Before Acts 2, the Disciples loved Jesus, walking with Him and hearing His teaching. Yet, we see in the Disciples a recurring theme: they loved Jesus, yet they struggled in dealing with the lost, even to the point of wanting to incinerate towns and people who would not listen to them. Then, when Jesus was arrested, they went into hiding (all except John), fearful to speak that they knew Jesus and fearful to carry on the message Jesus had spoken. But then....
In the Upper Room, the Disciples would gather, waiting on the promise of Jesus. Within minutes of the manifestation of Acts 2, those Disciples went out with an overwhelming desire to reach the lost! They spoke the Word boldly...wishing that NONE would perish. That love led them to preach the truth, regardless of opposition...and that truth would speak of sin and its consequences, and the hope we have in Christ if we are willing to recognize the truth of our circumstances and then give our lives to Jesus.
Beyond all of this, we see in Acts 2 two principles at work: BAPTISM and FILLING. Baptism is an "immersion into"...while Filling is an "external to internal" process. Not only are we to be immersed in the Spirit...but we are to be filled with the spirit. It is in the process of remaining FILLED that a vessel can remain IMMERSED. Picture an aquarium of water and a small plastic bottle, like those used when you buy bottled water: to be immersed in that aquarium of water is BAPTISM...to fill the bottle with water is to be FILLED. But notice...the bottle can ONLY stay IMMERSED if it remains FILLED! Thus, we understand the repeated New Testament command to "be filled". Both are essential doctrines that can bring a powerful reality to the lives of believers! Look at this practical example:
Picture a raging hurricane over the ocean (water=The Holy Spirit). There are two ways to ride out the storm: as a vessel (ship) that must ride out the storm being tossed to and fro by the waves...or as a vessel (submarine) that dives deep into the water, virtually eliminating ALL effects of the storm on the vessel. The deeper the vessel goes, the less the effect of the storm on the vessel. This is the most prevalent, yet overlooked, teaching of what God was instituting in Acts 2! A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE is a life IMMERSED IN THE SPIRIT through the understanding of being FILLED and being BAPTIZED. Once Baptized (immersed), it is up to us to remain FILLED...and it is in that powerful principle that we can learn to lessen and, at times, even eliminate the effects of the storms of life!
Regardless of denominations, we can recognize that something powerfully changing happened in the Upper Room that day. And our prayer should be this: "Lord, whatever you did in that Upper Room in Acts 2....do the same thing in me!"
Nice analogy. I appreciated your comment on the Charisma article. Im currently wrestling with the AG doctrine that tongues is the INITIAL evidence of being baptized in the HS. I pray in tongues in a devotional manner but I feel like tongues is being misused when people in church speak out in tongues corporately.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest stumbling block is when I think of the many Godly men that have gone before us who have demonstrated lives of power and holiness that can only be attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit. Am I to believe that John Piper, John Wesley, Charles Finney, D.L.Moody, A.B.Simpson, William Booth, C.T.Studd and Watchman Nee were not baptized in the Holy Spirit because they didn't speak in tongues???
If you have anything to share I would be grateful...
Your Brother in Christ.