ACTS - CHAPTER 2 - THE HOLY SPIRIT

ACTS CHAPTER 2

Tuesday Morning Bible Study

January 25, 2022, the Year of our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

 

Carolyn the Holy Spirit is the Feast of Pentecost.”

 

The Holy Spirit is a person and the third person of the trinity.  He is the One who empowers believers for spiritual work (to be witnesses).

 

 

Acts 2:1-4:  When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Then appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

If we do a study of all of the suddenlies in the bible, we will find that almost all of them speak of the supernatural.  There came a sound from Heaven (out of the sky!).  This gives us a visual of the first visitation of a return of the Lord by His return in the Spirit.  It was the sound of a wind, for the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind (Ez. 37: 9-14).  Then appeared to them divided tongues, and one sat upon each of them.  The sign given was fire.  Pentecost was kept in remembrance of giving of the law upon Mt. Sinai, and as that was given in fire, so is the gospel.  The Spirit like fire, melts the heart, burns up the dross and kindles passion in the soul.  This is THAT fire which Christ came to send upon the earth.

 

The operations of the Spirit are many.  At one time, I counted 96 different supernatural operations.  The Gift of speaking with diverse tongues is one.  The Word reads they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.  It seems obvious that the all means the 120.  With this filling they would have the graces of the Spirit, sanctifying influences, comforts of the Spirit, joy in the love of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  They were endued with miraculous powers for the furtherance of the Gospel.  The Pentecostal tongues were instantly recognized by people from many lands.  Even so, the miracle of speech was secondary to the message.  For this was Jesus speaking through His disciples of the wonderful works of God and the great things of God (Verse 11).

 

This was prophesied by Isaiah (28: 9-12) and by Christ (Mk. 16:17; Jn. 15:26; 16:13; and fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. 

 

“God has a time for everything

And for every purpose beneath the sun;

He has a perfect schedule

By which the universe is run.

The stars vary not in their courses,

The sun’s cycles do not deviate;

And God relentlessly pursues His path,

Never too early, never too late.” (Frances Metcalfe)

 

The fullness of the feast was released to the “every nation under heaven” on that great day of the feast of Pentecost.  (Acts 2:5)

 

The city of Jerusalem was filled with devout Jews on this day of Pentecost.  It was a Sunday, fifty days (counted inclusively) after the resurrection of the LORD.

 

We have cried out for the Harvest, for a revival to come to the earth, but we must first begin to declare what God has already decreed.  On the day of Pentecost devout Jews (Godly men and women) were in Jerusalem from every country in the known world.

 

Acts 2:5-13: There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.  When this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.  They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?’ How is that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?  Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Capadocia, Pontus and Asia.  Phyrgia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs---we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.  They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘whatever could this mean?’  Others mocking said, ‘They are full of new wine.”

 

Our generation has had great Pentecostal experiences.  But we have by no means seen the glory of the Pentecostal experience, as recorded in the Book of Acts, where tongues like as of fire came down and sat upon each of the disciples, and they were given the ability to speak the languages of all nations.  Tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit and is for everyone who has received Christ as their Savior.  We can worship in tongues, gives messages in tongues and have the interpretation of tongues.  Like all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a backslidden person can still speak in tongues, but it will be minus the anointing.

 

Pentecost was a new feast set for a certain day.  Lev. 23:16: Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath, then you shall offer a new grain offering unto the Lord.  The Passover Feast was wonderful.  The appropriation of the Passover from the Cross produces pardon and justification from all sins.  The old is taken away, sins are forgiven.  The past life is forgotten. The sinner is left with a clean record before God and ready to start a new life.   We, the church camped at Passover in a happy state for centuries.

 

But the Holy Spirit called us to Beyond Passover to Pentecost. The God of grace and glory invites the justified man to receive a new experience in the Holy Spirit, whereby he can offer a “new…offering unto the Lord.”  We are invited to drink into God’s Spirit, and be baptized with the Holy Ghost.  In justification we are pardoned.  In this new experience we are empowered for service. 

 

Through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we the "Church," “the lovers of God are beholding wonderful things! We are plumbing His secrets, receiving astounding revelations and enlightenment.  This was released on the day of Pentecost to “all nations” and continues to be released to the ends of the earth.

 
Heaven and eternity are realms beyond which there is no "ne plus ultra." We are scaling the heights of glory through eternity ---the realms supernal-eternal; broadening and expanding in revelation and vastness.”


We have a long way to go to equal the power and glory of the early church, but that power and glory are by no means the sum and substance of the glorious, overcoming church. That was Pentecost in the early hours of "on the day." The church must go on to the Pentecost of the "evening and morning" of the full day; and then beyond Pentecost, on, and on, and on to the Appearing of Jesus. 

 

We have been given the authority to apprehend, assert and decree what God has spoken.  We are to arise and come into agreement with God and send forth the angels on the four winds to gather in the harvest for our generations who are now on the earth.

 

The Apostles and disciples received the glory of Pentecost and established God’s Kingdom on earth with the church as the vehicle of the Kingdom.  The LORD is now calling the end-time church to go Beyond Pentecost to the glorious victory of the Cross which totally justifies God, the righteous One who justifies sinners who have received Jesus as their Savior from sin.  But only as God is “justified in the Spirit,” will this glory and power of God cover the whole earth. 

 

“When Jesus was here on earth, He so beautifully manifested the character of God through the ministration of the Spirit in His life, that God was “justified in the Spirit.”

 

1 Ti. 3:16: without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory
.

 

 Because of Christ’s glorious accomplishment of the Cross, we are told that God was declared to be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus (Rom. 3:26).  When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, there were mockers who mocked the Spirit (Acts 2:13).  God’s great and holy Name has been blasphemed through the ages, but never has God’s Name been blasphemed in the earth as it is this day in which we live.  The Christian’s God is scoffed at, maligned, caricatured, flaunted on the big screen, television and misrepresented with false doctrines.

 

If it is Harvest time, then it is threshing time.  All the chaff of the world and religious system that leave God out of His reckoning will be consumed in smoke in a Day when God’s people are again baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire.  If it is harvesttime, then the husbandman comes into His garden looking for the perfect fruit and perfect grain.

 

Pentecost is called “the feast of harvest” (Ex. 23:16).  The grain harvest was completed.  The sheaf had already been waved before the Lord fifty days before, heralding the coming of the harvest; and now the harvest time had come.

 

 As in the early Church, there is a whole world out there that hates the Christian’s God.  When the Holy Spirit has fulfilled His charge to bring forth the glorious bride to Jesus Christ, once again God will be justified in the Spirit!  The Spirit of God living and abiding in total fullness in this corporate MAN that is arising in the midst of the Church will show forth the God of total righteousness, love, justice and truth in the earth.  Christ will receive unto Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, wrinkle or blemish.

 

So great was the operation of the Spirit of God in the early church that men and women all over the Roman Empire turned to God when they saw Him revealed in a people who walked in the steps of the lowly Nazarene, who came to earth to reveal the Name, the character of the Father.  How did God bring this about?  He simply caused Grace and Glory to abound in such tremendous power that what God accomplished at the Cross became real and vital and operative in those who walked in the way of the Cross and preached it.  It is said that within about 300 years after the birth of the church, approximately one-half of the Empire had been won to Christ!” (George H. Warnock, From Tent to Temple)

 

Those who receive the Holy Spirit are able to release captives from Satan’s kingdom and transplant (or convey) them into Christ’s Kingdom (Col. 1:13).  No military force can do that.  It can’t capture the minds of men, let alone their hearts.  Ah, but spiritual power is unseen and works by Faith.

 

The Holy Spirit empowers men and women to:

 

  1. Cast out devils (Mt. 12:28)
  2. Is the agent of new birth (Jn. 3:5-8)
  3. Takes that which is Jesus’ and brings to us.
  4. Quickens (Jn. 6:63)
  5. It is the Holy Spirit who gives life”; imparts power (Lk. 29:49)
  6. “Knows things of God” (1 Cor. 2:11)
  7. “Imparts gifts to men” (1 Cor. 12: 1-10)
  8. Speaks mysteries through man (1 Cor. 14:2; 14-16).
  9. “Imparts character of God (Gal. 5:22).
  10. “Works miracles” (Rom. 15:19; 1 Cor. 12: Heb. 2:34)
  11. Can carry man (Acts 8:39)
  12. Raises the dead; imparts skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts, etc. etc.
  13. Helps us to be overcomers.

 

The Holy Spirit is a person and the third person of the trinity.  He is the One who empowers believers for spiritual work (to be witnesses).

 

 

 

In Acts 2:14, Peter stands up to give an explanation of what is happening. 

 

PETER’S SERMON:

 

Acts 2:14-21:  Peter, standing up with the elven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.  For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.  But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:  It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh.  Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.  Your young men shall see visions.  Your old men shall dream dreams.  On My menservants and on My maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.  I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath.  Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.  It shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

 

A different Peter who is speaking now.  He has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and now Jesus Christ is in Him speaking.  His calmness is remarkable.  His manner is self-possessed and sober.  Peter does not wade into the scoffers accusing them of blasphemy, instead he acts as if the charges had been made in jest.  He answers the charge by observing that its only 9:00 a.m. This is one of the three periods of daily prayer.  It was also the time of the morning sacrifice and worship.  According to well-established custom, the Jews were not to eat or drink anything until after this hour.  The faces of the disciples probably shown more like angels than drunks.  We are blessed that the Holy Spirit has again visited the Church with Holy intoxication.

 

Acts2:22:  Men of Israel hear these words:  Jesus of Nazareth a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know---

 

Jesus’ first coming was announced by signs.  His ministry was confirmed by miracles, wonders, and signs.  Jesus gave us many signs to watch for regarding his second coming. 

 

This past Sunday morning I shared the LORD gave me a dream (1/19/22).  In the dream, he spoke to me, “Carolyn, there are four signs in the earth of my coming which are so obvious that the people are missing them.”  In the dream, He told me the four signs.  I was praying in the dream to hold onto the revelation of the four signs.  I awoke, praying in tongues, but three of the signs were immediately erased from my memory.  The only sign I was able to remember is “there is an electrical or electronic attack on the brain/head.  I saw a head/brain being targeted with electrical charges (end of dream).

 

The dream of the four signs overrode my mindset of signs in the Holy Bible which I am watching to happen:

(1)   Destruction of Damascus, Isa. 17 (partially complete)

(2)   Gog/Magog war (Ez. 38) (in process).

(3)   False Christs (Matthew 24). 

(4)   Wars and rumors of wars.

(5)   Nation rises against nation.

(6)   Kingdom against kingdom.

(7)   Famines

(8)   Pestilences

(9)   Earthquakes in various places.

(10)       Deliver you up to tribulation

(11)       Kill you.

(12)       Hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

(13)       Many will be offended, betray one another and hate one another.

(14)       False prophets will deceive many.

(15)       Lawlessness will abound.

(16)       The love of many grows cold.

(17)       Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world.

(18)       Abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.

(19)       Sun will be darkened

(20)       Moon will not give its light.

(21)       Stars will fall from Heaven.

(22)       Powers of the heavens will be shaken.

(23)       Brother will betray brother to death, a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  (Mark 13).

(24)       Many will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. (Luke 21).

(25)       Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles.

(26)       Sea and waves roaring.

(27)       Distress of nations.

(28)       Men’s hearts failing them from fear.

(29)       Seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

 

 As Bible scholars, we are aware of the above listed signs.  The message in my dream is a mystery, but the Word of God tells us to watch and pray.  So, let us not be found sleeping.  The end-time beast with the ten horns which represent ten kings who will make war with the Lamb will be of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast.  The ten horns hate the harlot.  God has put into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled (Rev. 15:13-17). 

 

Let God’s people everywhere take upon themselves the “yoke” of Christ, and in so-doing “learn from Him.”  In learning from Him, our mind will be protected from the mind of the beast.

 

Acts 2:23-24:  Him (Jesus) being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 

 

The Jews passed the death sentence upon Jesus.  God reversed their decision and raised Him from the dead.  It is not necessary for Peter to convince them Jesus was raised from the dead because His resurrection was an unquestioned fact.  This was the great topic of conversation throughout the city and region.  Scripture foretold His resurrection.  Jesus also said He would.  Jesus Christ is LIFE Himself.  Death cannot swallow life any more thank darkness can swallow light.  Jesus defeated death and vanquished the fear of dying.  Death should no longer terrorize Christians. COVID rides upon the pale horse of death.  Fear gives COVID it’s power.  Jesus overcame death and Faith vanishes fear. 

 

Jesus’ resurrection abolished the mystery of death, revealing it to be a harmless experience.  He proved that physical death has no effect on a man’s spirit. 

 

Now Peter is able to quote David perfectly from the Old Testament prophecies:

 

2:25-33:  For David said concerning Him: ‘I foresaw he LORD always before my face.  For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.  Therefore, my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad.  Moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope.  For You will not leave my soul in Hades.  Nor will you allow Your holy One to see corruption.  You have made known to me the ways of life.  You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’  Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.  He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, or did His flesh see corruption.  This Jesus, God has raised up of which we are all witnesses.  Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and have received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and hear.

 

The right hand of God refers to His majesty and power.  It is an idiom which means “rule with My authority and power.”  Jesus is ruling in the hearts of men.  Our hearts are to be His throne.  The expression refers to His rule in heaven, earth and under the earth.  The day of Pentecost was the day Jesus began to rule in the Spirit in the hearts of those who will receive Him.  “Footstool” refers to an O.T. custom whereby kings symbolically placed their feet upon the necks of vanquished foes.  On the day of Pentecost, Jesus shifted from his earthly ministry to operate in the Spirits. 

 

The spiritual operation is temporary.  It is to last only until the Kingdom is delivered to God.

 

1 Co. 15: 23-28:  Each one in his own order:  Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.  Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.  For “He has put all things under His feet.”  But when he says “all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who puts all things under Him is excepted.  Now when all things are made subject to Him, that God may be all in all.

 

Continued next week.

 

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

Eastgate Ministries Church

www.eastgateministries.com

Scripture from N.K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of George H. Warnock, From Tent to Temple; C. S. Lovett’s Lights on Acts; Vision given to Carolyn Sissom 1/19/22; Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors.

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