THURSDAY September 28, 2023
Missing Power of the Holy Spirit?
And finding some disciples he [Paul] said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Acts 19:1-3
Paul traveled to Ephesus, one of the most sinful cities in the world. He soon came into contact with some of John the Baptist’s disciples, and he began to minster to them.
The first thing Paul noticed was these believers were missing the power of the Holy Spirit––the “upon” experience––in their lives. They were converted, but when he asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” they answered honestly that they had never truly heard about the power of the Holy Spirit!
Listen, they were all believers, and the only reason I am making this point to you is because there are those who do not believe these men were saved. The truth is, they had received the Holy Spirit “within” them upon conversion and repentance. They were born again, but they had never been instructed any further about the Holy Spirit. They had a shallow knowledge like Apollos, understanding only the baptism of John and his call to repentance.
When I am among Christians, I can tell if someone is baptized with the Holy Spirit. The fire of God’s Spirit is evident, or I can tell that the fire has gone out. I can tell when someone is excited for Christ, or when someone has lost their excitement. When a believer has not been baptized with the Holy Spirit, it is very noticeable.
As we study Acts 19, know that the Lord wants to do a whole new work by His Spirit, in the Church, and in your life personally.
“Go forth today, by the help of God's Spirit, vowing and declaring that in life - come poverty, come wealth, in death - come pain or come what may, you are and ever must be the Lord's. For this is written on your heart, 'We love Him because He first loved us.' ”
~Charles Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
