Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 10

Highlight Verse:

“Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭10‬:‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the things that blows my mind is that one of the biggest things that divides Christians today is that which should unite us – The Holy Spirit.

Some say the gifts of the Spirit were for a time before the Bible Canon was sealed.

Some say they are for today.

Some say we get the Holy Spirit the moment we get saved.

Some say there is a separate baptism in the Holy Spirit.

My story is a strange mix of the two sides.

I was raised Lutheran and came to a genuine faith in Jesus during my catechism training.

When I moved to Virginia at 16, the nearest Lutheran church was a long way away, so I went to a local Methodist Church, which happened to be an on-fire charismatic congregation. It was there that I first witnessed the gifts of the Spirit and prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In college back in California, I went to an EV Free church (think conservative Baptist) where I was introduced to some solid Biblical teaching from people who truly lived out their faith, while rejecting and notion of miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Then came Lighthouse Church, a Foursquare congregation that offered solid Biblical teaching about the Holy Spirit and put it into practice in such a way that they had a major impact on the community.

If that’s not confusing enough, I could go on about the variety of churches I’ve attended and served in as well as my Bible college experience in my 30’s.

You would think that would leave me confused in that important area of theology.

I am not.

I firmly believe the Holy Spirit still acts through the gifts.

While dispensational churches deny them, I still see the gifts working within their walls. They just don’t recognize them. If they would realize that genuine manifestations of the Holy Spirit will never add to or change the truth of the Bible, God could be even more effective through them.

I have seen a few Pentecostal churches that focus all their attention on the gifts. If they focused on the whole Word of God, the gifts would flow more naturally and effectively.

Focusing on the Truth of Bible would also reign in those who act like they are working through the Holy Spirit while they are really advancing their own personal agendas. Yes, I have seen that.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:
The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.

What theological background did you come from?
How have you seen the Holy Spirit work through you and those around you?