Welcome, Holy Spirit, Pt. 2 | Jim Hammond
Recap
Pastor Jim presented his second installment of his series entitled, “Welcome, Holy Spirit.” He again used Acts 2:17–21 as his reference. He spoke about how in the last days, God is going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. That means that every man, woman, and child will be touched by the Holy Spirit. That hasn’t happened yet, but we know that it will. And we know that when God pours out His Spirit, not everyone will receive and accept Him. God created people to be free will beings and must make their own choices in life. But Pastor Jim pointed out that everyone that calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved.
Dive Deeper
Pastor Jim read Acts 2:17–21 that speaks about what it will be like in the last days:
“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: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
It sounds as if they’re calling on God in desperation. And when they call on God, they will get saved in the last days.
Some legalistic minister might say, “Well, that’s when someone prays the official sinner’s prayer.”
Pastor Jim says that’s not what it says. They’re simply calling on the name of the Lord. That’s what it says. If they call upon His name, they will get saved.
He used Acts 10:43 as an example. Peter addressed the crowd and said, “…that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
Peter is talking to the first Gentiles that were ever saved in history. While Peter is telling the Gentiles that everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message and were saved.
In verse 45, it says “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Those with Peter were surprised and amazed because the free gift of the Holy Spirit was given even on the Gentiles.
So everyone that believed in Him received forgiveness of their sins in the name of Jesus. So they not only received salvation, but they also started speaking in tongues all at one time. These were the first Gentile people that were ever saved and added to the church.
The received salvation and tongues all in one pop because God knew they believed. God saw their hearts. Peter spoke about their forgiveness and the Holy Spirit fell.
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is related to being poured out of like a glass or filling up a glass.
Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”
We are to seek to be filled with the Spirit of God. You have to want it and you have to look for it. It’s something you have to think about and consider.
It’s possible to be filled with the Holy Spirit at all times… and you can just keep refilling.
You can have levels of the Holy Spirit. You can drink deeply of the Holy Spirit, but then you can take just a sip of the Holy Spirit.
Read About It
Acts 2:17–21, “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: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Acts 10:43–44, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”
Discussion Questions
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues?
Do you understand the role of the Holy Spirit in your life?
Are you aware of the advantage the Holy Spirit gives you in your Christian walk?