Holy Ghost!

The Comforter has come! We need not wait and hope. We need not spend our energies tarrying. When our hearts are right, we will receive the Holy Ghost, because it has already been poured out. Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name...." Whose name? Jesus Name! The prophecies of two men were fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. These two prophets gave outstanding prophecies. Isaiah spoke of stammering lips and another tongue. (Isaiah 28:11) Peter spoke of Joel's prophecy when he said, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet, Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." (Acts 2:16-18) As you read and study your Bible, you will find the doctrine of the Holy Ghost emphasized throughout the scriptures. John the Baptist spoke of the coming baptism of the Holy Ghost and with "fire." Jesus promised His disciples the Holy Ghost, emphasizing that He must go away so that the Comforter could come. He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Ghost came. (Acts 1:4)

The Jewish people were having a yearly feast day in which people from everywhere gathered in Jerusalem to offer "thank you" gifts of food to God. This was the Feast of Pentecost.

But the disciples were not eating a big meal. They were praying and waiting for something wonderful to happen. There was such an air of expectancy in the upper room as the disciples, Mary the mother of Jesus, and many followers of Jesus tarried for the "power from on high. There were about one-hundred and twenty in all. Jesus had promised He would send the Holy Ghost, and He alway keeps His promises!

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven. It sounded like a rushing mighty wind. Only it was not wind; it came right into the room where they were sitting. They could feel it! There were tongues that looked like fire which sat upon each of them. It wasn't real flames, because it did not burn or harm them. This was to let them know the Holy Ghost and fire had come, just as Jesus had promised. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The same Spirit of God who had made the world the same Spirit that was in the body of Jesus that same Spirit now lived in their hearts and spoke through them in other tongues or languages they had not studied!

Jesus had kept His promise. (Acts 2) The Holy Ghost had been poured out on believers. The disciples were no longer lonely. The Comforter had come!

The disciples received power when they received the Holy Ghost. One of the most important purposes of this power was to make them bold witnesses of the power of God. The scripture says, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and shall be witnesses unto me... " (Acts 1:8)

Just as the Day of Pentecost was the fiftieth day after the passover, and marked the culmination of feast days for the Jewish people, so does the outpouring of the Holy Ghost complete God's plan in providing salvation for mankind. Jesus had said, Upon this rock I will build my church. His Church was begun on the Day of Pentecost. It has been steadfast through centuries, embodied by the very Spirit and life of Jesus Christ.

Notice that the audible manifestation or evidence the "one hundred and twenty" had, was speaking with tongues. Of course, this manifestation had been prophesied about by Isaiah. (Isaiah 28:11) He said, "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." Jesus also spoke of the signs that would follow them who believe. They shell speak with new tongues. (Mark 16:17)

The Jews spoke with tongues on the Day of Pentecost. So did the Gentiles at Caesarea (Acts 10:46), the Ephesians (Acts 19:6), and the Apostle Paul. In Fact, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, identifies us with Christ in His resurrection. (Romans 6:5 and Romans 8:11) Just as Jesus Christ experienced death, burial, and resurrection in providing our salvation, we experience a type of death, burial, and resurrection in receiving salvation through the steps of repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. We are "in Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:13) and Christ is "in us" (Colossians 1:27).What a glorious privilege to know the truth!