Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message. 45 All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God.
Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
Our "cessationist" brothers and sisters sometimes seem to preach that the Acts 2 outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in miraculous languages was a one time event, never to be repeated. But, already we have seen in Acts that the Holy Spirit is still filling any people group that is receptive to Him. We saw the Samaritans receive the Gospel wholeheartedly and after Peter and John laid hands on them and prayed, they received the Holy Spirit as well. Simon (Magus) saw this manifestation of God’s power as uniquely miraculous, which is especially amazing when we consider that he personally accompanied Philip, the evangelist and witnessed miracles of healing and deliverance, up close and personal. But of all the things he saw, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the only thing he tried to “purchase.”
What did Simon see? I believe he saw:
Samaritans speaking in miraculous heavenly languages
Samaritans physically overcome by the power of God
Samaritans filled with joy unspeakable and full of Glory
Samaritans receiving “hands-on” ministry from those who normally avoided or even despised them
Samaritans worshiping a Jewish Messiah as Lord and God
Samaritans identifying with, and feeling included within the “Chosen people” after centuries of generational rejection and misunderstanding.
Simon saw and heard more than Samaritans “speaking in tongues”, but I believe that was the first thing he saw, and I believe he discerned that this mysterious manifestation was connected to all the other wondrous happenings he witnessed.
We also saw Saul of Tarsus, arch enemy of the Christian Church, knocked to the ground by the force of a single Heavenly voice, his eyes burnt shut by the radiance of the Lord Jesus who confronted him on the road to Damascus. We have also seen that a faithful disciple named Ananias was called miraculously to witness to Saul, baptize him in water, AND pray that he would receive the Holy Spirit. Luke, the physician, who is writing about this incredible series of events tells us about what was of great interest to him, that “something like scales” fell off of Saul’s eyes.
So, because Ananias was commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ personally to baptize Saul in water, AND pray that he would receive the Holy Spirit, we can be one hundred percent certain that all of this was accomplished during that encounter. We know that Saul/Paul would later tell the church in Corinth, who was very enthusiastic about spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.”
So, even though the text in Acts does not tell us specifically that Paul began to speak in other tongues when Ananias prayed for him, the Scriptures do tell us emphatically;
Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when Ananias prayed for him
Praying, singing and speaking in tongues became a regular part of his very robust devotional life
And that leads us to Peter’s amazing experience with Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, which was the fourth instance of Holy Spirit baptism or initial infilling described in the book of Acts. And what does Peter say to the flabbergasted Jews in his entourage who see Gentiles speaking in other tongues and glorifying God? Let’s read it again;
47 “Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”
Later on in Acts 19, we will read of one more case of Holy Spirit baptism, and the pattern stays consistent. When people are filled with the Holy Spirit, they speak. The Holy Spirit is not silent, although he may speak to us often in a “still small voice.” He chooses to “give utterance” or words, sometimes mysterious and heavenly, and sometimes specific “words” in the native languages of those who are listening. The Holy Spirit is the One who inspired the writing of the Holy Scriptures. They are Holy, because they were divinely inspired, but they were originally spoken and then written by humans just like you and me. And the Holy Spirit is always speaking through the Scriptures if we have “ears to hear.”
When we see patterns in Scripture, I believe it is a good idea to take note and measure these things against our own experiences. Speaking in “tongues”, or in miraculous Heavenly languages, is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that shows up all through the book of Acts. And if, like Peter preached back in Acts 2:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
This “Promise” remains in effect to this day, and we want to be open to receive the Holy Spirit’s anointing day by day.
PRN: Holy Spirit, we embrace Your power and presence once again. We want to speak Your heart as you give us Your words. We want to learn to hear You and yield to Your leading, so speak Lord, Your servants are listening. Like Isaiah of old, we ask that You would touch our speech with your fire, and that You would send us out in Your power. in the name of Jesus, amen.
Comments