All Christ-followers have the Holy Spirit living within them. And yet, there is more. When you are baptized in the Spirit you will experience new dimensions of God’s power resting upon you in a supernatural way!
Baptized in the Spirit: God's Presence Resting Upon You With Power 20
A Dove. The dove is the most common symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, it was a dove that signaled the end of the flood (Gen 8:8-12). When Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove (Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32). The head of the dove is often surrounded by a nimbus or round halo-like sphere which may be solid, which represents holiness, or inlaid with three rays which indicates that the Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.
In other words, Peter says, we have entered the last days: the Messiah has come, he has accomplished redemption on the cross, he has risen and ascended to the right hand of God, and the interval before he returns in glory will be marked by an incomparable outpouring of the Holy Spirit on men and women, old and young, slave and free, near and far. And the people of God in this period are to be a people born of the Spirit, baptized in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit to bear witness to "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." We live in the latter days of the Spirit. We live in the days that Isaiah (44:3) and Ezekiel (11:19; 36:26f.; 39:29) and Joel (2:28) prophesied and longed to see. There are no more decisive turning points in redemptive history that must happen before Jesus returns to establish his kingdom. This is it. These are the days of Pentecost, the days of the fullness of the Spirit, the days of worldwide mission.
Seventh, the saints of old experienced victory over fear by the presence of the Spirit. When God wanted to encourage the people to rebuild the temple after the exile, he said, "Work, for I am with you . . . My Spirit abides among you. Fear not" (Haggai 2:5). Just think, if Jews returning from God's judgment in Babylonian exile can take heart that God's Spirit will protect them, how much more fearless should we be who have the overwhelming assurance of God's love and power in Jesus' death and resurrection! Old Testament saints knew then and Christians know today that victory over all threats and obstacles belongs to God. Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts."
Finally, the Holy Spirit gave some in the OT a gift of prophecy. For example, when Moses gathered with the seventy elders of Israel at the tabernacle, it says in Numbers 11:25, "The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the Spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more." Evidently, God only gave a brief taste of prophetic powers to the seventy elders. It seemed to point to something more that might come in the future.
23. The different versions of the "missionary mandate" contain common elements as well as characteristics proper to each. Two elements, however, are found in all the versions. First, there is the universal dimension of the task entrusted to the apostles, who are sent to "all nations" (Mt 28:19); "into all the world and...to the whole creation" (Mk 16:15); to "all nations" (Lk 24:47); "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Secondly, there is the assurance given to the apostles by the Lord that they will not be alone in the task, but will receive the strength and the means necessary to carry out their mission. The reference here is to the presence and power of the spirit and the help of Jesus himself: "And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them" (Mk 16:20).
Unexpectedly, Jesus comes towards us often disguised in ways in which we cannot see him. Jesus comes to us in our place of need, yet sometimes we are desperately afraid of our true need. It is hard to imagine Jesus wanting to meet us somewhere we do not want to be. Still, he comes and descends gently upon us through his Spirit. Be still and rest in Christ's presence as you pray with John's testimony of Jesus coming towards him.
Almighty God, thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for the countless things around me that I often take for granted, from the crisp morning air and the autumnal colors of the trees, to the skipping child on his way to school with his mom, or the playful dog stopping to check out every interesting bush or flower she comes upon. These simple gifts remind me of your love; may my words and actions this day remind others of your love for them, too.
As we begin this new season, may we always find you in the beautiful nature that you created. May your presence through all this fascinating creation and through the changing of the season bring hope to us and strengthen our faith and deepen our understanding about you and your love for us. Forgive us if we fail to recognize the beauty of your creation and the uniqueness of each season; forgive us if we forget to be grateful for everything that we experience, see, and feel through all that you have provided for us. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, to see you in all your creation. We ask now for your blessing and protection upon all your creation. We ask all this, through Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever.
We come to you today, asking for your help, strength and healing for our world that suffers from so many things. You are the source of healing for all your creation. Bestow upon us, we pray, your healing power and your strength to those who are sick, especially for those who are infected with Covid19 and its variants. May you strengthen them in their illness and restore them to good health.We also pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer from war. May you console them in their struggles and help them to reach peace that they need. Help all the leaders of the world to put their attention not only for their country but also for peace of the whole world. We ask you this, through Christ, Our Lord, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus,As we celebrate the memorial of your earthly grandparents, we ask you to bestow your special blessing to all our grandparents. Through your blessing, may they continue to be strong, healthy in mind, body and spirit, and enjoy their advance aged with happiness and experience the love of their family. For those who are sick and lonely, may your peace, healing and presence be with them. Console them when they are in sorrow, strengthen them when they are weak, heal them when they fall sick. May Saints Joachim and Anne continue to intercede for them that their faith continue to grow stronger each and everyday. Thank you Lord Jesus for our grandparents and for your blessings upon them. Amen.
You show mercy towards those who are sick. When our brother, Saint Peregrine, was desperate for healing, you came down from your cross and cured his disease. Through his intercession, we pray, that you may send your strength and healing power upon all our brothers and sisters who are sick. We pray especially for those who suffer from cancer, AIDS and any life-threatening diseases. May they experience your healing touch to restore them their health and be strengthened and persevere in their suffering. Bless and protect also all those who take care the sick: the doctors, nurses, physicians, care-givers, and family members. Strengthen their hope and faith in your love and kindness, and may the Holy Spirit continue to inspire them in caring for the sick. We ask this of you Lord Jesus, for you are the source of everything that we experience in our life, you live and reign, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever.
TLB: But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection."
Robert Neighbour on the need for the Spirit - Unless saints know their anointing, they are helpless as babes in doing the will of God. The work of God can only be made powerful through the Spirit of God. "Ye shall receive power, the Holy Ghost coming upon you," was the promise of the Father. Alas, how many churches there are to-day whose only knowledge of the Holy Spirit, is a theoretical knowledge. From the pastor down through the whole membership, there seems to be no Spirit-endued witnesses to the faith. It certainly pays to halt the work until there is a conscious manifestation of the Spirit's working. Service rendered in the energy of the flesh is a fruitless service. The minister himself needs far more than the best that a theological training can give him; he needs far more than oratorical gifts; far more than literary accomplishments; he needs to have his heart and lips touched with a live coal from off God's altar. The young man or young woman who is in preparation for any phase of Christian work, needs more than schools and colleges can impart. In order to be used of God, one must be set on fire by the Spirit of God. "Power belongeth unto God." (Psalm 62:11KJV) It is "by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." (Zechariah 4:6) Stephen was a mighty witness, because he was a man full "of faith and power." (Acts 6:8) The early Church was told to look out from among themselves, men "filled with the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 9:17, 13:9) Our churches and our mission stations at home and abroad need to demand as their first prerequisite, that those who serve them are people who have heard of the Holy Ghost and who have been "endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) The factory may be splendidly equipped, but of what use is it all, unless there is power to turn the wheels? The train may stand on the track with every comfort that modern ingenuity can provide, but of what value is it unless the fire is under the boiler, and the power is at hand to run the train? 2ff7e9595c
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