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Filled with the Holy Spirit

Filled with the Holy Spirit 
Day 
Day 42

"Having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit..."

Text: Acts 2:33

APPRECIATING THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING THE SPIRIT OF GOD

The prophecy of the outpouring of the Spirit of God involved a deep and profound process. Let us try and appreciate this profound process.

1. The Prophecy

a) This was prophesied and written in Isaiah 44:3.
b) It was also prophesied and recorded in Joel 2:28-32.
c) Prophecies have certain conditions that must be fulfilled first.
d) Only when the conditions have been fulfilled will we see the prophecy fulfilled.
e) The instance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit must therefore be carefully studied.

2. The Fulfilment of the prophecy is a little intricate

a) The Lord Jesus had to ask the Father to give the Holy Spirit (John 14:16).
i) This was clearly noted in the Gospel of John.
ii) No one else would be able to ask for the Holy Spirit the way Jesus did.
b) Jesus had to fulfil God’s requirement for our redemption.
i) He had to die for the sins of mankind (Acts 2:23).
ii) God then raised Him from the dead (Acts 2:30-31).
iii) He was raised to sit on the right hand of God (Acts 2:30-33).
iv) He then received the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33).
v) The Father was pleased to give the promise of the Spirit to His Son.

3. The Lord Jesus then went on to pour out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33)

a) This was carefully proclaimed by the Apostle Peter (Acts 2:14-39).
b) The Spirit of God would not have been given otherwise.
c) The role of the Lord Jesus must be appreciated.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS

It is only when we understand the profound process better that we will appreciate the gift of the Holy Spirit! The following things must be appreciated:-

1. It took the death of the Lord Jesus Christ before the gift of the Spirit could be given.

2. There was high purpose for the Spirit of God to be outpoured.

3. He came to carry on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to empower all Christian disciples to bear effective witness for the Lord Jesus Christ!