One Mind Church

Hold Onto the Evidence of the Filling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13)                                  April 3, 2011

Through us, God will save and renew ourselves, our families, church, and this age. That is the only reason why we are living with flesh in this land. In the same notion, 1Pe.2:9 refers such people with the Gospel as the “royal priesthood”. Those who realize and enjoy this mystery are called evangelists, and those who live as immigrants in a hegemonic nation with this mystery are called “Evangelist Diasporas”. “It is a blessing for you who have the Gospel to be living in America.” “You are an Evangelist Diaspora.” The issue is how we can actually do such work. We can never do it with our strength, skills, or personalities. We will be deceived by Satan just as much as we try to do it on our own. It is one or the other. You will either get exhausted and fall into despair (because there is no visible work taking place) or you will become arrogant without even noticing (Jam.4:6). Both of them are what the Devil desires for us to be. How about the Early Church? They held onto the Christ “the solution”, enjoyed the background of God’s kingdom, and enjoyed the power that came from filling of the Holy Spirit. Today’s scripture Acts 2 records what the blessing of filling of the Holy Spirit is all about. You will prosper no matter what you do if you begin with this blessing.

1. What is the filling of the Holy Spirit? It is a state of life in which the Holy Spirit takes control of your spirit, mind, thoughts, and life.

1) When the Holy Spirit takes control, your hidden scars, weaknesses, or conflicts will not matter at all.

a. You will gain peace, courage, and wisdom that you never knew of, and whatever you do will be filled with evidence. There was something that the Pharaoh told his servants about Joseph. “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?” If you just prepare the basic aspects of your life and put a little more effort into it, this will become certain. You will be someone whom God leads and supports (George Washington’s childhood story).

b. There is something more important. If you become prosperous, successful, and positioned at an important place without the filling of the Holy Spirit, spiritual problems will definitely come (Gen.1:2). Conversely, if you study, work hard, and eventually find yourself in an important position all within the filling of the Holy Spirit, no spiritual problem can destroy you and even if it does come it will only be a greater blessing. When David sang praises with the harp, the evil spirit that was possessing King Saul left him, and despite of all the jealousy and persecutions David eventually became a leader whom God was most pleased with and whom all Israel loved.

2) This is absolutely not difficult. This is something God promised to all who are saved.

a. If you already confessed that Christ is your Lord and God is your Father, the Holy Spirit is with you right now (1Co.12:3 and Gal.4:6). Because the Holy Spirit is within you, you are able to realize that Jesus is the Christ and confess that God is your Abba Father.

b. Now you just have to pray that the Holy Spirit may take full control of you and His power and gifts that are within you may appear in your life (Luk.11:13). It even reads in Ac.2:38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Now what do you have to do? Pray in concentration that the Holy Spirit may take full control of your spirit, mind, thoughts, body, and life.

c. The key is you must “truly want as you focus.” That is what we talked about last week when we shared Ac.1:13-14. “They all joined together constantly in prayer.” Why do you have to want it? Because it is God’s promise and only when you want it, you can live and save everyone else. That is Ac.1:8. How do you pray in concentration? In your daily life, concentrate comfortably. You can pray sitting or lying down. As you do that, you ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit (continuous prayer). You can set aside a time and concentrate if you are going through some tough time (concentration prayer). The best way to do this would be praying in an orderly fashion every morning and every night (scheduled prayer).

2. As you hold onto the evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit that appears in today’s scripture, concentrate so that this blessing may become your very own. “These works took place when I was filled with the Holy Spirit!” “This is how much I changed, and my family, church, and region changed!” Why do you think God allowed this filling of the Holy Spirit and made Luke write about it? He wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit just like the people of the Early Church. What kind of changes and evidence arose?

1) They were healed of their past. God’s time schedule of the “Pentecost” came and all church members gathered as one. This is worship. When that happened, the sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the house and the power like tongues of fire came upon each of the Early Church members. Winds and fire quench. What is the most important evidence that comes when filled with the Holy Spirit? It is healing. Hidden scars, sense of inferiority, powerlessness, quarrels, physical motives, and failures that you have had for the longest time will be healed. People who only lived with physical greed and physical standard will finally become free when filled with the Holy Spirit (Discouragement, frustration, and various illnesses come from those physical standard.).

2) That is how your life will face a new change into a spiritual life.

a. Your mouth will open. It says in Ac.1:4, “They began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” When filed with the Holy Spirit, words you speak will change. Your words will become very wise, virtuous, and authoritative. This is a blessing that evangelists must enjoy (Samuel in 1Sam.3:19). Later, God allowed the Early Church members with power to “speak in other tongues” to preach the Gospel to all nations.

b. Your eyes will open. You will be able to see God’s future and plans even in the midst of problems, and you will be able to discern who is spiritual and who is physical. It says from Ac.2:16 and on that you will dream dreams and see visions when filled with the Holy Spirit. It does not mean you will have some supernatural power, but you will be somehow connected with God. You will naturally receive the Holy Spirit’s guidance. You may feel as if you are going wherever you want, but you will find an answer there.

c. You will come to understand the Bible. We can in from Ac.2:14 and on that the ignorant Peter arose, realized God’s Word and began to preach it. All saints must hear God’s voice and receive grace from His Word. This is the blessing of the Pulpit. Pastors and saints will come to understand the Word. And they will see the blessing in which that Word is fulfilled. That is why we keep on urging you to meditate upon the Pulpit message and organize it in order for you to enjoy this blessing. It says in Ac.2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.”

3) Later, there will be changes within God’s church and your field. Three thousand disciples (Of course the number itself is not important. It just tells us that evangelism consistently took place.), they had fellowship as they broke bread, and they even sold some of their possessions to support one another according to their needs. It says in Ac.2:47, “They praised God (gave thanks) and enjoyed the favor of all people. The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

3. In conclusion, there are two kinds of people in the world.

1) There are people who are saved and people who are yet to be saved. To those who are saved, the Holy Spirit is with them, but to those who are not saved, the evil spirit roosts them (Jn.8:44 – That is why fate, destiny, and spiritual inheritance occur.). In Christ, we have been liberated from this. Therefore, we are the source of blessings and those who will testify the Gospel to the world.

2) The problem is that there are two kinds of people among those who are saved. There are people who live within the filling of the Holy Spirit and as opposed to people who still live filed with the physical and worldly aspects. In 1Co.2:14-15, those two kinds are clearly discerned as the people with the Spirit and people without the Spirit. Even the disciples of Jesus too belonged to the flesh before they truly experienced and enjoyed the filling of the Holy Spirit. They all followed Jesus around for three years and they all did evangelize. But they still remained in conflicts. When they experienced and enjoyed the filling of the Holy Spirit, they were able to overcome everything (hidden scars, failures, weaknesses, persecutions, and conflicts) and were established as the witnesses of the World Evangelization.

3) Yearn for the filling of the Holy Spirit, and live within its blessing. Spare some time to concentrate for this blessing. I hope all of you may enjoy the life of saving yourself and everyone else with this evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit that the people gathered in Mark’s Upper Room enjoyed.