Fan the Flame - a Journey Through ActsSample

Day 2 - Coming of the Holy Spirit

Throughout the Old Testament, we read about certain people being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit for certain tasks at certain times. Bezalel was filled with the Spirit to make works of art to worship God. David was filled with the Spirit to write songs of worship. Prophets were filled with the Spirit to share God's words with His people.

One prophet named Joel promised a time would come when all people would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Young and old. Male and female. He said, “In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” This passage in Acts 2 reminds us that the days that Joel prophesied about are these days. Those days that were promised by God are these days of the outpouring of God's Spirit on all people in the church.

On the day of Pentecost, as Jesus' followers were all together praying in the upper room, a sound like a violent wind blew through the house, and what looked like tongues of fire rested upon the heads of everyone in the room. Fire came to rest on old bald heads with long beards, and fire rested upon young, braided heads with no beards. The Spirit did not discriminate. All the believers were filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit and began to share the wonders of God in languages that they did not know.

On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit lit a flame, and the church of Christ was born. The Spirit may not enable you to share the wonders of God in a language that you don’t know, but He will put a fire in your heart to serve Him and a way for you to uniquely and powerfully share the wonders of God.

My first attempt at serving in the church was in the Sunday School, and our Sunday school superintendent had a rule. One week, you organised the craft. Next week, you led the singing, and the week after, you told the story. Week 1 of my craft was an unmitigated disaster. I am still in therapy from the experience of leading the singing in week 2. But in week 3, I told a story about Jesus, and it wasn’t great, but I experienced the power of the Spirit at work in my life and I have been telling stories about Jesus ever since.

When believers prayed together, a fresh wind and fresh fire of the Holy Spirit was poured out on all people to powerfully share the wonders of God. You might have a bald head, with a long beard, and have been around church for an even longer time. Or you might have long braided hair and be far too young for a beard of any sort. However much hair you have on your head, the Spirit of God is poured out upon you, so you can share the wonders of God in your unique way.

Let's pray together for a fresh wind of the Spirit to blow through every church and ministry in our Movement and ordinary people would find their unique way to share the extraordinary wonders of our great God.

Written by Jason Elsemore