‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.’ Ephesians 6:10
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
In this series on HOLY SPIRIT POWER- we will examine 3 crucial points:
1) The holy spirit power that God ‘poured out on his menservants and maidservants’, is the ONLY WITNESS (proof) today of the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ.
2) Believing in the RESURRECTION is what convicts men, and convinces men of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and gets them saved.
3) Without the WITNESS of Holy Spirit POWER by Christians- the resurrection remains a question, and people fail to be saved.
BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION- COMPRISES HALF OF THE SALVATION REQUIREMENTS. WHICH IS WHY THE APOSTLES SPENT SO MUCH TIME, ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST - EMPHASIZING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
‘This Jesus hath God RAISED UP, whereof WE all are witnesses.’ Acts 2:32
According to Peter, in the Book of Acts, it was the RESURRECTION that convinced the Jews, that JESUS WAS LORD. BUT IT WAS THE POWER IN OPERATION THAT DAY, that convinced them FIRST of the Resurrection. Watch…
Let’s take you to the Day of Pentecost, that you can see this revelation in all its glory...
Jesus, just before his ascension, commanded his Apostles to ‘stay in Jerusalem, until you are CLOTHED, with power from on high.1
So the apostles obediently returned to Jerusalem, about a week of travel, and stayed there in an upper room with each other (11 men); meanwhile worshipping daily in the Temple (called the ‘House of God’); with the women, and the rest of the disciples.
MT SINAI REDUX
On the day of Pentecost, at the hour of prayer, the (now) 12 men were in the Temple, when a ‘sound’ came from above (Heaven) of a rushing mighty wind.
The 12 apostles were in the place where thousands were about to see the EXTRAVAGANZA - that the Lord God had waited since Moses ascended Mt. SINAI- to PRESENT... THE FIRE AND WIND OF HEAVEN in the presence of ALL THOSE DWELLING AT JERUSALEM..
ECHO
Friend, have you ever been in the Vatican? Or some of the great cathedrals of Europe. They have a design in them copied from this original temple.. You can stand in one place and hear even soft voices from a distance away, because of the accoustics.
It’s an amazing thing. I witnessed this phenomenon in the Vatican on my one visit there many years ago, as well as in some cathedralsin spain. The Temple of God was built like that.. to where, when the WIND came from heaven, like GOD BREATHING - the sound filled ALL THE HOUSE.
HOW did they all hear.. thousands of people in the Temple? The Greek word for ‘SOUND’ in verse 2 is amazing - It is the word “ECHOS’.
Now can you picture it?
In John chapter 20.. Jesus demonstrated - He ‘BREATHED on them’ then instructed.. ‘RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST’. He was ‘teaching them how to receive’.
That was NOT however when the 12 received. God did not HIDE this TREMENDOUS GIVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LAUNCHING OF THE NEW COVENANT, in a small room filled with 12 frightened men. He only showed them WHAT TO EXPECT.. when the ‘ ‘P’ Day would ‘fully come’…
‘The ‘Holy Spirit was NOT yet given because Jesus was not yet GLORIFIED’. John 7:39
‘Jesus said - It is expedient for you that I GO AWAY, for when I go, I will send the Comforter - the Holy Spirit - that will be with you ALWAYS..” John 16:7
John 20:22 was only a rehearsal; ACTS CHAPTER 2 WAS SHOWTIME!!!
NOW THE REAL THING WAS HAPPENING. BUT NOT JUST FOR THEIR EYES AND EARS..
THE RUSHING MIGHTY WIND, →GOD BREATHING FROM HEAVEN.. WAS ECHOING ALL OVER THE TEMPLE. FROM THAT POINT ON YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP…
IN NO TIME - THE CACAPHONY OF NOISE IN THE TEMPLE FELL SILENT.. ALL YOU COULD HEAR WAS BREATH.. WIND.. that they ‘heard’.. then came the FIRE.. that they saw…
‘.. He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear..’ Acts 2:33
Tongues of Fire appeared on each of the 12 apostles.
ALL EYES FELL ON THEM.
THEN THE 12 BEGAN TO SPEAK…. IN TONGUES..
GALILEANS.. Yet speaking 12 different languages of the many peoples present.. PERSIAN, ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN, GREEK, PARTHIAN, CAPPADOCIAN..
HOW DID THE THOUSANDS HEAR THEM? THE SAME WAY THE WIND FROM HEAVEN STOPPED THEM IN THEIR TRACKS.. THE ECHOS OF THEIR WORDS REBOUNDED ALL OVER THE TEMPLE, JUST AS THE THUNDER DID AT MT. SINAI, MAKING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL QUAKE & TREMBLE.
GOD DID NOT LEAVE THIS EARTHSHAKING EVENT TO CHANCE.. THAT IT MIGHT BE DISCOUNTED OR MISSED..
HE USED THE TEMPLE - CRAMMED TO THE HILT WITH WORSHIPPERS AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER.
GOD BREATHED..
AND IT ECHOED ALL OVER THE TEMPLE,
THEN HE SENT THE FIRE - TO INTRODUCE THE BAPTISM JESUS SAID THEY WERE TO WAIT FOR - THE BAPTISM OF FIRE - IN THE HOLY SPIRIT..
IT WAS THE LAUNCHING OF THE NEW COVENTANT.
MT. SINAI - WITH THE THUNDER AND FIRE AND SMOKE.. LAUNCHED THE FIRST COVENANT -
PENTECOST - LAUNCHED THE SECOND..
AND THEN.. having gotten their attention - Peter rose up to speak..
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom GOD HATH RAISED UP - having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For DAVID SPEAKETH CONCERNING HIM: I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,
NEITHER WILT THOU SUFFER (permit) THINE HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.30
Therefore being a PROPHET, and knowing that God had sworn with AN OATH to him, that of the FRUIT OF HIS LOINS, according to the flesh,
HE WOULD RAISE UP CHRIST TO SIT ON HIS THRONE
31 HE - SEEING THIS BEFORE
SPAKE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 THIS JESUS HATH GOD RAISED UP
WHEREOF WE ARE ALL WITNESSES..
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted,
having received of the Father THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY GHOST,
he hath shed forth this, WHICH YE NOW SEE.. AND HEAR.. (They saw the flames, they heard the WIND, and they heard the TONGUES!)
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore LET ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL know assuredly, that GOD hath made the SAME JESUS, whom ye have crucified, both LORD AND CHRIST.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
41 Then THEY that received his word WERE BAPTIZED:
and the same day there were added unto them about THREE THOUSAND SOULDS
Baptized in water? NO. In the same baptism they had just witnessed. The FIRE BAPTISM in the HOLY SPIRIT. As it is to this day.. One Lord; One God; ONE baptism.
The POWER →SHED FORTH on the day of Pentecost, is what convinced the Jews present in the Temple, of the RESURRECTION;
WHAT POWER?
THE HOLY SPIRIT POWER THAT JESUS SAID WOULD FALL UPON THEM -
HOW DID THE THOUSANDS PRESENT KNOW THAT INVISIBLE SPIRIT POWER HAD FALLEN UPON THEM?
The same way that Peter realized the Gentiles had also received the holy spirit in Acts chapter 10..
→THEY HEARD THEM SPEAK WITH TONGUES
THEY WERE MAGNIFYING GOD IN 12 LANGUAGES THAT THEY DIDN’T KNOW
THIS convinced the thousands present of the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ - THEY believed Peter who said - “JESUS - whom GOD RAISED UP, HAVING LOOSED THE PAINS OF DEATH,
..As DAVID had said.. “I foresaw the Lord before my face; He is at my right hand.. Therefore my heart rejoices..
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer THINE HOLY ONE to see corruption.”
The Jews knew the Scriptures. Not unlike right now as WE are watching the Bible prophesies come to pass in our day - THEY KNEW they were witnessing the prophesies coming to pass IN THEIR DAY.
CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT!!?
They SAW the POWER and they BELIEVED in the RESURRECTION.. AND WERE SAVED, 3,000 MEN, THE SELFSAME DAY.
Friends, brethren.. nothing has changed. It is STILL the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT →IN MANIFESTATION that convinces and convicts men that JESUS is Lord, and that GOD hath RAISED him from the dead.
AND WE HAVE THAT POWER..
THE POWER that God used to RAISE JESUS, that He used in the TEMPLE to WITNESS the RESURRECTION - is the same that now works in those of us who BELIEVE. (Ephesians 1:19, 20)
Which is why it is ONLY after we are CLOTHED in that POWER - AND PUTTING IT TO USE - that we become WITNESSES TO HIS RESURRECTION.
But ye shall receive POWER - AFTER the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be WITNESSES unto me -
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ Acts 1:8
YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER AND SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME
SO ALSO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT -whom God hath given to them that obey him..’ - a Witness to the RESURRECTION) Acts 5:30 - 31
WHEN PEOPLE SEE CHRISTIANS USE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - HEALING, REBUKING DEMONS, WORKING MIRACLES.. IT PROVES THE SCRIPTURES - AND THE RESURRECTION.
DO YOU WANT TO GET PEOPLE SAVED?
Saint - Get Baptized in the HOLY SPIRIT:
GO heal people. Cast out demons; Speak in Tongues - These ‘manifestations of holy spirit (I Corinthians 12:7) are SONSHIP RIGHTS! They demonstrate the power of Christ that is in us -
CHRIST IN US - the HOPE of GLORY…
…That people may believe HE IS RISEN
2 closing points
Anyone can say .. “He is risen”.. just like anyone can say .. “Jesus is Lord”..
But note how the verse says .. “ Therefore I give you to understand that no man can say Jesus is Lord ..but by the holy ghost.”
In other words, the man who speaks in tongues is proving that he believes Jesus is Lord.Because that's how the manifestation begins.
Same deal with Jesus is risen. The man who is walking in power is proving that he is risen!
OH.. The Hourglass image up top..? Because time is running out on this age. The midnight hour is fast approaching when ‘no man can work’.. for the bridegroom cometh.
So that which you would do,.. do it now.
VJCB
Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4
People can talk about the resurrection all they want.. but the proof is in the power that the lord said He would send to his disciples.
Beautiful! Thank you for the excellent explanation. ❤️