The Blessing of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4) 7/13/2025
The Blessing of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4) 7/13/2025
Today is Feast of Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday (Pentecost). Why did God institute this feast?
In Exodus 23:16 and Deuteronomy 16:10–11, God commands that during the season of the first harvest, we offer a thanksgiving offering based on the blessing we have received and invite foreigners and people in need to a time of celebration. Even if we have received just a small blessing, when we give thanks and share, our hearts are enriched and the blessings that follow become even greater. So today’s worship, which follows our short-term mission trip, where we share the blessings we’ve received, holds special meaning.
There’s another important spiritual meaning behind this feast. This feast is celebrated 50 days after Passover, the day we were saved by the blood of the lamb, hence the name Pentecost. In the passage, what kind of blessing came at that time? It was the blessing of the Holy Spirit came upon God’s people who were saved. Anyone who has been forgiven by Christ’s blood and become a child of God must enjoy this blessing. There are three essential blessings of the Holy Spirit that we must enjoy always, throughout our lives, 24 hours. What are those blessings?
- The blessing of the Holy Spirit is a clear guarantee of all the blessings that saved people will enjoy
Companies attach warranty certificates to quality products as a promise to stand behind them. Cheap items do not come with warranty. It means that salvation is the sign that our lives are no longer cheap or insignificant. God doesn’t just save us and then leave us to live on our own.
1) When we hear and believe the gospel of Christ and are saved, the Holy Spirit seals us (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, becomes the eternal guarantee of the blessing of salvation and of our lives. It is the proof that those saved in Christ can never perish. It is proof that the Triune God takes eternal responsibility for us.
2) This is what Jesus promised us as He ascended to heaven (John 14:16–18).
He promised never to leave us as orphans. He is our Helper (Parakletos in Greek) who protects, leads, and helps us to victory against every enemy. Those who are saved are precious lives.
3) The Holy Spirit remains with us as an intercessor who helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26–28). When we don’t know what to pray for, He intercedes for us with groans too deep for words (Romans 8:26). He guides us according to God’s will (Romans 8:27). Those who wait for the Holy Spirit’s help will experience everything working together for good (Romans 8:28).
- The blessing of the Holy Spirit is the power to overcome our weaknesses to triumph over this world full of pain, curses, and disasters.
1) This is one of the most crucial things we need today. Life in this world is tough, full of deceit, and ruled by evil. Satan is the one fueling it all. We must first have the power to overcome all of this. Without this power, we face stress, depression, panic attacks, and mental illnesses. Stress means being oppressed. But if we have strength, we don’t get crushed, like lifting a heavy barbell.
2) Satan knows our wounds and weaknesses very well. He targets them directly. That’s why the Bible tells us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (that is the blessing of being filled with the Holy Spirit). You must enjoy and build up this power daily (building spiritual muscles, spiritual immunity). Even when bacteria and viruses come in, you can overcome it. Even in the Old Testament, God promised to give strength like eagles soaring to those who hope in Him (Isaiah 40:31).
3) The state in which the Holy Spirit governs you and His power works in you is called God’s Kingdom, spirituality, or spiritual summit. It is experiencing God’s kingdom within us (Luke 17:21). In that state, the spiritual problems hidden within you and Satan’s work in your field (family, job) are broken (Matthew 12:28). Then, your inner spiritual state changes. You begin to understand God’s will even in your problems, and peace and joy fill your heart (Romans 14:17).
- The final blessing of the Holy Spirit is that you will bear the fruit of saving and healing the world (blessing of true evangelism and missions). God’s absolute method is to heal you so that He can heal the world and bless you to bless the world (the history of Acts).
1) In today’s passage, God first heals the weak and failed disciples.
① They gathered in the Upper Room for just 10 days of focused prayer, and the Holy Spirit came like fire and wind. Just a month before, they had denied Jesus and fled in fear. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, they were instantly transformed. Create a time of daily concentration to turn this into your life style (lifestyle of 3 daily concentrations).
② Are you facing problems, difficulties, or unfair situations? Fixing the problem is not the priority (disciples in Acts 1:6 were like that). Instead, pray that your weaknesses, wounds, and Satan’s pathways are healed. If you find hidden greed or past failures within you, repent sincerely before God and begin again upon that foundation.
2) How much did God use these weak and failed disciples?
① The Holy Spirit opened their eyes, opened the doors, and allowed for meetings (the blessing of 3 Settings- platform, watchtower, antenna). The Holy Spirit led Philip (Acts 8:26) to meet the Ethiopian eunuch and share the Gospel (changing the future of a whole nation).
He moved Ananias who was praying to heal the former persecutor Saul (Acts 9:17). Peter was preaching and praying at the house of Simon of Joppa, and the Holy Spirit led him to meet Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Acts 10:1–5). Pray for these blessing of meetings that the Holy Spirit allows. Those meetings changed the world.
② Though heavier persecution came and the disciples scattered, Antioch Church was founded within God’s plan. This was the beginning of Paul’s Spirit-filled and Spirit-healed ministry. After 3 years of spiritual training in the Arabian desert (Galatians 1:18), Paul emerges as a pastor of the Antioch Church. There, a multiethnic five-person team is formed. As they ministered together, Paul hears the Holy Spirit’s voice. With Barnabas, he is sent out as a missionary (Acts 13:3). They are sent by the Holy Spirit to begin the first missionary journey to Asia.
③ Later, Paul forms another team with Silas and other disciples, and by the help of the Holy Spirit, they go to Europe and finally to Rome. Though many challenges arose, Paul heard the Spirit’s voice (Acts 16:6, 20:22) and confirmed the Holy Spirit’s work every step of the way.
Conclusion- After Christ’s death and resurrection, He gave the blessing of the Holy Spirit on this Feast of Harvest (Pentecost). It is not based on my level, standards, or ability. Only Christ, only God’s Kingdom, and only the power of the Holy Spirit will help us, heal us, and strengthen us to save and heal the world. That is the journey we walk. The twelve disciples, once ignorant, weak, and full of failure, along with the saints of Mark’s Upper Room, changed the world. That story is written in the Book of Acts, which is also called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. May our lives, by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, become a continuation of that story of Acts, the Acts of the Holy Spirit of this age.
7.13.25 The Blessing of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
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