that moment, but he was speaking under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Peter declared to them the promise of God and the salvation of the Lord. He also told how Joel prophesied this very outpouring of the Spirit of God. He then went on to inform them of some events which would take place just prior to the Great Tribulation, which would immediately precede the Millennium. His primary emphasis concerned the Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ, whom they had rejected.
Peter preached Christ to them under the anointing and power of the Holy
Spirit, and three thousand souls were added to the church that day. Obviously the power of the Holy Spirit wasn’t confined to the room where the Disciples had been filled. While Peter gave a fine sermon, by itself it could hardly account for the three thousand spontaneous conversions. There is no question that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit was heavily on this crowd and that Peter’s sermon was only the spark that ignited the Holy Spirit fire in them.
There have been attempts to explain away speaking in tongues. Many have claimed this experience was an initial manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s coming, who with no subsequent experiences of this type. Still, it had become a common experience, with multiplied thousands being immersed, or baptized, in the Holy Spirit with speaking in an unknown language an accompanying phenomenon.
The precise events of the Second Chapter of Acts are being repeated today, and they mark the ushering in of the great Pentecostal, or Charismatic, Age. It is an enduement of power from on high. We are living in an age when the Holy Spirit is presently at work in mighty ways. God is still pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh, or at least upon all who come to Him seeking this great blessing.
Acts of the holy spirit
The Book of the Acts of the Apostles might also be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” It recounts the early moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the individuals and churches. Marvelous things took place in the early church that present-day churches could well profit by emulating. However, some people seem to prefer not to be reminded of the events occurring in the book of Acts, especially those relating to the Work of the Holy Spirit.
A man came to me at one time in great agitation. His son-in-law who had just been baptized in the Holy Spirit was pastor of a church that didn’t believe in the Holy Spirit baptism. This young minister’s father-in-law wanted him to repudiate what he had just experienced. He said he had to come to talk to me, but it really seemed he had come more to argue. The Spirit of God told me to just “love him,” and that was what I did. This seemed to unnerve him, and he grew more and more uncertain and defensive. I finally decided to share Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, and 19 with him, which describe over and over again the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.
This man shouted, “No, no, no! That book of Acts, I don’t like it! Why must you always go to the book of Acts?”
I was, naturally, surprised. What was wrong with going to the book of Acts? Shouldn’t that be our example?
I once heard a preacher on the radio say that we should not use the book of Acts as our guide. I could only think, “If we aren’t going to use the book of Acts, what’s to be done with it? Should we tear it out?” But there are other Scriptures, so with this man (whose son-in-law had received the Holy Spirit baptism) I turned to Isaiah and read Chapter 28, Verses 11-13.
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the Word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”
The man just sat there and finally said, quietly, “I didn’t know that was there.”
Why do so many persist in fighting against God and His Word? Gamaliel, a great teacher and exponent of Mosaic Law (and who was also Paul’s teacher), once said (in so many words), “Gentlemen, if this is not of God it will come to nought. But if it is of God, we will be putting ourselves in the position of fighting against God! No man has ever won doing that” (Acts 5:38-39).
Do not set yourself against God. Rather, seek His Truth. In the process of coming to understand the Word of God, do not neglect the book of Acts. It is our definitive account of the Holy Spirit and of circumstances concerning the early church.
Peter and john
Soon after experiencing the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Peter and John were going to the Temple at the hour of prayer. At the gate of the Temple, they encountered a lame man who had been afflicted from the time of his birth. He was begging alms from the people entering the Temple, as is described in Acts 3:1-10.
Spying Peter and John, he begged alms. Peter looked at him and said, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
Peter then took the man by the hand and lifted him to his feet. Immediately the man’s ankles received strength and he began to walk. Then, overjoyed by what had happened, he began to leap and praise God. Seeing this arresting demonstration of God’s power, the people were amazed at the miracle of healing they had just observed. They came running to Peter to question him, and he used this occasion to preach his second great sermon.
Signs and wonders followed the Believers, just as promised in God’s Word. But the main focus of Peter’s preaching was Jesus — whom they had crucified. He was the One who died to save them. And as the Word of God went forth in power and might, still more people were saved until they numbered at least five thousand.
The Holy Spirit puts power into preaching: hearts and lives are touched and transformed and thousands are added to the church. Miracles are performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This attracts the attention of the people who respond to the anointed message of the Gospel.
The religious leaders were amazed, as uneducated men (such as Peter and John) declared great Truths under the anointing of God. Not knowing how to handle such as these, the religious leaders “called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18).
Peter and John, however, declared that they must proclaim the things they had experienced.
From time to time, the early Disciples and Believers were threatened, beaten, imprisoned, and told not to talk about Jesus nor demonstrate the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Despite this persecution, the Disciples continued to minister. And thus it is today. From time to time, there has been intense persecution of Believers baptized in the Holy Spirit — and most often by religious “leaders” who wield power in the establishment churches.
Peter was preaching with boldness and power, and he was regularly seeing miracles following his ministry. This same Peter had only recently denied Jesus three separate times on the night He was betrayed. On that night, when individuals had asked Peter about his relationship to Christ, Peter denied Him. When questioned by a young maiden in the Temple court, he denied having ever known Jesus.
Peter had been with the Lord Jesus over three years, from the very beginning of His ministry. He was a part of the “inner circle” which was closest to the Lord. Still he denied the Lord Jesus Christ in His time of crisis.
Peter denied the Lord when the Master was crucified. He failed miserably. When Peter was with the Lord, he had seen miracles and had even been involved in them. The disciples had prayed for the sick, had seen great miracles take place, had cast out devils, and had done mighty things. But what happened as soon as the Lord had departed from them? They fell apart. They became wishy-washy. They were “up” one day and “down” the next.
There were many things the Disciples didn’t understand during Jesus’ ministry. They often blurted out statements or questions that revealed their complete ignorance of what He was trying to teach. On more than one occasion, the Lord actually had to rebuke them. These men were saved, but they obviously had no aptitude or talent for ministering to the public. They had no aptitude, that is, until they underwent their life-changing experience on the Day of Pentecost. Then Peter and the others — who had been weak, unsure, and incapable — were suddenly transformed into whirlwinds of Faith. And this was no gradual transformation that took place; it was a sudden, explosive change. It was the reason Jesus had told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they had been endued with power from on high.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would revolutionize their lives. He also told them to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit, and only then should they begin their ministries of healing the sick and preaching the Gospel.
The difference in Simon Peter was dramatic; but John, James, Nathaniel, and all the other Disciples were similarly changed. They had new priorities and a new boldness. Everything was changed. The Lord had promised that they would have power. He had promised in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would lead them into all Truth. The Holy Spirit gives insight and understanding and reveals Truth. And He always reveals Jesus — the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
With Peter and John preaching with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, it wasn’t long before they found themselves in trouble and even arrested. How tragic it is that religious leaders don’t speak out strongly when church members become involved in the sins of the world — but react violently when someone becomes filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.
A person’s life is changed, God’s Presence and Plan is seen with greater clarity, and they become zealous for saving souls. They suddenly find they love Jesus more deeply than ever before. They are filled with joy and turn from sin while worldly pleasures lose their attraction. All too often, they find themselves alienated from the main Body of the church. It is not all that uncommon to see people “expelled” from their churches. Why? Not because they are mired in sin (as they may have been before), but simply because they were baptized in the Holy Spirit!
It was God’s intention that churches should be patterned after those in the book of Acts. But if the great Apostle Paul were to return today, what kind of churches would he find? The majority of today’s churches are all too often dead, dry, legalistic, stagnant, and totally lacking in life. The church that appeared in the book of Acts was alive with power and enthusiasm. The difference? The New Testament church was totally committed to “freedom in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit directed their services — and their lives!
Today, of course, preachers say we are not to go to the book of Acts. But if that’s true, what should we use? The book of Acts is an extremely important part of the Bible. The whole Bible should be used as the guide to our Spiritual Lives and all church activities.
Ananias and sapphira
The significance of personal commitment and the seriousness of sin are apparent in the experience of the early church as related in the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. There were organizational difficulties and great personal needs in the early church. It was common for church members to donate everything they owned to the local body. Ananias and Sapphira, perhaps in the effort to be “accepted” in the affections of their local church, sold a certain possession to give proceeds to the church. They were in no way forced to do this, nor were they expected to give the entire sale price to the church. Rather, it was theirs to do with as they wished.
But Ananias and Sapphira came forward and announced that they were giving the entire price of the possession to the church. When Ananias brought it to the Disciples and laid it before them, declaring it to be the entire amount, Peter stared at him coldly and asked “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” (Acts 5:3).
Ananias had lied, not unto men but unto God. And at that instant Ananias fell dead at Peter’s feet. A group of the young men present carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had transpired, came to Peter. Peter asked her if the land had been sold for so much — the same amount Ananias had falsely presented — and she said that, yes, it was the total amount. Peter then asked her why she had agreed with her husband to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Sapphira also died on the spot, and those who had just buried her husband carried her out also.
On first reading this account, it may seem a severe punishment for their action. Today many assumed Christians seem to do much worse without being blasted on the spot. But this dramatic demonstration of the consequences of sin was necessary at that moment. The Holy Spirit was moving in great power. He was organizing the church that was going to carry on the ministry of our Lord. Sin could not be allowed to enter and corrupt the embryonic church. Great fear came upon all in the church, and upon as many as heard of the incident (Acts 5:11).
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. When the Spirit of God is present in power, unusual things can happen.
Obeying God
Not only was sin dealt with swiftly and intently in the New Testament church, but in another area Scripture declares that by the hands of the Prophets were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. The sick were healed in great numbers, some being brought in their beds to be placed where Peter’s shadow would fall upon them (Acts 5:15). Remarkable healings and miracles were taking place by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the lives of the Spirit-filled Apostles.
The early church experienced resistance to this move of God and, as still happens today, it was the religious leaders who led the opposition to the Holy Spirit movement. It was the Sanhedrin, the local “Church Council,” which seized Peter and the Apostles and had them placed in prison (Acts 5:17-21). But here again the power of God was demonstrated.
An Angel of the Lord came by night, opened the prison doors, and instructed them to go to the Temple and speak the Word of life to the people (Acts 5:19-20). They did return to the Temple and resumed their preaching. Of course, the religious leaders again demanded that they cease preaching as they have been ordered previously (Acts 5:27-28).
Peter and the other Apostles told the Council that when there was a conflict between the orders of God and man that they would prefer to obey God. And then Peter went on to preach about Jesus. The Disciples defended themselves by declaring that they were obeying God. And this was the point where Gamaliel — the learned man of the Laws — tried to persuade the Council not to fight against God but rather to wait and see what the final outcome would be.
The Apostles were beaten and released, but they rejoiced that they had been found worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ. And they went daily to the Temple and to every house teaching and preaching about Jesus (Acts 5:40-42). The Holy Spirit power demonstrated in the early church is not apparent in many churches today.
A spirit-filled deacon — stephen
In the early church the number of Believers multiplied, and practical needs arose (Acts 6:1). It was decided that the Spiritual Leaders of the church were to give themselves entirely to the study of the Word of God and to Spiritual Ministry. So they selected out certain deacons who were to concentrate on more practical matters — procurement and preparation of food, accommodations, and so forth. “Seven men of honest report” were selected; men who were full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom” (Acts 6:3).
One of the first of the deacons chosen was Stephen, a man “full of Faith and power” who “did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). The ministry of this Spirit-filled deacon reached far beyond the basic duties of his deacon’s role. In addition to his concentration on fulfilling his practical functions, he ministered, preached, and performed miracles as he went about his normal duties.
Of course, the Devil doesn’t appreciate having the Gospel brought forth with power, people being delivered from demons, and the sick being healed in the Name of Jesus Christ. So resistance soon developed as Stephen went about preaching under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Members of the synagogues plotted against Stephen and brought him to trial for heresy because he preached Jesus Christ. They were cut to the heart by his words (no doubt having been put under conviction), but their reaction was to gnash on him with their teeth (Acts 6:9-15 and 7:54).
Scripture goes on to say in the next Verse, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing on the Right Hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the Right Hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:55-59).
This man of God was so hated of the Devil for the works he had done that the Jewish religious leaders gnashed their teeth, rushed him out of the gates, and stoned him to death.
To declare the unsearchable riches of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit will certainly evoke a response. Many accept, believe, receive — and are gloriously changed. But tragically, others harden their hearts, growing indignant and antagonistic. They become violent in their reaction to individuals who pray for the sick, believe God for answers to prayer, and believe in the power of Almighty God. Even physical violence is not unknown because the spirit causing these reactions comes from the Devil.
Satan despises the Work of the Holy Spirit because it wreaks havoc on his kingdom. Satan’s kingdom is not hurt by churches that operate as social clubs. Neither is his kingdom hindered by preachers who find “religion” an ego trip and who are only intellectually involved in the technicalities of Scripture. Such know nothing about the power of the Holy Spirit.
Satan’s kingdom is not bothered by the size of a church’s membership roll. It’s a question of whether lives are changed and transformed by the Spirit of God. The “proper” churches don’t pose a threat to Satan, for they concentrate on the same old safe places and involve themselves only in matters that are “socially acceptable” to the broadest possible cross-section of the population. It is only when Spirit-filled Christians move in unity of fellowship and in the power of God that there’s a threat to the kingdom of Satan. Then he fights against it with all the powers of Hell.
Being Spirit-filled does not render immunity to difficulties created by Satan. As in the case of Stephen, a strong stand for Christ has resulted in martyrdom for many. It is evident from Scripture that Stephen was not only Spirit-filled but that he was working at his relationship with the Lord. He proclaimed the Gospel every chance he could. The sick were healed and the lives were transformed.
It was the same religious leaders who had crucified Christ who engineered Stephen’s death (Acts 6:11-12). The same is true today. It is the community leaders of the “establishment” churches who stand up and denounce the mighty moving of God’s Spirit. And all too often, it is the influence of the organized religions that discourages the impressionable and prevents them from moving forward to the true power and might of God as demonstrated through the Holy Spirit.
Another deacon — philip
Philip was another Spirit-filled deacon of the early church. Philip preached Christ to the city of Samaria (Acts 8:5). Scripture says that with one accord the people gave heed unto the things which Philip spake. They had seen the miracles he had performed under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:7-8).
The people gladly received the Word of God, and many believed and were baptized when Peter and John arrived to continue Philip’s ministry (Acts 8:14).
Besides preaching, Peter and John prayed for the people to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15). Scripture describes their relationship with the Holy Spirit in this way: “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:16-17). The people believed and had been baptized, so when hands were laid on them and prayers made, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Some churches teach that when you become saved, there is nothing else to receive. They claim that there is no more, that you have received the Holy Spirit. But in Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, and 19, we read of Christians being filled with the Holy Spirit some time after they have been saved. Of course, the Holy Spirit plays an essential role in a person’s salvation, but this is not what is referred to in Acts 1:8. This says, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you.”
This is not the relationship in the Holy Spirit which brought you to salvation. This is not the drawing spoken of by Jesus in John 6:44. This is an immersion in His being and power — which is generally referred to as “the baptism in the Holy Spirit.”
The baptism in the Holy Spirit must follow salvation. While it can occur just minutes or seconds later, it must come after salvation and is not an “automatic” part of salvation.
The sinner comes forth to receive salvation. It is the saved person who comes forth to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Every single account in Acts demonstrates this. Acts 8 clearly states that the people believed and were baptized. But it wasn’t until after Peter and John came — and prayed for them to be baptized in the Holy Spirit — that this actually took place.
They had been baptized in water, and they had experienced the joy of salvation. Great things had been happening through the Holy Spirit power residing in Philip. Demons had been cast out, sick bodies had been healed, and the signs of a great revival were present. But the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on these people prior to the visit of Peter and John. All this occurred, of course, after the Day of Pentecost and the initial outpouring of the Spirit. So when Peter and John prayed for the people, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Simon’S request
Among the Believers in Samaria (and also baptized in water) was a man named Simon, a sorcerer who had amassed great wealth by bewitching people with his sorcery. When he saw hands laid on the Believers and their receiving the Holy Spirit, Simon offered money to the Apostles if they would teach him to deliver the baptism of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17-18).
Obviously something unusual had to have happened to these people or Simon would not have been willing to pay hard cash for a “franchise” offering it. There had to be evidence that something tangible had occurred. Simon the sorcerer was not, of course, properly motivated, nor did he understand what was involved. Peter rebuked him severely and advised repentance (Acts 8:20-23). It is apparent from this account that they were praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit after conversion — and that something unique (which a man like Simon could misunderstand and desire for selfish purposes) had occurred.
Simon did have powers, and as a sorcerer he had seen unusual things done. He was not particularly impressed with healings and some of the other phenomena, but this experience impressed him.
In Acts, Chapters 2, 10, and 19, the people spoke with other tongues as they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. There are other evidences characterizing Spirit-filled Believers, but this was the basic, common evidence which was initially demonstrated by those baptized in the Holy Spirit. It was immediately recognizable by all observers as an evidence of the baptism. Quite obviously what impressed Simon was this same evidence that had occurred on the Day of Pentecost.
The apostle paul
Saul (later to go by the name Paul) was severely persecuting the Believers in Christ when he met the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. As Jesus spoke to him, Saul was blinded by a light from Heaven, and his vision was lost for three days. During this period he fasted. Then the Lord spoke to Ananias (not the husband of Sapphira mentioned earlier), a devout Disciple who was directed to the place where Saul was abiding.
Ananias went to Saul and prayed for him to receive his sight again, and also to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. His sight was restored, and he was also filled with the Holy Spirit. As in Acts 8, it can be concluded that the initial evidence was speaking in tongues, because he is later recorded (in I Corinthians 14:18) as saying, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues.”
Transformed by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul went on to become what is generally conceded to be the greatest missionary statesmen of all time. He was led by God to bring many to Christ, to establish churches on his missionary journey, and to write many of the books of the New Testament under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
A man named cornelius
In the Tenth Chapter of Acts, we find a discussion of the Work of the Holy Spirit in the early church. Much of this chapter deals with a man by the name of Cornelius. A centurion (the captain over a troop of Roman soldiers) and a devout man who feared God “with all his house,” Cornelius was a man who gave much alms to the poor. He also spent much time in prayer.
Cornelius received a vision. An Angel spoke to him and told him about Peter (Acts 10:1-7). Simon Peter had a vision at the same time, and this concerned Cornelius who was at that moment dispatching messengers to bring Peter to him. As Peter pondered the meaning of his vision, the Spirit of God informed him that three men were seeking him (Acts 10:19) and that he was to go with them. When Cornelius met Peter, he fell down at his feet and worshiped him (Acts 10:25-26). Peter was embarrassed and told him to stand up since he too was just a man.
Cornelius described to Peter how for four days he had fasted and prayed, and how God had sent him a vision (Acts 10:30-33). A number of people had gathered at the house of Cornelius, and as Peter spoke the Holy Spirit fell on them. The Bible records that those who experienced the baptism at this time spoke with other tongues, and magnified God (Acts 10:44-46).
Though the Hebrews were surprised that the Holy Spirit had thus fallen upon the Gentiles, they now realized that Jesus came not only for the Jews but for all mankind. Gradually, this point was becoming evident to the Hebrew Believers, but it proved a difficult lesson for some of them to absorb.
Many of those who walked with Jesus would remember His words, as well as those of John the Baptist. John had declared that he would baptize with water, but that the Messiah (whom he was proclaiming) would baptize in the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8).
The realization of this promise was delivered not only on the Day of Pentecost, but also subsequent to it, right up to this day. And it should be obvious from reading the Word of God that associated with this baptism is the fact of speaking in tongues.
Another group speaks in tongues
Another account of great significance is found in Acts 19. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul — having passed through the upper coasts — came to Ephesus and found a group of Disciples. Paul asked these Believers, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”
They told Paul that they had “not so much as heard whether there would be any Holy Spirit.” They further informed him that they had received John’s baptism, the water baptism of repentance. As Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, they were saved and baptized. But suddenly, “When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). Once again, it is absolutely evident that the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit was accompanied by speaking in other tongues! This is the initial evidence!
It is also obvious that these Believers were asked if they had received the Holy Spirit. The question takes into consideration that they were Believers (saved and baptized). So by asking the question, Paul documents that salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are not simultaneous experiences. You can be saved and not filled with the Holy Spirit!
As we have discussed previously, there are those who insist that a person does not need this experience, claiming it is automatically received at the time of salvation. But obviously, based on the question asked by Paul, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and unique experience for Believers. And Paul is, I believe, a Christian authority second only to Jesus Christ Himself.
Others claim that the only time the Holy Spirit came upon individuals in a dramatic fashion (as they were filled with the Holy Spirit) was on the Day of Pentecost. But some of these experiences we have been relating happening long after the Day of Pentecost. And these were not isolated occurrences; they happened all through the book of Acts which describes the history of the early church over an extended period. This, plus the fact that the same phenomena are happening today, would seem to satisfy all but the most obstinate that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not an unusual occurrence; that it was not for a short or isolated period in history; that it is indeed associated with speaking in tongues unknown to the speaker; and that it is happening today!
A spirit-empowered church
The early church experienced mighty moves of the Holy Spirit as people were baptized in the Spirit. It happened to individuals and entire groups, and it would appear that all spoke with other tongues and prophesied.
These manifestations continued to be observed throughout First-century Christianity, and they are happening today.
The Believer, in the time of the New Testament, came to understand what the baptism in the Holy Spirit involved. It is sometimes overlooked that the Epistles (which constitute a major part of the New Testament) were written to Spirit-filled Believers by Spirit-filled Believers.
Sometimes correction and instruction are necessary to correct abuses, as in the Epistles to the Corinthians. But the early Believers understood the Spirit-inspired Scriptures for they were Spirit-filled themselves.
The early church was indeed Spirit-led, Spirit-filled, and composed of Believers baptized in the Holy Spirit. The great advances they accomplished were indeed the acts of the Holy Spirit working through Spirit-filled Believers.
The Holy Spirit in the Early Church
“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth” (Acts 1:8).
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).
The promise
The first great outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred shortly after Jesus ascended into Heaven nearly two thousand years ago. Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus instructed the Disciples and His followers to wait in Jerusalem. He promised them they would be endued with power as they experienced the mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. They were “in one accord” as they waited expectantly for the promise the Lord had given them.
A total of 120 people, including the Disciples, (but without Judas, of course, who was now dead) and Mary, the mother of Jesus, waited together “in one place.” It is generally assumed that this was the “Last Supper room” and the room mentioned in Acts 1:13. It may well be that this was where this notable “Holy Spirit” revival took place, but there is no definite Scriptural indication that this was so.
In any event, several significant lessons can be learned by observing this group. First, they were willing to wait upon the Lord. All too often, people have a tendency to become impatient and refuse to wait for the Lord’s timetable for events. Often, failure to be still before God results in missing some of His great blessings. There are, to be sure, pressing demands and great needs everywhere. But one can more adequately respond to these challenges and needs after waiting on God for His direction and power.
Second, one might observe regarding this group that they were in one accord, in one spirit, as they sought the Lord. There is great strength in unity. Strength lies not basically in numbers, but in unity of Spirit.
Pentecost
“And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). This account describes the phenomenal events the group of Disciples experienced with their baptism in the Holy Spirit. Why did this take place on the Day of Pentecost? Why was it simultaneous with the Hebrew Festival of Harvest? Why not just any day? Let’s look at the special significance God placed on the feast days and Sabbaths He had established.
We know that the Feast of the Passover had to have occurred just fifty days prior to this because the Day of Pentecost was, by definition, the fiftieth day after Passover. Passover commemorated the killing of the Paschal Lamb, with its placing of its blood on the doorposts in Egypt. This caused the death angel to pass over the children of Israel during the tenth (death) plague. Blood was applied to the doorpost and life was spared. Primarily the Passover celebration renews the thought of lives saved by the sacrifice of the lamb.
It has been no coincidence that Jesus was offered as our Paschal Lamb on the commemoration of the original Passover. The killing of the Paschal Lamb was the type — the prophetic foreshadowing — of Jesus’ later role as the Paschal Lamb for the world. The Jews today still celebrate the Passover as a historic occasion, not realizing its prophetic significance in regard to Jesus Christ.
Like the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost had special significance. It was the Feast of Firstfruits as described in Exodus 23:16. This was the day when the celebrants were to consider God’s bountiful blessings as they came from their land. It was rather similar to our Thanksgiving, or the “Harvest Picnics” that used to be commonly held in rural areas when the crops were in. It was a time set aside by God for His children to think about harvests.
This Pentecost Day manifestation of the Holy Spirit baptism was the introduction to the “last days” outpouring foretold in Joel 2:28-32, which Peter referred to in Acts 2:16-21. It represented the “firstfruits” ingathering, the preliminary sample of the abundant harvest that was to follow. This was at the very beginning of the time of the Holy Spirit ministry — the establishment of the Church Age. And, of course, there was an immediate and tremendous harvest of souls right then and there. The Disciples burst from the room, and three thousand souls were immediately converted and committed to Christ (Acts 2:41). Shortly thereafter, five thousand men (plus others) became Believers (Acts 4:4).
And in the days immediately following, the Lord “added to the church daily such as should be saved.” The significance of God’s choice of the Day of Pentecost as the time of this initial Holy Spirit outpouring is obvious. As the building echoed to the sound of a mighty wind, as the cloven tongues of flame descended on the Disciples, as they broke out in unknown tongues — God was plucking the firstfruits of a harvest that was to sweep over and change the world. To be sure, its world-changing climax is yet to come, but it is just around the corner. Hallelujah! The harvest is almost complete and we are lucky enough to be in on its windup. Doesn’t that thrill your soul?
The celebration of Pentecost took place fifty days after Passover. This is referred to in Leviticus 23:15, “And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the Wave Offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete.”
The Scripture refers to a “new Meat Offering unto the Lord.” And just as the Heavenly fires fell onto the sacrifice presented on the altar (I Ki. 18:38), so the cloven tongues of flame came down on each person on the Day of Pentecost. This manifestation of fire from Heaven fell upon those who yielded. These were submitted Believers, offering up themselves as a living sacrifice, bound in love and obedience.
God’s acceptance of them was documented by an outpouring power as His Spirit breathed new life into the previously ineffectual group of Believers.
Zechariah 4:6 says, “This is the word of the Lord . . . saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” This prophetic utterance is a promise to the church in regard to the power of Pentecost.
Additionally, the Feast of Pentecost was a memorial to the giving of the Law of Sinai. The Sinai experience was accompanied by God’s Presence, His communication with Moses, and supernatural manifestations (fire, smoke, and quaking of the Earth). At Sinai, God’s Purpose was to administer justice through the Law. At Pentecost, God’s Purpose was to administer mercy through grace.
At Pentecost, God manifested Himself to Israel (and the rest of the world) in the person of the Holy Spirit. All that was concealed at Sinai and in the Old Testament and Covenant, was revealed through the Spirit at Pentecost.
Up until that moment, God had spent almost four thousand years projecting the shadow of what was to come. All earlier Spiritual Ceremonies (the wave offering, blood sacrifice, circumcision) were hints of what was eventually to be demonstrated in fullness. And it was this “latter day rain” — the release finally of God’s Grace in the Person of the Holy Spirit — that brought mankind, at last, “face to face” with God. And like Moses — who had to wear a veil to diffuse the glow when he came down from the mountain — man glows when he has a personal encounter with God.
Another significant aspect of the original Feast of Pentecost was that it was an all-inclusive celebration. This was not a case of the solitary priest entering the veil to offer sacrifice to God. Everyone could participate: sons, daughters, priests, and strangers were all invited. God was thus announcing to Israel that the blessings of Pentecost were for all. This was prophesied by Joel in the Scriptures mentioned (Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21).
The Spirit of God was promised for all flesh. Obviously God chose this particular occasion for the great initial outpouring of His Spirit to make Israel aware that the benefits were available to all.
And finally we should repeat for emphasis what we noted before: The Feast of Pentecost came after the Passover. The baptism in the Holy Spirit comes after the conversion. Of course, no specific period is required between salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For some it comes within moments, while others may wait years. This is often due to lack of knowledge or for other reasons, but the baptism in the Holy Spirit always follows one’s new birth in Christ — just as Pentecost follows Passover.
The three great feasts of the people of Israel were: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The last great Feast is Tabernacles, which many see as foretelling the Return of Christ for His Millennial Reign. Each of these great feasts (together with four other feasts which are related) contain deep meaning and hidden significance.
It was on the Day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended with power on the little group of Disciples. This was the realization of Jesus’ promise of the Comforter who was to come. The world shattering results of this event are still being felt today. The Disciples were well rewarded for their ten-day wait and their trust in the Lord. Who knows how much more might be accomplished today if we would all follow their example and wait patiently on the Lord.
The Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit was truly a phenomenal event. There were several phenomena associated with it. There was first the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Second, there were tongues of fire upon the heads of those present. And third, they spoke with other tongues (and prophesied).
This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit was certainly a dramatic event. Joy permeated the atmosphere, what with 120 people being filled with the Holy Spirit simultaneously! All who have experienced the baptism will almost invariably describe joy as one of the emotions experienced. And the unrestrained expressions of the Disciples’ joy drew the attention of passersby. They were even accused of being “drunk.”
When the Holy Spirit is allowed free rein in a church, joy and excitement are inevitably present. But this is not a run away display of uncontrolled emotion. There are no activities that will embarrass anyone, nor is it ever displeasing to God. There is a definite difference between the joy and excitement of the Spirit-anointing and plain old noise and confusion.
When the joy of the Lord is present, people do not sit idly by with frozen expressions, in the silence of a morgue. There is instead the lifting of hands (as Paul described in I Timothy 2:8). Additionally, there are almost always expressions of joy and exclamations such as “Hallelujah” or “Praise the Lord.” When the Glory of God fills a place — people can’t restrain themselves from joining in the worship of the Lord.
Some people are reluctant to allow the Holy Spirit to move in a congregation. Some view the book of Acts negatively and dislike any emphasis placed on the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit — especially manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit (I Cor. 12:8-10).
The early church experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit descended upon the waiting group, it was with the sound of a rushing wind and with tongues of fire. This was certainly a dramatic introduction of Holy Spirit power to the church.
Subsequent to this, people were baptized in the Holy Spirit as described in Acts and throughout the history of the New Testament church. No further incidents of the rushing wind or tongues of fire are described, however. Why were these manifestations confined only to that first dramatic time? Just because, I suspect, it was the first time!
Wind is associated with the Spirit of God in John 3:8 (The wind blows where it listeth) and fire is associated with the Spirit in Matthew 3:11 (baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire). It is therefore logical to conclude that these two phenomena accompanied the original visitation to document its prophetic legitimacy.
It was an unusual and dramatic event. Nothing like it had ever happened before. The first reaction of those who hadn’t experienced the baptism was that the participants were “drunk with new wine.” God therefore included the wind and the fire to document that this was indeed the phenomenon that had been prophesied. And once established the wind and fire were no longer necessary.
The other new experience was that they were baptized in the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues — which is the initial evidence of the mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. As later Believers experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, they still spoke in tongues — but the phenomena of the mighty wind and tongues of fire were absent, because they signaled the arrival of the Spirit, just as Jesus had promised.
The Disciples acted in an unusual manner as they experienced the outpouring of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. As mentioned, observers thought they were drunk. It is not unusual to see Believers actually stagger under the impact of the Holy Spirit. When my own mother was filled with the Holy Spirit, she did so. She staggered half a day as if she were drunk. She was in the Spirit, and many recognize this experience because they too have reeled under the power of God. Others, of course, may not have so unusual an initial encounter with the Holy Spirit, but many are overwhelmed and have the appearance of drunkenness.
In crusades across this nation, we see thousands of people worshipping God as His Glory fills the auditoriums. Sometime ago, I saw a distinguished looking gentleman fall under the power of the Holy Spirit as he was baptized and immersed in the Spirit. As the power of the Spirit came upon him, he fell to the floor, laughing as he tried to raise himself. There was a steady outpouring from his heart and from his life in the form of a delighted laugh. He struggled time after time to rise from the floor. After the auditorium had emptied, he was still trying to rise, laughing in the Holy Ghost, and experiencing the power of the Almighty God. Now some might call this “religious fanaticism,” but it is really the power of God at work changing lives. God always meets our needs according to His Word.
When the original 120 were baptized, as recorded in Acts, it seems to suggest that scores of people came to mock and accuse them of drunkenness. But Simon Peter (the new Simon Peter, bold in the Lord) stood and declared, “For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:15). This was rather early in the morning — about nine o’clock — and they were not drunk with wine, but rather filled with the Spirit.
Prophecy fulfilled
In the next breath Peter told them that this was the fulfillment of a Prophecy by Joel. This Prophetic Promise was: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). As this promise was fulfilled and the Spirit of God was uniquely manifested in the early Believers, people questioned the experience, mocked them, and claimed they were drunk.
Religious resistance
Jesus was opposed by the religious leaders of His day. Undoubtedly, religious people were involved in mocking the early Believers when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Much of the church world still mocks those who enter into the Pentecostal experience. They fortify their position by saying they are not mocking the Bible but only “religious fanaticism.” They particularly object to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues!
This criticism comes not from ungodly sinners — but rather from those who identify themselves with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. As in the days of the early church, there is a religious hierarchy that objects to many things of the Spirit. In some churches today individuals can commit virtually any imaginable sin and remain in good standing. But if they are baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues, they will not be tolerated in the fellowship.
We have, more than once, heard of church leaders who have stated that they would prefer to see their pastor involved with a woman or involved in theft from the church fund than have him become interested in Charismatic, or Pentecostal, philosophy. This animosity extends particularly to the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Religious prejudices are always strong, and many fail to study the results (or the fruit) of their prejudices. Countless individuals, after the baptism, have experienced new release in their spirit, new joy in their Christian life, new appreciation for God’s Word, and new insight and understanding of (and love for) the Lord Jesus Christ. All this is accompanied by a newly empowered witness for the Lord.
There are all too many who faithfully attend church but refuse to open their hearts to the move of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, there are multitudes moving into the dynamic power and rich blessings that accompany the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
As in the days of the New Testament church, as reported in the book of Acts, people by the thousands are having a similar experience today. And as in the early church, this experience often results in churches filled beyond capacity, souls added to the Kingdom, and the blessings of God flowing forth. The events recorded in the Second Chapter of Acts resulted in momentous events two thousand years ago, and are still making dramatic changes today.
Jerusalem at pentecost
There were devout men from every nation dwelling in Jerusalem, which was the commercial center of the Middle East. Some were simply on business, while others were present for the religious feast day. As the Disciples erupted out onto the street, word spread rapidly and a crowd gathered because: “every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6)
“And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful Works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine” (Acts 2:7-13).
Those in Jerusalem were dumbfounded as they heard and saw the effects of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Disciples spoke with other tongues — which is to say, in other languages. These were languages that the Disciples and the 120 had never learned, but which flowed forth from them under the anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit. It was the manifestation and evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The people present were from a number of different nations and heard them speaking in the individual languages of their native lands. Many times when someone speaks in another tongue or language, there is no one present who happens to understand that particular language. It is then a devotional expression for the individual in his communion with the Lord.
It is both a language that could be understood somewhere in the world — and an expression of the individual’s innermost being or spirit.
This speaking in tongues (or different languages) is not normally for the purpose of evangelizing the lost; it is generally an expression of praise. There are, however, numerous accounts of individuals speaking in an unknown language while someone is present who understands the language. Some of these incidents have involved languages used in remote areas which were recognized and understood by a missionary who had worked in these areas. Invariably the message is an expression of praise to the Lord.
Many added to the church
With the curious crowd of skeptics gathered around the Disciples, Peter seized the opportunity and preached to them. He preached in his own language, which would have been Hebrew or Aramaic. He was not therefore speaking in tongues at that moment, but he was speaking under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Peter declared to them the promise of God and the salvation of the Lord. He also told how Joel prophesied this very outpouring of the Spirit of God. He then went on to inform them of some events which would take place just prior to the Great Tribulation, which would immediately precede the Millennium. His primary emphasis concerned the Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ, whom they had rejected.
Peter preached Christ to them under the anointing and power of the Holy
Spirit, and three thousand souls were added to the church that day. Obviously the power of the Holy Spirit wasn’t confined to the room where the Disciples had been filled. While Peter gave a fine sermon, by itself it could hardly account for the three thousand spontaneous conversions. There is no question that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit was heavily on this crowd and that Peter’s sermon was only the spark that ignited the Holy Spirit fire in them.
There have been attempts to explain away speaking in tongues. Many have claimed this experience was an initial manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s coming, who with no subsequent experiences of this type. Still, it had become a common experience, with multiplied thousands being immersed, or baptized, in the Holy Spirit with speaking in an unknown language an accompanying phenomenon.
The precise events of the Second Chapter of Acts are being repeated today, and they mark the ushering in of the great Pentecostal, or Charismatic, Age. It is an enduement of power from on high. We are living in an age when the Holy Spirit is presently at work in mighty ways. God is still pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh, or at least upon all who come to Him seeking this great blessing.
Acts of the holy spirit
The Book of the Acts of the Apostles might also be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” It recounts the early moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the individuals and churches. Marvelous things took place in the early church that present-day churches could well profit by emulating. However, some people seem to prefer not to be reminded of the events occurring in the book of Acts, especially those relating to the Work of the Holy Spirit.
A man came to me at one time in great agitation. His son-in-law who had just been baptized in the Holy Spirit was pastor of a church that didn’t believe in the Holy Spirit baptism. This young minister’s father-in-law wanted him to repudiate what he had just experienced. He said he had to come to talk to me, but it really seemed he had come more to argue. The Spirit of God told me to just “love him,” and that was what I did. This seemed to unnerve him, and he grew more and more uncertain and defensive. I finally decided to share Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, and 19 with him, which describe over and over again the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.
This man shouted, “No, no, no! That book of Acts, I don’t like it! Why must you always go to the book of Acts?”
I was, naturally, surprised. What was wrong with going to the book of Acts? Shouldn’t that be our example?
I once heard a preacher on the radio say that we should not use the book of Acts as our guide. I could only think, “If we aren’t going to use the book of Acts, what’s to be done with it? Should we tear it out?” But there are other Scriptures, so with this man (whose son-in-law had received the Holy Spirit baptism) I turned to Isaiah and read Chapter 28, Verses 11-13.
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the Word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”
The man just sat there and finally said, quietly, “I didn’t know that was there.”
Why do so many persist in fighting against God and His Word? Gamaliel, a great teacher and exponent of Mosaic Law (and who was also Paul’s teacher), once said (in so many words), “Gentlemen, if this is not of God it will come to nought. But if it is of God, we will be putting ourselves in the position of fighting against God! No man has ever won doing that” (Acts 5:38-39).
Do not set yourself against God. Rather, seek His Truth. In the process of coming to understand the Word of God, do not neglect the book of Acts. It is our definitive account of the Holy Spirit and of circumstances concerning the early church.
Peter and john
Soon after experiencing the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Peter and John were going to the Temple at the hour of prayer. At the gate of the Temple, they encountered a lame man who had been afflicted from the time of his birth. He was begging alms from the people entering the Temple, as is described in Acts 3:1-10.
Spying Peter and John, he begged alms. Peter looked at him and said, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
Peter then took the man by the hand and lifted him to his feet. Immediately the man’s ankles received strength and he began to walk. Then, overjoyed by what had happened, he began to leap and praise God. Seeing this arresting demonstration of God’s power, the people were amazed at the miracle of healing they had just observed. They came running to Peter to question him, and he used this occasion to preach his second great sermon.
Signs and wonders followed the Believers, just as promised in God’s Word. But the main focus of Peter’s preaching was Jesus — whom they had crucified. He was the One who died to save them. And as the Word of God went forth in power and might, still more people were saved until they numbered at least five thousand.
The Holy Spirit puts power into preaching: hearts and lives are touched and transformed and thousands are added to the church. Miracles are performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This attracts the attention of the people who respond to the anointed message of the Gospel.
The religious leaders were amazed, as uneducated men (such as Peter and John) declared great Truths under the anointing of God. Not knowing how to handle such as these, the religious leaders “called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18).
Peter and John, however, declared that they must proclaim the things they had experienced.
From time to time, the early Disciples and Believers were threatened, beaten, imprisoned, and told not to talk about Jesus nor demonstrate the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Despite this persecution, the Disciples continued to minister. And thus it is today. From time to time, there has been intense persecution of Believers baptized in the Holy Spirit — and most often by religious “leaders” who wield power in the establishment churches.
Peter was preaching with boldness and power, and he was regularly seeing miracles following his ministry. This same Peter had only recently denied Jesus three separate times on the night He was betrayed. On that night, when individuals had asked Peter about his relationship to Christ, Peter denied Him. When questioned by a young maiden in the Temple court, he denied having ever known Jesus.
Peter had been with the Lord Jesus over three years, from the very beginning of His ministry. He was a part of the “inner circle” which was closest to the Lord. Still he denied the Lord Jesus Christ in His time of crisis.
Peter denied the Lord when the Master was crucified. He failed miserably. When Peter was with the Lord, he had seen miracles and had even been involved in them. The disciples had prayed for the sick, had seen great miracles take place, had cast out devils, and had done mighty things. But what happened as soon as the Lord had departed from them? They fell apart. They became wishy-washy. They were “up” one day and “down” the next.
There were many things the Disciples didn’t understand during Jesus’ ministry. They often blurted out statements or questions that revealed their complete ignorance of what He was trying to teach. On more than one occasion, the Lord actually had to rebuke them. These men were saved, but they obviously had no aptitude or talent for ministering to the public. They had no aptitude, that is, until they underwent their life-changing experience on the Day of Pentecost. Then Peter and the others — who had been weak, unsure, and incapable — were suddenly transformed into whirlwinds of Faith. And this was no gradual transformation that took place; it was a sudden, explosive change. It was the reason Jesus had told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they had been endued with power from on high.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would revolutionize their lives. He also told them to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit, and only then should they begin their ministries of healing the sick and preaching the Gospel.
The difference in Simon Peter was dramatic; but John, James, Nathaniel, and all the other Disciples were similarly changed. They had new priorities and a new boldness. Everything was changed. The Lord had promised that they would have power. He had promised in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would lead them into all Truth. The Holy Spirit gives insight and understanding and reveals Truth. And He always reveals Jesus — the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
With Peter and John preaching with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, it wasn’t long before they found themselves in trouble and even arrested. How tragic it is that religious leaders don’t speak out strongly when church members become involved in the sins of the world — but react violently when someone becomes filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.
A person’s life is changed, God’s Presence and Plan is seen with greater clarity, and they become zealous for saving souls. They suddenly find they love Jesus more deeply than ever before. They are filled with joy and turn from sin while worldly pleasures lose their attraction. All too often, they find themselves alienated from the main Body of the church. It is not all that uncommon to see people “expelled” from their churches. Why? Not because they are mired in sin (as they may have been before), but simply because they were baptized in the Holy Spirit!
It was God’s intention that churches should be patterned after those in the book of Acts. But if the great Apostle Paul were to return today, what kind of churches would he find? The majority of today’s churches are all too often dead, dry, legalistic, stagnant, and totally lacking in life. The church that appeared in the book of Acts was alive with power and enthusiasm. The difference? The New Testament church was totally committed to “freedom in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit directed their services — and their lives!
Today, of course, preachers say we are not to go to the book of Acts. But if that’s true, what should we use? The book of Acts is an extremely important part of the Bible. The whole Bible should be used as the guide to our Spiritual Lives and all church activities.
Ananias and sapphira
The significance of personal commitment and the seriousness of sin are apparent in the experience of the early church as related in the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. There were organizational difficulties and great personal needs in the early church. It was common for church members to donate everything they owned to the local body. Ananias and Sapphira, perhaps in the effort to be “accepted” in the affections of their local church, sold a certain possession to give proceeds to the church. They were in no way forced to do this, nor were they expected to give the entire sale price to the church. Rather, it was theirs to do with as they wished.
But Ananias and Sapphira came forward and announced that they were giving the entire price of the possession to the church. When Ananias brought it to the Disciples and laid it before them, declaring it to be the entire amount, Peter stared at him coldly and asked “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” (Acts 5:3).
Ananias had lied, not unto men but unto God. And at that instant Ananias fell dead at Peter’s feet. A group of the young men present carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had transpired, came to Peter. Peter asked her if the land had been sold for so much — the same amount Ananias had falsely presented — and she said that, yes, it was the total amount. Peter then asked her why she had agreed with her husband to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Sapphira also died on the spot, and those who had just buried her husband carried her out also.
On first reading this account, it may seem a severe punishment for their action. Today many assumed Christians seem to do much worse without being blasted on the spot. But this dramatic demonstration of the consequences of sin was necessary at that moment. The Holy Spirit was moving in great power. He was organizing the church that was going to carry on the ministry of our Lord. Sin could not be allowed to enter and corrupt the embryonic church. Great fear came upon all in the church, and upon as many as heard of the incident (Acts 5:11).
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. When the Spirit of God is present in power, unusual things can happen.
Obeying God
Not only was sin dealt with swiftly and intently in the New Testament church, but in another area Scripture declares that by the hands of the Prophets were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. The sick were healed in great numbers, some being brought in their beds to be placed where Peter’s shadow would fall upon them (Acts 5:15). Remarkable healings and miracles were taking place by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the lives of the Spirit-filled Apostles.
The early church experienced resistance to this move of God and, as still happens today, it was the religious leaders who led the opposition to the Holy Spirit movement. It was the Sanhedrin, the local “Church Council,” which seized Peter and the Apostles and had them placed in prison (Acts 5:17-21). But here again the power of God was demonstrated.
An Angel of the Lord came by night, opened the prison doors, and instructed them to go to the Temple and speak the Word of life to the people (Acts 5:19-20). They did return to the Temple and resumed their preaching. Of course, the religious leaders again demanded that they cease preaching as they have been ordered previously (Acts 5:27-28).
Peter and the other Apostles told the Council that when there was a conflict between the orders of God and man that they would prefer to obey God. And then Peter went on to preach about Jesus. The Disciples defended themselves by declaring that they were obeying God. And this was the point where Gamaliel — the learned man of the Laws — tried to persuade the Council not to fight against God but rather to wait and see what the final outcome would be.
The Apostles were beaten and released, but they rejoiced that they had been found worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ. And they went daily to the Temple and to every house teaching and preaching about Jesus (Acts 5:40-42). The Holy Spirit power demonstrated in the early church is not apparent in many churches today.
A spirit-filled deacon — stephen
In the early church the number of Believers multiplied, and practical needs arose (Acts 6:1). It was decided that the Spiritual Leaders of the church were to give themselves entirely to the study of the Word of God and to Spiritual Ministry. So they selected out certain deacons who were to concentrate on more practical matters — procurement and preparation of food, accommodations, and so forth. “Seven men of honest report” were selected; men who were full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom” (Acts 6:3).
One of the first of the deacons chosen was Stephen, a man “full of Faith and power” who “did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). The ministry of this Spirit-filled deacon reached far beyond the basic duties of his deacon’s role. In addition to his concentration on fulfilling his practical functions, he ministered, preached, and performed miracles as he went about his normal duties.
Of course, the Devil doesn’t appreciate having the Gospel brought forth with power, people being delivered from demons, and the sick being healed in the Name of Jesus Christ. So resistance soon developed as Stephen went about preaching under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Members of the synagogues plotted against Stephen and brought him to trial for heresy because he preached Jesus Christ. They were cut to the heart by his words (no doubt having been put under conviction), but their reaction was to gnash on him with their teeth (Acts 6:9-15 and 7:54).
Scripture goes on to say in the next Verse, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing on the Right Hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the Right Hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:55-59).
This man of God was so hated of the Devil for the works he had done that the Jewish religious leaders gnashed their teeth, rushed him out of the gates, and stoned him to death.
To declare the unsearchable riches of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit will certainly evoke a response. Many accept, believe, receive — and are gloriously changed. But tragically, others harden their hearts, growing indignant and antagonistic. They become violent in their reaction to individuals who pray for the sick, believe God for answers to prayer, and believe in the power of Almighty God. Even physical violence is not unknown because the spirit causing these reactions comes from the Devil.
Satan despises the Work of the Holy Spirit because it wreaks havoc on his kingdom. Satan’s kingdom is not hurt by churches that operate as social clubs. Neither is his kingdom hindered by preachers who find “religion” an ego trip and who are only intellectually involved in the technicalities of Scripture. Such know nothing about the power of the Holy Spirit.
Satan’s kingdom is not bothered by the size of a church’s membership roll. It’s a question of whether lives are changed and transformed by the Spirit of God. The “proper” churches don’t pose a threat to Satan, for they concentrate on the same old safe places and involve themselves only in matters that are “socially acceptable” to the broadest possible cross-section of the population. It is only when Spirit-filled Christians move in unity of fellowship and in the power of God that there’s a threat to the kingdom of Satan. Then he fights against it with all the powers of Hell.
Being Spirit-filled does not render immunity to difficulties created by Satan. As in the case of Stephen, a strong stand for Christ has resulted in martyrdom for many. It is evident from Scripture that Stephen was not only Spirit-filled but that he was working at his relationship with the Lord. He proclaimed the Gospel every chance he could. The sick were healed and the lives were transformed.
It was the same religious leaders who had crucified Christ who engineered Stephen’s death (Acts 6:11-12). The same is true today. It is the community leaders of the “establishment” churches who stand up and denounce the mighty moving of God’s Spirit. And all too often, it is the influence of the organized religions that discourages the impressionable and prevents them from moving forward to the true power and might of God as demonstrated through the Holy Spirit.
Another deacon — philip
Philip was another Spirit-filled deacon of the early church. Philip preached Christ to the city of Samaria (Acts 8:5). Scripture says that with one accord the people gave heed unto the things which Philip spake. They had seen the miracles he had performed under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:7-8).
The people gladly received the Word of God, and many believed and were baptized when Peter and John arrived to continue Philip’s ministry (Acts 8:14).
Besides preaching, Peter and John prayed for the people to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15). Scripture describes their relationship with the Holy Spirit in this way: “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:16-17). The people believed and had been baptized, so when hands were laid on them and prayers made, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Some churches teach that when you become saved, there is nothing else to receive. They claim that there is no more, that you have received the Holy Spirit. But in Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, and 19, we read of Christians being filled with the Holy Spirit some time after they have been saved. Of course, the Holy Spirit plays an essential role in a person’s salvation, but this is not what is referred to in Acts 1:8. This says, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you.”
This is not the relationship in the Holy Spirit which brought you to salvation. This is not the drawing spoken of by Jesus in John 6:44. This is an immersion in His being and power — which is generally referred to as “the baptism in the Holy Spirit.”
The baptism in the Holy Spirit must follow salvation. While it can occur just minutes or seconds later, it must come after salvation and is not an “automatic” part of salvation.
The sinner comes forth to receive salvation. It is the saved person who comes forth to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Every single account in Acts demonstrates this. Acts 8 clearly states that the people believed and were baptized. But it wasn’t until after Peter and John came — and prayed for them to be baptized in the Holy Spirit — that this actually took place.
They had been baptized in water, and they had experienced the joy of salvation. Great things had been happening through the Holy Spirit power residing in Philip. Demons had been cast out, sick bodies had been healed, and the signs of a great revival were present. But the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on these people prior to the visit of Peter and John. All this occurred, of course, after the Day of Pentecost and the initial outpouring of the Spirit. So when Peter and John prayed for the people, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Simon’S request
Among the Believers in Samaria (and also baptized in water) was a man named Simon, a sorcerer who had amassed great wealth by bewitching people with his sorcery. When he saw hands laid on the Believers and their receiving the Holy Spirit, Simon offered money to the Apostles if they would teach him to deliver the baptism of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17-18).
Obviously something unusual had to have happened to these people or Simon would not have been willing to pay hard cash for a “franchise” offering it. There had to be evidence that something tangible had occurred. Simon the sorcerer was not, of course, properly motivated, nor did he understand what was involved. Peter rebuked him severely and advised repentance (Acts 8:20-23). It is apparent from this account that they were praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit after conversion — and that something unique (which a man like Simon could misunderstand and desire for selfish purposes) had occurred.
Simon did have powers, and as a sorcerer he had seen unusual things done. He was not particularly impressed with healings and some of the other phenomena, but this experience impressed him.
In Acts, Chapters 2, 10, and 19, the people spoke with other tongues as they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. There are other evidences characterizing Spirit-filled Believers, but this was the basic, common evidence which was initially demonstrated by those baptized in the Holy Spirit. It was immediately recognizable by all observers as an evidence of the baptism. Quite obviously what impressed Simon was this same evidence that had occurred on the Day of Pentecost.
The apostle paul
Saul (later to go by the name Paul) was severely persecuting the Believers in Christ when he met the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. As Jesus spoke to him, Saul was blinded by a light from Heaven, and his vision was lost for three days. During this period he fasted. Then the Lord spoke to Ananias (not the husband of Sapphira mentioned earlier), a devout Disciple who was directed to the place where Saul was abiding.
Ananias went to Saul and prayed for him to receive his sight again, and also to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. His sight was restored, and he was also filled with the Holy Spirit. As in Acts 8, it can be concluded that the initial evidence was speaking in tongues, because he is later recorded (in I Corinthians 14:18) as saying, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues.”
Transformed by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul went on to become what is generally conceded to be the greatest missionary statesmen of all time. He was led by God to bring many to Christ, to establish churches on his missionary journey, and to write many of the books of the New Testament under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
A man named cornelius
In the Tenth Chapter of Acts, we find a discussion of the Work of the Holy Spirit in the early church. Much of this chapter deals with a man by the name of Cornelius. A centurion (the captain over a troop of Roman soldiers) and a devout man who feared God “with all his house,” Cornelius was a man who gave much alms to the poor. He also spent much time in prayer.
Cornelius received a vision. An Angel spoke to him and told him about Peter (Acts 10:1-7). Simon Peter had a vision at the same time, and this concerned Cornelius who was at that moment dispatching messengers to bring Peter to him. As Peter pondered the meaning of his vision, the Spirit of God informed him that three men were seeking him (Acts 10:19) and that he was to go with them. When Cornelius met Peter, he fell down at his feet and worshiped him (Acts 10:25-26). Peter was embarrassed and told him to stand up since he too was just a man.
Cornelius described to Peter how for four days he had fasted and prayed, and how God had sent him a vision (Acts 10:30-33). A number of people had gathered at the house of Cornelius, and as Peter spoke the Holy Spirit fell on them. The Bible records that those who experienced the baptism at this time spoke with other tongues, and magnified God (Acts 10:44-46).
Though the Hebrews were surprised that the Holy Spirit had thus fallen upon the Gentiles, they now realized that Jesus came not only for the Jews but for all mankind. Gradually, this point was becoming evident to the Hebrew Believers, but it proved a difficult lesson for some of them to absorb.
Many of those who walked with Jesus would remember His words, as well as those of John the Baptist. John had declared that he would baptize with water, but that the Messiah (whom he was proclaiming) would baptize in the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8).
The realization of this promise was delivered not only on the Day of Pentecost, but also subsequent to it, right up to this day. And it should be obvious from reading the Word of God that associated with this baptism is the fact of speaking in tongues.
Another group speaks in tongues
Another account of great significance is found in Acts 19. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul — having passed through the upper coasts — came to Ephesus and found a group of Disciples. Paul asked these Believers, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”
They told Paul that they had “not so much as heard whether there would be any Holy Spirit.” They further informed him that they had received John’s baptism, the water baptism of repentance. As Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, they were saved and baptized. But suddenly, “When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). Once again, it is absolutely evident that the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit was accompanied by speaking in other tongues! This is the initial evidence!
It is also obvious that these Believers were asked if they had received the Holy Spirit. The question takes into consideration that they were Believers (saved and baptized). So by asking the question, Paul documents that salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are not simultaneous experiences. You can be saved and not filled with the Holy Spirit!
As we have discussed previously, there are those who insist that a person does not need this experience, claiming it is automatically received at the time of salvation. But obviously, based on the question asked by Paul, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and unique experience for Believers. And Paul is, I believe, a Christian authority second only to Jesus Christ Himself.
Others claim that the only time the Holy Spirit came upon individuals in a dramatic fashion (as they were filled with the Holy Spirit) was on the Day of Pentecost. But some of these experiences we have been relating happening long after the Day of Pentecost. And these were not isolated occurrences; they happened all through the book of Acts which describes the history of the early church over an extended period. This, plus the fact that the same phenomena are happening today, would seem to satisfy all but the most obstinate that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not an unusual occurrence; that it was not for a short or isolated period in history; that it is indeed associated with speaking in tongues unknown to the speaker; and that it is happening today!
A spirit-empowered church
The early church experienced mighty moves of the Holy Spirit as people were baptized in the Spirit. It happened to individuals and entire groups, and it would appear that all spoke with other tongues and prophesied.
These manifestations continued to be observed throughout First-century Christianity, and they are happening today.
The Believer, in the time of the New Testament, came to understand what the baptism in the Holy Spirit involved. It is sometimes overlooked that the Epistles (which constitute a major part of the New Testament) were written to Spirit-filled Believers by Spirit-filled Believers.
Sometimes correction and instruction are necessary to correct abuses, as in the Epistles to the Corinthians. But the early Believers understood the Spirit-inspired Scriptures for they were Spirit-filled themselves.
The early church was indeed Spirit-led, Spirit-filled, and composed of Believers baptized in the Holy Spirit. The great advances they accomplished were indeed the acts of the Holy Spirit working through Spirit-filled Believers.
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