Like A Rushing Wind
This past Sunday, the church celebrated the day we call Pentecost. In the Jewish culture, you might hear this day referred to as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot.
This festival has a two fold meaning. The holiday is a harvest time celebration, thanking the Lord for plentiful crops and provision. It is also a time of gratitude and reflection, as the children of Israel remembers their miraculous escape from Egypt, by the hand of God. From the time the death angel passed over the homes with lamb’s blood on the door post, to the day they found themselves at the foot of Mt Sinai listening to Moses read the law that was given from Yahweh, was exactly fifty days. The first covenant made with God’s chosen people.
In case you are wondering, the word Pentecost is greek and actually means “fifty” (And if you weren’t, then you just got a freebee trivia question answer).
Picture the scene:
It has been fifty days since the disciples celebrated the Passover supper with their Master. Still struggling through the death, burial and resurrection of their Messiah, they are all gathered in the upper room, to celebrate Shavuot- some 120 of Christ’s followers, but they were also being obedient. Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Helper comes.
They did not know what that meant.
They did not understand what that was supposed to look like.
But still they came and prayed and worshipped and fellowshipped and celebrated and waited.
Then a sound like a mighty, rushing wind could be heard, but nothing was blowing. No one’s hair was moving, curtains remained in place and everything on the table remained steady. I image this sound, which came from heaven we are told, was something spectacularly tremendous to behold and perhaps a little frightening.
Then, in the midst of the noise, fire in the shape of tongues, began to rest over the top of their heads. This was the filling of the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance. This is the sealing of the new covenant with God’s chosen people, both Jew and Gentile.
Too often, churches will focus on the wrong things in these passages from Acts chapter 2, specifically the filling of the Holy Spirit. Most of the time they want to emphasize speaking in tongues, either because they don’t believe it is still for today or on the opposite spectrum, because they do.
Today I will not be debating gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues, and signs and wonders for our generation, but something far more important and largely lost on the masses.
The Gift
If we gloss over the actual gift and run straight to one, tiny function, as if that holds more weight and value, we cheapen the Presence indeed.
The Holy Spirit is a person. It is the third person of the Trinity- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three in one. He demands awe and respect, just as much as the Father and Son, and not to be merely reduced to just some “thing” from the Bible.
He was foretold to come by Jesus, Himself and He is an invaluable treasure we have been given. (John 14:16-26) This sealing of the saints, is meant to equip you, prepare you and keep you until you either leave this world and go home to glory, or the trumpet sounds and we see the return of our King.
Let us now look at some ways, per scripture, that the Holy Spirit is meant to assist us in our faith walk.
The giving of wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:17, Colossians 1:9b)
Leads our path and direction in life (Matthew 4:1, Galatians 5:18)
He speaks through us (Matthew 10:20)
Mighty power resides in us (Acts 1:8, Romans, 15:18-19a, 2 Timothy 1:7)
Teaches us all things concerning His kingdom (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:13)
We are born again through Him (John 3:5, 8b, Titus 3:5)
Always points us to truth (John 16:13a, 1 John 5:6b)
Our human vessel is His home (Acts 2:4a, Acts 2: 38, Ephesians 5:18)
Helps us to be bold for the sake of Jesus (Acts 4:31)
He is our encourager (Acts 9:31)
Our mighty Intercessor (Romans 8:26-27)
Sanctification (Romans 15:16b, 1 Peter 1:2a)
Gives freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17)
Power to have victory over sin (Galatians 5:16)
Much fruit is developed in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
The source of our strength (Ephesians 3:16)
This is quite the list, and not exhaustive. As I stated previously, to merely focus on, and even argue over, one aspect of the Holy Spirit’s power, is such a disservice to the Person He is. The Advocate is here to help us with every step on our journey to the Promised Land.
How often do you tap into the power house that lives literally inside of you? Do you call on His name when you need leading? Do you cry out to Him for wisdom when facing a difficult decision?
Pulled by temptation and distractions? He can help with that.
Confused when reading the scriptures and need extra understanding? The Holy Spirit can unlock the Bible to you like never before.
Is your spiritual tank running low and you feel burnt out? Power, unlike anything of this world, is living inside of you.
Dear friends, do not overlook the greatness of the Gift, for just a small fraction of what He came to do. Speak to Him daily and ask Him to help you in areas you feel like you are lacking understanding, strength or wisdom.
Let us not get hyper fixated on one attribute, but instead, let us seek to gain greater knowledge about Who the Holy Spirit is as a whole person, the mission He was sent to fulfill and how we can have more of Him in our daily lives. The devil would love for us to continue to stumble around, blindly, because we do not know the legitimate power that is kept within our earthen vessels.
I mean, what would the Bride of Christ look like, if we walked in the fulness and the power of the Spirit?
The Church would be unstoppable!