Whilst the Jewish people around the world have celebrated the receiving of the gift and commands of the Torah, Christians have celebrated the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit at the Upper room. Both events were witnessed by believers as a magnificent, powerful and full sensory experience, one that left them with praise of the presence of God. Both of these supernatural events were manifested by fire and God’s dazzling light. See this clip to imagine this Acts 2 miraculous event – https://youtu.be/U241fqTaAz0
Some may argue that the Holy Spirit was already present before the event of Acts 2, and that it was just God calling back His lost sheep to reinstate or renew His covenant that was broken after Sinai, but whatever purpose it was, we cannot deny that it was the birth of the Christian Church, as we know it today. It was from this springboard that believers were empowered to be effective witnesses in declaring and spreading the Gospel message of Christ, with confidence and boldness.
Another parallel event from the Old Testament is found in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 where the Glory of God’s presence filled the Tabernacle, which was a man-made Temple. In contrast, the Upper room event of Acts 2 is God’s way of telling us that we, the Body of Christ, the Church, is God’s new Temple, His living stones, where His presence can now dwell. He is no longer confined to just a building, but can now live in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit is not some strange or weird entity. It is a person and part of God’s trinity who deserves just as much honor and worship as God and Jesus. It is God’s presence in us that allows us to have a personal relationship with Him and gives us the strength and will to walk daily in His Spirit, instead of by our flesh.
Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit is shown as God’s power in action. He is depicted as a dove when Jesus was baptised, which makes sense that a dove is the symbol of peace, because He too is the giver of peace. He is the destructive breath and the moving wind of God Himself. He was given to believers with the specific purpose for the redemption and salvation of God’s people.
God’s Holy Spirit empowers us to be tools of God in action at specific times, purposes and situations in our lives. It is God’s presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives that empowers us to be effective agents and witnesses of Christ. It is His power that enables us to overcome our addictions, to resist temptations to sin,to forgive the unforgivable and to love the unlovable.
Experiencing God’s presence today is a foretaste of eternity and what we can look forward to when we get to Heaven. I realise that our faith should not be based on emotions but on what we believe, but if you have never fully experienced the joy, comfort and peace of God’s presence of His Spirit, then you are missing out on the abundant life God had in store for you. We cannot expect to live a Kingdom kind of life without the partnership of the Holy Spirit.
I have been blessed with countless, amazing and intimate experiences with God’s Holy Spirit, and urge you to seek Him if you cannot say the same…
