Receiving The Holy Spirit

The gift came to His believers waiting
On Pentecost Day; there was first a sound,
As of a violent rushing wind wailing;
It filled the house and the city around!
Then a broad lightning flash from Heaven came,
Breaking into many tongues at the room;
Each disciple's head seemed to be aflame;
Like Moses' bush, this fire did not consume!
A crowd gathered on the windows' side;
In diverse tongues they asked, What all this meant?
Knowing and speaking each tongue, they replied:
God, the Holy Spirit, had just been sent!
Now were Christ's disciples filled with power,
To preach the gospel in city and bower!

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever---the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him now knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-18)

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

The Apostles and most of the believers in Jesus were of the poor and lower classes, as had been prophesied in Zechariah 11. They were mostly uneducated and were typical of those who we would call the working class. They were not accustomed to speaking in public, especially to rulers and courts. Jesus knew they needed a lot of help to spread the word of His kingdom around the world. Therefore, He sent the Holy Spirit, who is also God; however, He is invisible. Though He dwells within every believer and gives advice, power, and knowledge, He is not aggressive. In fact, most Christians have a hard time hearing His gentle nudging guidance. He speaks to the Christian in a still small voice that they usually confuse for the voice of their conscience.

The Holy Spirit is not your conscience. A person's conscience cannot be trusted to give sound advice. If you confuse your conscience as the advice of the Spirit, He will withdraw from speaking to you, getting quieter and quieter. This is called "quenching" the Holy Spirit; most Christians have quenched Him by not recognizing Him.

Pentecost was about 10 days after Jesus arose to Heaven. On that day, God the Holy Spirit came to the 120 disciples waiting in the upper room. Christianity was hanging by a thread. But His coming instilled strong confidence and will power into them. They were changed into fierce advocates for Christ. Through their efforts, aided by the Spirit, they "turned the world upside down." The Roman Empire persecuted them horribly at first, but in 325 A.D., the Empire installed Christianity as its official religion.