Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 19

Highlight Verses:

“As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I try to keep to doctrines that are universally accepted in most Bible believing Churches.

As far as this topic goes, I have been an active part of Baptist, EV Free, Foursquare, and Assemblies of God churches.

I have seen this very passage used as supporting both Pentecostal (Holy Spirit filled) and Dispensational (that the gifts of the Spirit are not for today) theologies.

In my mind, the truth of this passage is obvious.

As a senior in high school, I went to an on-fire country church. At the behest of my Sunday School teacher, I prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit at a revival.

I did not burst out into tongues or start seeing visions.

But my faith was challenged by the Gifts at work in that revival.

A few years later, I was hanging out after a service at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Santa Cruz, CA when I noticed some people praying for someone in the front. My friends and I went up and started praying too.

While I was praying under my breath, I suddenly realized that the words passing my lips were not in English.

Since that first time praying in tongues, I have witnessed various gifts of the Holy Spirit at work both through me and others.

I can say with complete certainty that they are real and God still uses them today.

I can also bear witness to the abuse of what seems to be the gifts. Like I mentioned recently, I’ve seen gossip turned into “prophecy.”

I’ve also seen disruption of services, manipulation, and jealousy manifested in what was made to look like the gifts, when they were people acting out of their worldly emotions and desires.

Because of that, when I hear any sort of prophetic message or feel like the Holy Spirit wants to speak through me, I make a point of checking it in the Bible. If it doesn’t check out, it stops there as far as it is in my control.

I can understand if you disagree with me. That is always fine.

But check what the Bible says about it. Let’s agree to follow the Word.

What is your take on the Gifts of the Spirit?
When have you seen the Gifts in action?
Have you seen them abused?