Living in the Power of the Spirit
Proclamation of the Gospel goes hand in hand with living in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles reports two unique cases of reception of the Holy Spirit that were out of the ordinary. The converts in Samaria did not receive the Holy Spirit although they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. "So, Peter and John laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts, 8: 17). This case may be compared with the one in Ephesus where Paul found that the converts there were baptized with 'John's baptism' (See Acts, 19: 3). This must have been the contribution of Apollos before he himself was fully instructed in faith as those converts had never heard about the Holy Spirit. In any case, we see in those instances how the Apostles completed what was lacking in those communities. The second unique case of receiving the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Acts 10: 44-48. Peter was speaking in the house of Cornelius when the Holy Spirit came upon all those who were listening to the message. "Then he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts, 10: 48). This incident shows how the Holy Spirit is not bound by rules imposed by us and that was one reason the Apostles allowed the gentiles to be baptized without undergoing circumcision. "And God, who can read men's minds showed his approval of them by giving them Holy Spirit to them, as he did to us. He made no difference between them and us; for he purified their hearts by faith. Then why do you now provoke God by laying on the shoulders of these converts a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? No, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, and so are they" (Acts, 15: 8-11). This instance served as a revelation for the Apostles in steering the future of the Church without being hindered by preconceived notions of righteousness and salvation.
The Spirit in Action: There are many instances in the Acts of the Apostles how the Holy Spirit was leading those who proclaimed the Gospel message. The Holy Spirit took active part in directing Philip in his mission (See Acts, 8: 26: 40) of proclaiming the Gospel. Paul and Silas "... traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region , because they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from delivering the message in the province of Asia; and when they approached the Mysian border they tried to enter Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, so they skirted Mysia and reached the coast at Troas" (Acts, 16: 6-8). Thus we see how the Holy Spirit was active not only in the important moments of the lives of the Apostles, but even in their day-to-day mission of proclaiming the Gospel. This should give us lessons in our mission of proclaiming the Gospel that is not the same as just adding numbers to the Church. The first condition of a genuine proclamation of the Gospel is that the messenger be attuned to the will of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself started his public ministry filled with the Holy Spirit received at his baptism and was sent by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan (See Mark, 1: 9 -13).
However, God has given freedom to man to resist even the Holy Spirit. Stephen warns the Jews that being deaf to the truth they were heathen at heart. "How stubborn you are, heathen still at heart and deaf to the truth! You always fight against the Holy Spirit" (Acts, 7: 5!). The preachers of the Good News have to take care not to be deaf to the truth and fight against the Holy Spirit ! For, no one is immune to this danger of hard-hearted attitudes as no one is beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. Let us consider three themes emanating from the reality of living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone whose life is suffused with these three themes, mentioned below, can be reasonably certain of living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Those themes are:
1. Living in the Presence of God (The Way of Devotion)
2. Living in the Freedom of the Children of God (The Way of Knowledge)
3. Living for Empowering Those Whom We come in Contact with (The Way of Action).
(We shall discuss these themes in the coming Posts)
Proclamation of the Gospel goes hand in hand with living in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles reports two unique cases of reception of the Holy Spirit that were out of the ordinary. The converts in Samaria did not receive the Holy Spirit although they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. "So, Peter and John laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts, 8: 17). This case may be compared with the one in Ephesus where Paul found that the converts there were baptized with 'John's baptism' (See Acts, 19: 3). This must have been the contribution of Apollos before he himself was fully instructed in faith as those converts had never heard about the Holy Spirit. In any case, we see in those instances how the Apostles completed what was lacking in those communities. The second unique case of receiving the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Acts 10: 44-48. Peter was speaking in the house of Cornelius when the Holy Spirit came upon all those who were listening to the message. "Then he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts, 10: 48). This incident shows how the Holy Spirit is not bound by rules imposed by us and that was one reason the Apostles allowed the gentiles to be baptized without undergoing circumcision. "And God, who can read men's minds showed his approval of them by giving them Holy Spirit to them, as he did to us. He made no difference between them and us; for he purified their hearts by faith. Then why do you now provoke God by laying on the shoulders of these converts a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? No, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, and so are they" (Acts, 15: 8-11). This instance served as a revelation for the Apostles in steering the future of the Church without being hindered by preconceived notions of righteousness and salvation.
The Spirit in Action: There are many instances in the Acts of the Apostles how the Holy Spirit was leading those who proclaimed the Gospel message. The Holy Spirit took active part in directing Philip in his mission (See Acts, 8: 26: 40) of proclaiming the Gospel. Paul and Silas "... traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region , because they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from delivering the message in the province of Asia; and when they approached the Mysian border they tried to enter Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, so they skirted Mysia and reached the coast at Troas" (Acts, 16: 6-8). Thus we see how the Holy Spirit was active not only in the important moments of the lives of the Apostles, but even in their day-to-day mission of proclaiming the Gospel. This should give us lessons in our mission of proclaiming the Gospel that is not the same as just adding numbers to the Church. The first condition of a genuine proclamation of the Gospel is that the messenger be attuned to the will of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself started his public ministry filled with the Holy Spirit received at his baptism and was sent by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan (See Mark, 1: 9 -13).
However, God has given freedom to man to resist even the Holy Spirit. Stephen warns the Jews that being deaf to the truth they were heathen at heart. "How stubborn you are, heathen still at heart and deaf to the truth! You always fight against the Holy Spirit" (Acts, 7: 5!). The preachers of the Good News have to take care not to be deaf to the truth and fight against the Holy Spirit ! For, no one is immune to this danger of hard-hearted attitudes as no one is beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. Let us consider three themes emanating from the reality of living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone whose life is suffused with these three themes, mentioned below, can be reasonably certain of living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Those themes are:
1. Living in the Presence of God (The Way of Devotion)
2. Living in the Freedom of the Children of God (The Way of Knowledge)
3. Living for Empowering Those Whom We come in Contact with (The Way of Action).
(We shall discuss these themes in the coming Posts)
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