"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." Acts 2:33
It is very interested to me how Acts chapter one reads. It tells us that Jesus had given his disciples commandments (plural) through the Holy Ghost until the day he was taken up (Acts 1:2). One specific command was for them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Promise of the Father. I find it rather fascinating that the very same Holy Spirit, who was obviously present with Jesus empowering him to give the apostles divine instructions as to what to do, was in fact the one whom they were to wait to receive! In other words, if you think about it, the Holy Spirit was right there present among them, and yet, they were being instructed not to leave the city until they received his coming!
This certainly seems paradoxical since most of us have assumed that the Holy Spirit came down from heaven on the Day of Pentecost. However, if you look more carefully, it tells us that he was there in their midst all the time, even speaking to them at that very moment through the words of Christ. So, what does it actually mean then, in Acts chapter two, when we read: "and there was a sound from heaven, as of a rushing might wind...?" (Acts 2:2). No doubt, we can see that there was some sort of blast that came from heaven so forcibly that it bore down on all those waiting in the Upper Room. But does that suggest that the Holy Spirit himself was coming down from heaven? If we look back throughout the Bible, we will find reference after reference where the Holy Spirit was already in the earth. So what was it then that came down from heaven? I think if you study carefully the operations of the Holy Spirit you will find that this mighty wind of God was the wave of a new administration breaking in all around them where the person of the Holy Spirit was now to take a more personal and direct role in the lives of each and every believer.
Notice how John writes concerning this in his gospel. Jesus declared, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John takes what he said and expounds on it: "But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:38, 39). Literally, what John was saying was the Holy Spirit wasn't able to come upon man in his full capacity because man's spirit was still dead in trespasses and sin. It took the cross to prepare the hearts of men for the Holy Spirit to take his place in a much deeper and more intimate fashion. What occurred on the Day of Pentecost was the introduction to a whole, new operation of heaven on earth. You talk about barriers being broken! You talk about an eruption of power and victory! Everything that came on that day came as a result of a much more complete work of the Holy Spirit now available because of what righteousness had accomplished in the heart of man!
Yes, the Comforter "did" come! He came into his full administrative office! Passover enable God to move out of the temple...Pentecost enable God to move into us his temple. It is now upon us to receive all that he has come to do in us and through us!
I ask you today, have you received the full blessing of Pentecost? Have you received the power of his presence breaking the stronghold of sin, the flesh, the world, and the devil? Are you taking full advantage of the power of his presence to recover all that was lost in the fall...of being able now to move and to flow in the supernatural...to execute God's will in the earth...and to demonstrate Satan's defeat? All of this and more awaits those who will swing wide the gate and allow the Comforter to take his rightful place in their life as their Commander-in-chief!*
