I was an exceptionally good party planner for my children’s birthdays. I went all out to make their day memorable. I learned to create specialty cakes just because I wanted their day to be about what they desired. I made sure they had gifts that were just what they wanted and wrapped them festively for added appeal. I love my children, and giving them good gifts was important to me!
Jesus did the same for us. He gave us the best gift in that He laid down His life for the redemption of our sins. He even took His gift-giving to another level in that He gave us a Helper, an Advocate, a Guide – The Holy Spirit.
He also said, quite pointedly:
“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?“ (Luke 11:13)
Happy Birthday, Church! Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, and today, May 23rd, is the day an amazing party happened 2,000 years ago when the Holy Spirit came down and anointed the apostles and disciples with power. Peter was empowered to preach the first Christian sermon that everyone could understand in their own native language. More than 3,000 people were saved that day, and the church began as a movement on this earth for the first time. Life has never been the same since.
Like any good birthday party, there were presents…gifts from God. The good thing about these birthday gifts is that they are the gifts that keep on giving. These gifts are still ours today as we continue the ministry of the Church in the world.
So, what are the gifts? I think I can help explain it in part with the aid of an acronym: P-O-W-E-R!
P – Prayer & Promises
God kept his promise to give the apostles the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, but it took a while. They prayed for 10 days after Jesus’ Ascension. They might have wondered if it was really going to happen. Jesus had left, and waiting is hard. God’s promises are often slow in coming to us as well, but we need to trust that the timing is always right. God answers our prayers. God promises us goodness and mercy. The Lord promises never to leave us or forsake us. Jesus promised that if we seek the kingdom and God’s righteousness first, all the things we need will be added to us.
O – Overcoming Authority
Jesus told us that the Spirit would be a “Comforter” in the midst of the “tribulations” that Jesus said we would surely face while we were in this world; the Holy Spirit could enable us to manifest Jesus’ overcoming power and the peace that Jesus spoke of regarding the troubles of this world. (John: 16:33) The Holy Spirit was sent to empower us to know and understand the truth, to pray with us and through us when we did not know how to pray, the power to win every battle against the enemy. Prior to the day of Pentecost, the disciples were a group of fearful people that hid away behind locked doors.
Still today, God empowers us with spiritual gifts to do the work of ministry: preaching, teaching, prophetic gifts, healing, administration, giving, and many more.
W – Worship & Witness
“God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.” John 4:24 ESV
We must be authentic worshippers who are willing to give God our praises in all the ups and downs of life. Our worship is for us to be enlivened and encouraged, resulting in a renewed zeal for sharing the Gospel of Jesus with lost people for the purpose of winning them to faith in Christ and disciplining them in such a way that they will, in turn, win others.
Your personal witness is the most powerful thing you have when it comes to growing the Church and helping people receive Christ as their Savior.
E – Eternal Fruit
The “fruit” of the Holy Spirit is to (in gardening language) plant, germinate, grow, tend, blossom, and bring to ripeness the characteristics of our Lord, Jesus. This fruit can only be grown with the loving action of the Holy Spirit, as we co-operate and seek His help and grace.
Believers are called to abide in Christ and develop the same fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5: 22-23)
We receive different gifts; however, we should each be known by the same fruit of the Spirit.
R – Relationship
God “indwelling” us is more than a warm emotional feeling. The Bible says the Holy Spirit lives inside us. (1Corinthians 6:19) When we believe in Jesus as Lord, God establishes a relationship with us that is so close that we become one with Him. He is in us, and we are in Him.
We are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). This speaks of a relationship. We are encouraged “not to grieve” the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), which speaks of intimacy. Intimacy flows from the relationship. Our salvation gives us the relationship, but our pursuit of the Holy Spirit brings about intimacy.
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, we are made members of Christ’s family; we are gifted for service, we are growing in the character of Jesus, and in the Spirit, we are able to cry out, “Abba! Father.” Do not miss it. Pentecost is important. We need to celebrate the great thing that God has done for us.
“Abba Father, we thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Help us to remember that the Holy Spirit still fills the church with power today, just as he did on the day of Pentecost. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Rebekah Marsh
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#rebekahmarshblogs
