Pentecostal Power

Pentecost Sunday is the day churches celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.1-21. Luke, the disciple, mentions the coming of the Holy Spirit first in his gospel account (Lk 24.49) and I particularly appreciate the translation 'clothed with power from on high'. In these words, three ideas are given but I will focus on the aspect of power.

'Power'

What is this power? I ask this question because power is often associated with evil, the wish to hurt and harm others. Men and women lust after power, lust to exercise power over others for their own ends and to the misery of others.

Contrariwise, Jesus' use of his Holy In-Spirited power was to do good, to release others from the grip of Satan's bondage, to bring light into darkness. 

He was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power (Acts 10.38), and went around doing good and healing people oppressed by the devil. Jesus delivered those imprisoned in the devil's clutches.

And what Jesus began, the church of God continued under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit and with power, so were his chosen apostles.  

'Power' is one of the common themes in the Lucan gospel account (Lk 24.49) and The Acts (see Acts 1.8) coupled with the descent of the Spirit upon the waiting disciples. We also know that 'signs and wonders' are connected to continuing work of the Spirit within the community of faith (Acts 4.30-31; 5.12, 15-16 etc) particularly through the apostles. 

When these signs and wonders are examined they all have this same liberating* character (Acts 3.8; 9.32-35; 9.36-41; 14.8-10; 19.11-12; 28.5-6, 8-9) as found in Jesus' ministry. By this means, the apostles and disciples fulfill the words of Jesus, 'As the father has sent Me, so I am sending you' (Jn 20.21).

*Except for a few which evidence judgement. Judgement is also an aspect of God's dealing with mankind (e.g., Acts 5. 1-11; 8.20-24; 10.42; 17.30-31; 24.25) and demonstrates that God will in no wise ignore the cry of those unjustly treated. 

The Power of Pentecost

It's Pentecost Today! (Well yesterday it was anyway!) You know, the day the Church of 120 in the first century got its first dose of the Holy Spirit with power.

Being brought up in the AoG in the 50s and 60s we knew Acts 2.1-4 off by heart because we heard and we sang it often. In the church I was in, the choir used to sing a rendition of this passage and I can hear that choir's recital coursing through my heart's memory as I write this.

This filling with the Holy Spirit equipped the Church for service and the service was for the salvation of those around. It was not just for the edification of the apostles and disciples but for the salvation of others. That's the whole business of the gospel which is 'the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes' (Rom 1.16).

But Pentecost had been celebrated and still is within the Jewish community. Pentecost (denoting 50th day) was the 50th day after the Exodus reaching to the giving of the Law at Sinai. The day was associated with the harvest of first-fruits so one could understand the respondents to Peter's message to be an in-gathering of the First Fruits.

Interestingly this Feast is regarded as second only after Easter. Hence, although much is made of the Incarnation, Pentecost is considered more important by the Church.

Prayer
We also have today a number of strange practices abroad in the Church including praying directly to the Holy Spirit for which no biblical warrant exists. (In fact, it's hard to find any prayers in the New Testament addressed directly to the ascended Son either.) We should always pray to the Father through the Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. All Paul's prayers follow this model.

An Inspired Sermon On The Power Of Praise

Recently a gifted friend of mine sent me a sermon she had written in a few days before delivering it on a Sunday in January 2012.

The sermon is about praise and the power of praise to rout the enemy of our souls. It begs to be read! It touches on the theme of God's glory! Read it HERE.