The Promise Still Alive: Welcoming the Holy Spirit This Pentecost
As we approach Pentecost Sunday, we are reminded of a powerful promise Jesus made to His disciples and all believers: the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would empower us to live out God's call on our lives. This is not just an event that happened long ago, but a promise that remains relevant and available to us today. This morning, I was reminded of the words of E.M. Bounds, who affirmed the ongoing gift of the Holy Spirit. “Pentecost is not merely a historical moment, but a living reality for us.” As we prepare for Pentecost Sunday, let us reflect on the scriptures that speak of this incredible promise.
Acts 1:4-5 (KJV) “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
Here, Jesus gives clear instructions to His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were eager, but they had to wait, trusting in God’s timing. This waiting wasn’t in vain; it was a moment of preparation for the incredible power that was about to be poured out upon them.
Acts 2:3-4 (KJV) “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The promise Jesus made was fulfilled, and the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were empowered to speak and act in ways that went beyond their own abilities. The Holy Spirit was not just a presence, but an active force that transformed not only their lives but also the lives of those around them.
I find it interesting that the Holy Spirit wasn’t breathed onto the apostles immediately after Jesus’ ascension, but several days later. During that time, the disciples and the women who followed Jesus spent their days in prayer. E.M. Bounds states, "The answer is found in the fact that His disciples, with the women, spent several days in the Upper Room, in continued prayer." It was in their prayerful waiting that they experienced a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Bounds believed that prayer could bring Pentecost today. He wrote, “Prayer can bring a Pentecost today if there is the same kind of praying, for the promise has not lost its power and vitality.” This is a powerful reminder that Pentecost is not just something to commemorate, but something to experience and celebrate. The promise of the Holy Spirit is still alive today.
Sadly, we often see a form of “Church Lite” today—faith that is watered down and doesn’t expect the miraculous to happen. We’ve conformed our worship to the world rather than calling the world to be transformed by the power of God. But we need not settle for a weak faith. God still wants to fill us with God’s Holy Spirit and empower us to do God’s work in the world.
Many of us have heard stories of people who have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit—people who have prayed with such conviction that lives were changed, healing took place, and God's presence was felt in undeniable ways. These stories are not just past events; they are reminders that the same Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost is still available to us today.
As we prepare for Pentecost this Sunday, let us not only celebrate the event but also pray for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts afresh. Let’s believe, as Jesus’ disciples did, that the Comforter is still coming to guide, empower, and strengthen us for the work ahead.
A Call to Pray Together: I invite you to join me in prayer, as the disciples did, to wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, our church, and our community. If you are interested in in-person prayer, let’s gather to pray at the church on either Wednesday or Saturday at 12 p.m. Together, we can invite the Holy Spirit of God into our lives and the world around us.
If you're interested, please don't hesitate to contact me. Let’s gather in faith and expectation, trusting that God will fulfill God’s promises once again.
Closing Prayer: God of Pentecost, thank You for the Holy Spirit, a promise that remains powerful. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit, as You did for the disciples. Empower us to witness, live Your call, and share Your love and truth with the world. We wait expectantly and pray fervently, trusting You will fill us with Your presence. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Written by Rev. Kay Dubuisson
Acts 1:4-5 (KJV) “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
Here, Jesus gives clear instructions to His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were eager, but they had to wait, trusting in God’s timing. This waiting wasn’t in vain; it was a moment of preparation for the incredible power that was about to be poured out upon them.
Acts 2:3-4 (KJV) “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The promise Jesus made was fulfilled, and the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were empowered to speak and act in ways that went beyond their own abilities. The Holy Spirit was not just a presence, but an active force that transformed not only their lives but also the lives of those around them.
I find it interesting that the Holy Spirit wasn’t breathed onto the apostles immediately after Jesus’ ascension, but several days later. During that time, the disciples and the women who followed Jesus spent their days in prayer. E.M. Bounds states, "The answer is found in the fact that His disciples, with the women, spent several days in the Upper Room, in continued prayer." It was in their prayerful waiting that they experienced a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Bounds believed that prayer could bring Pentecost today. He wrote, “Prayer can bring a Pentecost today if there is the same kind of praying, for the promise has not lost its power and vitality.” This is a powerful reminder that Pentecost is not just something to commemorate, but something to experience and celebrate. The promise of the Holy Spirit is still alive today.
Sadly, we often see a form of “Church Lite” today—faith that is watered down and doesn’t expect the miraculous to happen. We’ve conformed our worship to the world rather than calling the world to be transformed by the power of God. But we need not settle for a weak faith. God still wants to fill us with God’s Holy Spirit and empower us to do God’s work in the world.
Many of us have heard stories of people who have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit—people who have prayed with such conviction that lives were changed, healing took place, and God's presence was felt in undeniable ways. These stories are not just past events; they are reminders that the same Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost is still available to us today.
As we prepare for Pentecost this Sunday, let us not only celebrate the event but also pray for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts afresh. Let’s believe, as Jesus’ disciples did, that the Comforter is still coming to guide, empower, and strengthen us for the work ahead.
A Call to Pray Together: I invite you to join me in prayer, as the disciples did, to wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, our church, and our community. If you are interested in in-person prayer, let’s gather to pray at the church on either Wednesday or Saturday at 12 p.m. Together, we can invite the Holy Spirit of God into our lives and the world around us.
If you're interested, please don't hesitate to contact me. Let’s gather in faith and expectation, trusting that God will fulfill God’s promises once again.
Closing Prayer: God of Pentecost, thank You for the Holy Spirit, a promise that remains powerful. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit, as You did for the disciples. Empower us to witness, live Your call, and share Your love and truth with the world. We wait expectantly and pray fervently, trusting You will fill us with Your presence. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Written by Rev. Kay Dubuisson
Posted in Mid-Week Devotional
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