So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’
And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’
So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’
Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Now the men were about twelve in all.” [1]
The Holy Spirit is God in us working through us. He is amazing!
Why aren’t all Christians and Christian denominations talking about the Holy Spirit and His gifts?
Christian seminaries, Bible schools and churches build their theology around the teachings of Paul in regards to Christ and His atoning work to grant us pardon of all our sins. Praise the Lord! This is good! But what about Paul’s teachings on the Holy Spirit’s gifts?
The Bible clearly states that “when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” [2]
He writes of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 as well. And Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke and who travels with Paul in the Book of Acts, writes of these gifts as well in Acts 2:4, 10:46 and 19:6.
As per prophecy, Luke wrote of this gift [3] and so did Paul in his letters to the churches. [4]
Why deny the spiritual gifts that Luke and Paul speak of and yet quote them often in regards to other doctrines?
Do we not profess to believe that the entire Bible is the inspired and in errant Word of God; the rule for Christian belief and practice? So, why deny and disregard the application of the passages that speak of the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Why not embrace the entire Bible and pray about what it says. This is what Paul did for the believers in Acts 19:1-7.
The Early Church thrived as the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and bore His fruits and gifts. I would like, and more importantly, our Lord Jesus would like His 21st Century Church to thrive and bear His fruits and gifts to the world, and this is indeed happening among many believers around the world.
May all believers be filled with the Holy Spirit and bear His fruits and gifts!
“Then Moses said to him, ‘Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!’” [5]
[1] Acts 19:1-7
[2] Acts 19:6
[3] Luke 1:67; Acts 11:27-28, 13:1, 15:32, 19:6 & 21:9-10
[4] Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:10 & 14:4; Ephesians 4:11 & 1 Timothy 4:14
[5] Numbers 11:9
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