Pentecost Sunday 2021: Whose Mark do you Bear?
A Life Surrounded, Saturated and Overflowing with the Power of God
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Every believer and disciple of Jesus Christ must be SURROUNDED, SATURATED and OVERFLOWING with the Power of God through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives is the MARK of God on our lives that guarantees “our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession”. (Ephesians 1:14)
That’s right.
To Believe in Christ’s Salvation AND be Baptized in the Holy Spirit for divinely-empowered witness is REQUIRED of every born-again believer and disciple of Jesus Christ. (Ref: Ephesians 1:13-14)
That is exactly what Christ spoke about when He said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[ gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5-6)
You may have been born of water; but are you born of the Holy Spirit?
To be saved and marked as God’s possession is to be baptized in the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus opened our minds – that we may “understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45) – that He has suffered and risen “from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47)
Who will preach His Gospel?
We will; and we must!
SURROUNDED
But only when we have received what our Heavenly Father has promised – to be “clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
To be “clothed with power from on high” – is to be SURROUNDED by the Power of God.
Just as our clothing intimately touches our skin, the power of God must intimately touch our lives;
Just as our clothing protects us from exposure to the elements of the world, the power of God must be our protection from the insidious elements of worldliness and schemes of the evil one; and
Just as our clothing defines us and expresses who we are, the power of God must define our lives – our purposes, enterprises and aspirations and reality - in the sacred and sole expression that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
SATURATED AND OVERFLOWING
Yet again, our Lord Jesus reiterates:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(Acts 1:4-8)
The earliest disciples obeyed this command.
Have you?
Do you obediently remain in ‘Jerusalem’ (Note in our context: God’s Holy Presence), and earnestly wait for the gift promised by our Heavenly Father – the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Are you desperate for the Promised Holy Spirit?
Do you even want this gift?
Know that if you do not want it, it ceases to be a gift but a burden.
Never treat the promised gift of the Holy Spirit lightly or with contempt.
Our Lord Jesus warns us in Matthew 12:31-32:
“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
To which, the Apostle Paul resonates in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20:
“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat (His gift of) prophecies with contempt”
Are you daily wanting, and waiting, to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?
You must want the Holy Spirit.
If you do not, you need to question the genuineness of your commitment to follow Jesus.
No one can ever follow Jesus without the Power of God upon your life.
The Great Commission is the defining mission of every Christian.
No one can fulfill the Great Commission, unless empowered by the Holy Spirit.
True disciples of Jesus Christ would rather die, then live without the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit upon their lives.
We must be baptized in both water and fire; we must die to our old selves, and arise to new life with Christ by the Power of His Holy Spirit – “who raised Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11)
Are you saturated with the Holy Spirit and overflowing with His Power?
That is the central question of every Christian.
In fact, when asked about restoring “the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6) – which was clearly on the minds of the disciples then - Christ shuts them down immediately by alluding rather, to the restoration of the soon-to-be-established Church (New Israel) to the Kingdom of God by getting to work on “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20) with the Power they will receive when the Holy Spirit saturates and overflows their lives.
And then it happens… … the Church was born!
Acts 2:1-4 - The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
There is no doubt.
Every disciple of Jesus Christ who was baptized with the Holy Spirit “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Every disciple of Jesus Christ spoke in tongues as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
This is not a recommended outcome of being baptized with the Holy Spirit; it is the required outcome.
It is a tragic mistake to think that to be baptized with the Holy Spirit does not necessarily mean that one must speak in other tongues.
The reason given is that there were many speakers of foreign native languages present who were both “amazed and perplexed” when they heard the Spirit-baptized disciples of Jesus declare “the wonders of God” in their own tongues. (Acts 2:8-11)
Yes, it might be so – that they heard the disciples praising and glorifying God in their native language; but as far as the disciples were concerned, they were speaking in a language completely unknown to them – they were speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them.
Do not be cheated of the signs and wonders that come with God’s salvation upon your life through Christ Jesus.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit must completely transform your reality to make you so excited, and so ‘on-fire’ – literally, for God and His Gospel; that you want to shout it from the mountaintop with absolutely no reservations at all.
But the first step is to surrender your tongue to the Holy Spirit – that He would enable you to speak, and pray, in other tongues.
That means, you must cease to pray in your own native tongue; and trust the Power of God upon your tongue.
Begin by wanting the Spirit’s baptism; and His gift of speaking in tongues.
And then, spontaneously utter your prayer in faith and boldness.
Don’t think; pray.
Believe in God’s Salvation and Power in your life.
That’s exactly what happened with the disciples in that place.
They utterly wanted; and waited, for the Promised Gift; and they saw the fire of God coming down to “rest on each of them”.
The Spirit-baptism of the earliest disciples resulted in the Gospel being preached in tongues as enabled by the Holy Spirit.
Stop settling for anything less; and most certainly, being deceived or worse, deceiving yourself.
Our experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit must be precisely the same.
For upon the Spirit’s enabling to pray – and preach – in tongues; the Spirit-gift of wisdom, knowledge, supernatural faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues (Ref: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) saturated and overflowed Peter’s life whereupon he “stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
“Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Acts 2:14-21 – Emphasis mine)
In one of the most impactful sermons preached in the history of the Church (where after which three thousand were saved – Acts 2:41), the Apostle Peter – surrounded, saturated and overflowing with the Power of the Holy Spirit – laid out the imminent timeline of the Church alongside the days of Man till the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. “In the last days… …I will pour out my Spirit on all my people” (Acts 2:17a)
The Church is birthed in the last days; energized, and empowered through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We are living in the last days; and we can only be truly alive when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit and filled with His Power.
2. “Your sons and daughters will prophesy… I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below…” (Acts 2:17b-19a)
For Spirit-filled people of God, our identity and expression in life is clear.
With the Holy Spirit poured out on us, and in our utter desire to be daily baptized in Him to receive power to be Christ’s witness - we will prophesy; in proclamation of the Gospel message alongside the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember Mark 16:19-20:
“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.”
And what are the “accompanying signs”?
To the disciples then, and to us today, our Lord Jesus reveals that by the Power of the Holy Spirit upon us:
“In His name we will drive out demons;
we will speak in new languages;
we will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison we drink will not harm them;
we will place our hands on the sick and they will be well.” (Mark 16:17-18)
Indeed, as People of God – these signs must be an integral part of our lives.
3. “… blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood… …” (Acts 2:19b-20a)
These are the days leading up to the Great Tribulation.
4. “…before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”
From now till then, we are living in the days leading up to our Lord Jesus Christ returning, to gather the church to Himself in the air in the imminent event known as the Rapture – fulfilling the divine promise that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21) and in His Sovereign time, inherit His Kingdom. (Ref: 1 Corinthians 6:9)
This is our simple Gospel message.
Of course, there is more to simply calling on the Name of the Lord.
Remember that this passage started with:
“In the last days, I will pour out my Holy Spirit on my people…” (Acts 2:17);
We are informed – categorically and indisputably - that Salvation through Christ and Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit (baptism in water and fire) is one and the same in essence; of which both must be experienced, embraced and manifestly expressed.
There is no escaping this biblical reality.
Every true disciple of Jesus Christ must believe in Him AND receive the Power of the Holy Spirit to be His witness in a life filled with miraculous signs and wonders.
There is nothing quiet about being a true Christian.
In fact, to the world, there must be an unsettling and turbulent disquiet about us that either provokes an ungodly defiance or incites a conviction towards repentance before the living God.
The supernatural life must be natural to us.
God’s miracles in and through our lives must be the norm and standard for us.
Each and every day, we must be found overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we are alone at work or at home doing our chores, we must be found praying in tongues.
Whenever we get the chance to pray for anyone, we must actively pray for God’s miracles – in the Name of Jesus – in casting out demons, healing the sick, freeing the bondage; even raising the dead!
With the power of the Holy Spirit - who gives us wisdom, knowledge, supernatural faith, the ability to heal, deliver, restore, discern between spirits, speak in tongues and interpret (Ref: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) - we must be found taking every opportunity to pray for God’s miracles upon our spouses, our children, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – fervently and utterly desiring for our Lord Jesus to be right here with us.
We must be completely open to the Power of God to overflow our lives – through the Spirit’s baptism - because that is simply what it means to be a Christian.
Our mouths must be completely ready and willing to pray in tongues as the Spirit enables – because that is simply the gateway to all the Spirit-gifts that defines us as Christian.
A jar with a lid can contain nothing.
Only with the lid off, can the jar become useful.
You may think that you are insignificant in the divine scheme of God’s Kingdom work in the world.
Take off your lid and be filled with the Power of God!
Even then, some may believe the jar small, and thus, inconsequential.
If you are only willing to contain within your capacity, you are certainly limited; and therefore, needlessly inconsequential.
However, if you are willing to overflow, your jar - no matter the size - can hold all the water in the lakes of the world and the seven seas.
You must be willing to overflow.
We have heard it said, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”; and it must certainly be true for us - all the time - when we consider the monumental and impossible task of preaching the Gospel of God’s Kingdom to a defiant world.
But through our unreserved willingness to be filled with the power of Holy Spirit, though our flesh is weak - God is strong; His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness. (Ref: 2 Corinthians 12:9)
What remains for us is to completely trust, obey and follow our Lord!
And more importantly, with the power of God in our lives, our perspective is transformed and becomes truly divine.
We see what God sees; we hear what God tells us; we walk where our Shepherd goes and we do what God commands – by the Spirit’s Power.
In being baptized in the Holy Spirit, our lives overflow - becoming “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
“37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:37-39)
The Christian must overflow with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.
For only the Holy Spirit can gives us the supernatural perspective and the corresponding power to really focus on God and His Kingdom; and to realise the fact – and listen carefully here - that the central and main character of History (His Story) is Jesus Christ our Lord, our Saviour and our King.
If we were truly filled with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit, we would utterly focus on the Lord Jesus and His work of preaching the Gospel to inbreak the Kingdom of God.
Christ alone takes centerstage; Christ alone is the focus; and through Christ, all becomes clear.
It is not any mere human being, most certainly not the devil, or any of the dark characters or entities that will be revealed in the days of the Great Tribulation that will take centerstage in human history; Christ alone takes centerstage!
The baptism of the Holy Spirit and the End Times
In the weeks past, we have been covering the various topics of Christian Eschatology - the part of theology regarding death, final judgment, and destiny of all of humankind.
Last Sunday in particular, we spoke about the days leading up to the Great Tribulation where the “antichrist” (Ref: 1 John 2:22) - “the man of lawlessness” (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:3); or as Christ revealed, “the abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15) - sets himself before the world as god in the temple of Jerusalem – unifying all the religions in the world.
The question we must ask ourselves this Pentecost Sunday is:
What has the Spirit’s baptism have anything to do with the End Times, namely the Rapture and the Great Tribulation?
In the days leading to the Rapture, we must bear testimony to Christ and stand firmly and victoriously in Him – which really means that we must be surrounded, saturated and overflowing (with “rivers of living water” – John 7:38) with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.
But upon the Rapture, as the Great Tribulation sets upon the earth devoid of true believers, and the wrath of God is poured out upon a defiant humanity now ruled by the second beast – the “abomination that causes desolation” – who:
“… …forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom.
Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.
That number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18)
And so, when we are informed of the “abomination”, the antichrist; the second beast forcing every living inhabitant left during the Great Tribulation to receive the mark – which is “the name of the beast or the number of its name”, if our focus is wrong, we would get worried.
But if our focus is right on Jesus, we would become more and more hopeful, more and more victorious day by day – for we live in the power of His Holy Spirit.
The world is worried.
When the world considers the end of the world, there is a staunch fixation and focus on the antichrist, and the agents of the devil.
The number of shows produced about the End Times is clear evidence of the world’s unholy addiction to devastation and everything demonic; out of an unspoken and underlying fear of what lays ahead, the worst is always expected.
And rightfully so.
This is important; and bears repetition.
Why shouldn’t you and I be concerned about knowing who the beast is… or what to do during the Tribulation?
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR IT.
And why will we not be around for it?
Because we would have been gathered to be with Jesus Christ.
While the world enters the season of the Great Tribulation, we will celebrate with our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Reunion.
Though it is not yet the “wedding supper of the lamb” (Revelation 19:9) - which heralds the ultimate inbreaking of God’s eternal Kingdom - it is the Great Reunion nonetheless.
But what has the Spirit’s baptism on all true believers have anything to do with the Great Tribulation where all people are forced to receive the mark of the beast?
With the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the speaking in tongues as enabled by the Spirit, every true believer of Jesus receives the mark of God – Christ’s “name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”
That’s right.
We are sealed with the mark of Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, when we are truly baptized in the Holy Spirit.
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:4)
The Apostle Paul writes:
“13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
“5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 5:5)
Here’s the deal for us.
When we believe in God’s Salvation through Christ, and receive the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit - what happens to us is that we receive the mark of the Lamb of God.
Indeed, we will also receive a mark on our foreheads - but it will be the Names of our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ placed upon us by the Holy Spirit when we were baptized in His Power!
We, who are believers and disciples of Jesus Christ – who bear the holy mark of God - must strive to fill the world with His glorious Presence by the Power of the Holy Spirit surrounding, saturating and overflowing our lives.
Do not be concerned with the mark of the beast; be focused instead, on the central character of HiStory – our Lord Jesus Christ - and be deeply concerned about receiving His mark on our foreheads.
The mark of the Lamb (Rev 14:1, 22:4) is synonymous to being sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14, Eph 4:30)
If God has given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit, sealed for the day of redemption having been marked in Christ… what must we do?
In light of the fact that those who belong to God, through Jesus Christ must be sealed with the Holy Spirit who writes the name of God on our lives, what must we make sure of in our lives?
WE MUST RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – AND BE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION WITH THE MARK OF GOD!
We must receive the mark of Jesus Christ upon our entire life – our mind, our body, our soul and spirit.
Are you proud to wear the mark of Jesus Christ?
Are you proud to live out and reveal to the world that you are Christ’s disciple and an agent of the Holy Spirit?
True believers must receive the mark of God – which guarantees your place in the kingdom of God.
To know that you have received His mark is to live a life surrounded, saturated and overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit; imparted on you by prayers and received in faith - the act of faith, which is, your utter willingness to be completely open to the outpouring of the Spirit of God in your life – by beginning to open your mouth to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives you utterance – words that you will not understand… words that are heavenly in origin and nature.
The evidence is clear.
The first disciples of Christ spoke in “tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” and preached the Gospel when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ref: Acts 2:1- 4)
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
The Apostle Peter preached the Gospel in Acts 10:44-46 and “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised (Jews) who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
In Acts 19:1-6, “Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus.
There he found some disciples.
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
Every significant moment of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has led every true disciple of Jesus Christ to begin speaking in tongues and prophesying.
My counsel to you today is just keep waiting upon God and praying for His Presence and Power to come upon you – as did the earliest Apostles.
In boldness and faith, loosen and surrender control of your tongue to the Holy Spirit … and I assure you that you will receive the Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit.
“ ‘Out of your heart will flow rivers of living water’
Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive.”
(John 7:38-39)
You will begin to pray in tongues as the Spirit enables you; and you will find yourself empowered at the gateway to the infinite expressions of Spirit-gifts that would enable you to be Christ’s witness – and the evidence that you are God’s possession; sealed for the day of redemption with the mark of God.
I charge you today:
Keep praying till you start praying in tongues… and then continue praying in tongues and soon, you will begin manifesting every Spirit-gift God has intended for you so that you will become a supernatural witness for Jesus Christ – where miraculous signs and wonders will follow you.
Your life will, and must, overflow with the Power of God; because only then are you sealed with the mark of God on your life – and be assured that you belong to Him and be assured of your place in His Kingdom.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank You, O God, for Your Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, I ask that You would baptize me with Your Holy Spirit – that I would be surrounded, saturated, and overflow with Your Power to preach, prophesy and proclaim Your Gospel and living fully as Your Holy Witness.
Thank You for sealing me with the mark of God for the day of redemption; when You return to rule and reign forevermore.
Holy Spirit, I utterly ask that You fill me daily with Your Presence, Purpose and Power – that I may speak in holy tongues, in praying the Sovereign Will of our Heavenly Father – as You alone enable me.
Grant me the boldness and faith to surrender my life utterly to You; beginning with my tongue. Grant me, I plea, the gift of speaking in tongues – the language of Your Kingdom – as did every Apostle, and every true believer who bears Your Name on their forehead.
Make me utterly Yours, Lord Jesus; make me like You.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Life Surrounded, Saturated and Overflowing with the Power of God
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Every believer and disciple of Jesus Christ must be SURROUNDED, SATURATED and OVERFLOWING with the Power of God through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives is the MARK of God on our lives that guarantees “our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession”. (Ephesians 1:14)
That’s right.
To Believe in Christ’s Salvation AND be Baptized in the Holy Spirit for divinely-empowered witness is REQUIRED of every born-again believer and disciple of Jesus Christ. (Ref: Ephesians 1:13-14)
That is exactly what Christ spoke about when He said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[ gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5-6)
You may have been born of water; but are you born of the Holy Spirit?
To be saved and marked as God’s possession is to be baptized in the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus opened our minds – that we may “understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45) – that He has suffered and risen “from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47)
Who will preach His Gospel?
We will; and we must!
SURROUNDED
But only when we have received what our Heavenly Father has promised – to be “clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
To be “clothed with power from on high” – is to be SURROUNDED by the Power of God.
Just as our clothing intimately touches our skin, the power of God must intimately touch our lives;
Just as our clothing protects us from exposure to the elements of the world, the power of God must be our protection from the insidious elements of worldliness and schemes of the evil one; and
Just as our clothing defines us and expresses who we are, the power of God must define our lives – our purposes, enterprises and aspirations and reality - in the sacred and sole expression that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
SATURATED AND OVERFLOWING
Yet again, our Lord Jesus reiterates:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(Acts 1:4-8)
The earliest disciples obeyed this command.
Have you?
Do you obediently remain in ‘Jerusalem’ (Note in our context: God’s Holy Presence), and earnestly wait for the gift promised by our Heavenly Father – the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Are you desperate for the Promised Holy Spirit?
Do you even want this gift?
Know that if you do not want it, it ceases to be a gift but a burden.
Never treat the promised gift of the Holy Spirit lightly or with contempt.
Our Lord Jesus warns us in Matthew 12:31-32:
“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
To which, the Apostle Paul resonates in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20:
“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat (His gift of) prophecies with contempt”
Are you daily wanting, and waiting, to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?
You must want the Holy Spirit.
If you do not, you need to question the genuineness of your commitment to follow Jesus.
No one can ever follow Jesus without the Power of God upon your life.
The Great Commission is the defining mission of every Christian.
No one can fulfill the Great Commission, unless empowered by the Holy Spirit.
True disciples of Jesus Christ would rather die, then live without the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit upon their lives.
We must be baptized in both water and fire; we must die to our old selves, and arise to new life with Christ by the Power of His Holy Spirit – “who raised Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11)
Are you saturated with the Holy Spirit and overflowing with His Power?
That is the central question of every Christian.
In fact, when asked about restoring “the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6) – which was clearly on the minds of the disciples then - Christ shuts them down immediately by alluding rather, to the restoration of the soon-to-be-established Church (New Israel) to the Kingdom of God by getting to work on “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20) with the Power they will receive when the Holy Spirit saturates and overflows their lives.
And then it happens… … the Church was born!
Acts 2:1-4 - The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
There is no doubt.
Every disciple of Jesus Christ who was baptized with the Holy Spirit “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Every disciple of Jesus Christ spoke in tongues as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
This is not a recommended outcome of being baptized with the Holy Spirit; it is the required outcome.
It is a tragic mistake to think that to be baptized with the Holy Spirit does not necessarily mean that one must speak in other tongues.
The reason given is that there were many speakers of foreign native languages present who were both “amazed and perplexed” when they heard the Spirit-baptized disciples of Jesus declare “the wonders of God” in their own tongues. (Acts 2:8-11)
Yes, it might be so – that they heard the disciples praising and glorifying God in their native language; but as far as the disciples were concerned, they were speaking in a language completely unknown to them – they were speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them.
Do not be cheated of the signs and wonders that come with God’s salvation upon your life through Christ Jesus.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit must completely transform your reality to make you so excited, and so ‘on-fire’ – literally, for God and His Gospel; that you want to shout it from the mountaintop with absolutely no reservations at all.
But the first step is to surrender your tongue to the Holy Spirit – that He would enable you to speak, and pray, in other tongues.
That means, you must cease to pray in your own native tongue; and trust the Power of God upon your tongue.
Begin by wanting the Spirit’s baptism; and His gift of speaking in tongues.
And then, spontaneously utter your prayer in faith and boldness.
Don’t think; pray.
Believe in God’s Salvation and Power in your life.
That’s exactly what happened with the disciples in that place.
They utterly wanted; and waited, for the Promised Gift; and they saw the fire of God coming down to “rest on each of them”.
The Spirit-baptism of the earliest disciples resulted in the Gospel being preached in tongues as enabled by the Holy Spirit.
Stop settling for anything less; and most certainly, being deceived or worse, deceiving yourself.
Our experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit must be precisely the same.
For upon the Spirit’s enabling to pray – and preach – in tongues; the Spirit-gift of wisdom, knowledge, supernatural faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues (Ref: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) saturated and overflowed Peter’s life whereupon he “stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
“Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Acts 2:14-21 – Emphasis mine)
In one of the most impactful sermons preached in the history of the Church (where after which three thousand were saved – Acts 2:41), the Apostle Peter – surrounded, saturated and overflowing with the Power of the Holy Spirit – laid out the imminent timeline of the Church alongside the days of Man till the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. “In the last days… …I will pour out my Spirit on all my people” (Acts 2:17a)
The Church is birthed in the last days; energized, and empowered through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We are living in the last days; and we can only be truly alive when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit and filled with His Power.
2. “Your sons and daughters will prophesy… I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below…” (Acts 2:17b-19a)
For Spirit-filled people of God, our identity and expression in life is clear.
With the Holy Spirit poured out on us, and in our utter desire to be daily baptized in Him to receive power to be Christ’s witness - we will prophesy; in proclamation of the Gospel message alongside the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember Mark 16:19-20:
“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.”
And what are the “accompanying signs”?
To the disciples then, and to us today, our Lord Jesus reveals that by the Power of the Holy Spirit upon us:
“In His name we will drive out demons;
we will speak in new languages;
we will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison we drink will not harm them;
we will place our hands on the sick and they will be well.” (Mark 16:17-18)
Indeed, as People of God – these signs must be an integral part of our lives.
3. “… blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood… …” (Acts 2:19b-20a)
These are the days leading up to the Great Tribulation.
4. “…before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”
From now till then, we are living in the days leading up to our Lord Jesus Christ returning, to gather the church to Himself in the air in the imminent event known as the Rapture – fulfilling the divine promise that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21) and in His Sovereign time, inherit His Kingdom. (Ref: 1 Corinthians 6:9)
This is our simple Gospel message.
Of course, there is more to simply calling on the Name of the Lord.
Remember that this passage started with:
“In the last days, I will pour out my Holy Spirit on my people…” (Acts 2:17);
We are informed – categorically and indisputably - that Salvation through Christ and Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit (baptism in water and fire) is one and the same in essence; of which both must be experienced, embraced and manifestly expressed.
There is no escaping this biblical reality.
Every true disciple of Jesus Christ must believe in Him AND receive the Power of the Holy Spirit to be His witness in a life filled with miraculous signs and wonders.
There is nothing quiet about being a true Christian.
In fact, to the world, there must be an unsettling and turbulent disquiet about us that either provokes an ungodly defiance or incites a conviction towards repentance before the living God.
The supernatural life must be natural to us.
God’s miracles in and through our lives must be the norm and standard for us.
Each and every day, we must be found overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we are alone at work or at home doing our chores, we must be found praying in tongues.
Whenever we get the chance to pray for anyone, we must actively pray for God’s miracles – in the Name of Jesus – in casting out demons, healing the sick, freeing the bondage; even raising the dead!
With the power of the Holy Spirit - who gives us wisdom, knowledge, supernatural faith, the ability to heal, deliver, restore, discern between spirits, speak in tongues and interpret (Ref: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) - we must be found taking every opportunity to pray for God’s miracles upon our spouses, our children, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – fervently and utterly desiring for our Lord Jesus to be right here with us.
We must be completely open to the Power of God to overflow our lives – through the Spirit’s baptism - because that is simply what it means to be a Christian.
Our mouths must be completely ready and willing to pray in tongues as the Spirit enables – because that is simply the gateway to all the Spirit-gifts that defines us as Christian.
A jar with a lid can contain nothing.
Only with the lid off, can the jar become useful.
You may think that you are insignificant in the divine scheme of God’s Kingdom work in the world.
Take off your lid and be filled with the Power of God!
Even then, some may believe the jar small, and thus, inconsequential.
If you are only willing to contain within your capacity, you are certainly limited; and therefore, needlessly inconsequential.
However, if you are willing to overflow, your jar - no matter the size - can hold all the water in the lakes of the world and the seven seas.
You must be willing to overflow.
We have heard it said, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”; and it must certainly be true for us - all the time - when we consider the monumental and impossible task of preaching the Gospel of God’s Kingdom to a defiant world.
But through our unreserved willingness to be filled with the power of Holy Spirit, though our flesh is weak - God is strong; His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness. (Ref: 2 Corinthians 12:9)
What remains for us is to completely trust, obey and follow our Lord!
And more importantly, with the power of God in our lives, our perspective is transformed and becomes truly divine.
We see what God sees; we hear what God tells us; we walk where our Shepherd goes and we do what God commands – by the Spirit’s Power.
In being baptized in the Holy Spirit, our lives overflow - becoming “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
“37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:37-39)
The Christian must overflow with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.
For only the Holy Spirit can gives us the supernatural perspective and the corresponding power to really focus on God and His Kingdom; and to realise the fact – and listen carefully here - that the central and main character of History (His Story) is Jesus Christ our Lord, our Saviour and our King.
If we were truly filled with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit, we would utterly focus on the Lord Jesus and His work of preaching the Gospel to inbreak the Kingdom of God.
Christ alone takes centerstage; Christ alone is the focus; and through Christ, all becomes clear.
It is not any mere human being, most certainly not the devil, or any of the dark characters or entities that will be revealed in the days of the Great Tribulation that will take centerstage in human history; Christ alone takes centerstage!
The baptism of the Holy Spirit and the End Times
In the weeks past, we have been covering the various topics of Christian Eschatology - the part of theology regarding death, final judgment, and destiny of all of humankind.
Last Sunday in particular, we spoke about the days leading up to the Great Tribulation where the “antichrist” (Ref: 1 John 2:22) - “the man of lawlessness” (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:3); or as Christ revealed, “the abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15) - sets himself before the world as god in the temple of Jerusalem – unifying all the religions in the world.
The question we must ask ourselves this Pentecost Sunday is:
What has the Spirit’s baptism have anything to do with the End Times, namely the Rapture and the Great Tribulation?
In the days leading to the Rapture, we must bear testimony to Christ and stand firmly and victoriously in Him – which really means that we must be surrounded, saturated and overflowing (with “rivers of living water” – John 7:38) with the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.
But upon the Rapture, as the Great Tribulation sets upon the earth devoid of true believers, and the wrath of God is poured out upon a defiant humanity now ruled by the second beast – the “abomination that causes desolation” – who:
“… …forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom.
Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.
That number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18)
And so, when we are informed of the “abomination”, the antichrist; the second beast forcing every living inhabitant left during the Great Tribulation to receive the mark – which is “the name of the beast or the number of its name”, if our focus is wrong, we would get worried.
But if our focus is right on Jesus, we would become more and more hopeful, more and more victorious day by day – for we live in the power of His Holy Spirit.
The world is worried.
When the world considers the end of the world, there is a staunch fixation and focus on the antichrist, and the agents of the devil.
The number of shows produced about the End Times is clear evidence of the world’s unholy addiction to devastation and everything demonic; out of an unspoken and underlying fear of what lays ahead, the worst is always expected.
And rightfully so.
This is important; and bears repetition.
Why shouldn’t you and I be concerned about knowing who the beast is… or what to do during the Tribulation?
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR IT.
And why will we not be around for it?
Because we would have been gathered to be with Jesus Christ.
While the world enters the season of the Great Tribulation, we will celebrate with our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Reunion.
Though it is not yet the “wedding supper of the lamb” (Revelation 19:9) - which heralds the ultimate inbreaking of God’s eternal Kingdom - it is the Great Reunion nonetheless.
But what has the Spirit’s baptism on all true believers have anything to do with the Great Tribulation where all people are forced to receive the mark of the beast?
With the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the speaking in tongues as enabled by the Spirit, every true believer of Jesus receives the mark of God – Christ’s “name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”
That’s right.
We are sealed with the mark of Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, when we are truly baptized in the Holy Spirit.
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:4)
The Apostle Paul writes:
“13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
“5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 5:5)
Here’s the deal for us.
When we believe in God’s Salvation through Christ, and receive the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit - what happens to us is that we receive the mark of the Lamb of God.
Indeed, we will also receive a mark on our foreheads - but it will be the Names of our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ placed upon us by the Holy Spirit when we were baptized in His Power!
We, who are believers and disciples of Jesus Christ – who bear the holy mark of God - must strive to fill the world with His glorious Presence by the Power of the Holy Spirit surrounding, saturating and overflowing our lives.
Do not be concerned with the mark of the beast; be focused instead, on the central character of HiStory – our Lord Jesus Christ - and be deeply concerned about receiving His mark on our foreheads.
The mark of the Lamb (Rev 14:1, 22:4) is synonymous to being sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14, Eph 4:30)
If God has given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit, sealed for the day of redemption having been marked in Christ… what must we do?
In light of the fact that those who belong to God, through Jesus Christ must be sealed with the Holy Spirit who writes the name of God on our lives, what must we make sure of in our lives?
WE MUST RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – AND BE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION WITH THE MARK OF GOD!
We must receive the mark of Jesus Christ upon our entire life – our mind, our body, our soul and spirit.
Are you proud to wear the mark of Jesus Christ?
Are you proud to live out and reveal to the world that you are Christ’s disciple and an agent of the Holy Spirit?
True believers must receive the mark of God – which guarantees your place in the kingdom of God.
To know that you have received His mark is to live a life surrounded, saturated and overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit; imparted on you by prayers and received in faith - the act of faith, which is, your utter willingness to be completely open to the outpouring of the Spirit of God in your life – by beginning to open your mouth to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives you utterance – words that you will not understand… words that are heavenly in origin and nature.
The evidence is clear.
The first disciples of Christ spoke in “tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” and preached the Gospel when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ref: Acts 2:1- 4)
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
The Apostle Peter preached the Gospel in Acts 10:44-46 and “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised (Jews) who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
In Acts 19:1-6, “Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus.
There he found some disciples.
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
They are sealed eternally with the mark of God.
Every significant moment of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has led every true disciple of Jesus Christ to begin speaking in tongues and prophesying.
My counsel to you today is just keep waiting upon God and praying for His Presence and Power to come upon you – as did the earliest Apostles.
In boldness and faith, loosen and surrender control of your tongue to the Holy Spirit … and I assure you that you will receive the Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit.
“ ‘Out of your heart will flow rivers of living water’
Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive.”
(John 7:38-39)
You will begin to pray in tongues as the Spirit enables you; and you will find yourself empowered at the gateway to the infinite expressions of Spirit-gifts that would enable you to be Christ’s witness – and the evidence that you are God’s possession; sealed for the day of redemption with the mark of God.
I charge you today:
Keep praying till you start praying in tongues… and then continue praying in tongues and soon, you will begin manifesting every Spirit-gift God has intended for you so that you will become a supernatural witness for Jesus Christ – where miraculous signs and wonders will follow you.
Your life will, and must, overflow with the Power of God; because only then are you sealed with the mark of God on your life – and be assured that you belong to Him and be assured of your place in His Kingdom.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank You, O God, for Your Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, I ask that You would baptize me with Your Holy Spirit – that I would be surrounded, saturated, and overflow with Your Power to preach, prophesy and proclaim Your Gospel and living fully as Your Holy Witness.
Thank You for sealing me with the mark of God for the day of redemption; when You return to rule and reign forevermore.
Holy Spirit, I utterly ask that You fill me daily with Your Presence, Purpose and Power – that I may speak in holy tongues, in praying the Sovereign Will of our Heavenly Father – as You alone enable me.
Grant me the boldness and faith to surrender my life utterly to You; beginning with my tongue. Grant me, I plea, the gift of speaking in tongues – the language of Your Kingdom – as did every Apostle, and every true believer who bears Your Name on their forehead.
Make me utterly Yours, Lord Jesus; make me like You.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.