Spirit-Wrought Manifestations

It was indicated, at the end of yesterday’s offering that we were being taken to a place not thought of, but a place many of us need to be, in this hour and time. Nevertheless, before we are ushered into the place of the text for the remainder of Pentecost Week, a most unusual text, I might add, I offer you a, not often thought about, gem.

Let’s for a second, return to the witnessing of Jesus’ apostles of His Ascent, back to heaven. Have you seen, has it struck you? Just as a cloud is about to block them from seeing Him rise out of their sight on Ascension Day, they are able to see Him descend fully in Spirit, on Pentecost Day. Weren’t these same apostles, along with the other disciples, able to see the descending Holy Spirit? Didn’t they see, before their very eyes, what appeared to be divided tongues of fire? Did they not see the fire descend and sit upon every single one of them? O yes! There definitely was unclouded vision of the descended Holy Spirit, both outward vision and inward vision.

 It is with cloudless vision therefore, we seek to see and know more about the descended Holy Spirit who is among us. We want to see His wrought works in us also. We desire, to be Spirit-filled witnesses of Jesus.

Come! See, behold and experience our unusual Pentecostal Bible text.  

Until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen. Acts 1: 2.

Before we begin being fed on this verse, I want us to spend a little time on the person who penned the words of the above quoted text. The person to whom the writing of the Acts of the Apostles is ascribed, is commonly referred to as Luke, the Physician. In Paul’s final greeting to the saints and faithful brethren in Colosse, he sends greetings to Luke, the beloved physician. Colossians 4: 14a. 

For quite a while, I used to think of Luke as an apostle, nay a disciple of Jesus even, like Matthew and John. That was simply, more so, a head thing, an associational thing, because of the Gospels, I believe. Gratefully! Being more conscious that he was not one of the apostles whom Jesus had called and chosen, such as Peter, James and John, has been and continues to be an immeasurable Holy Spirit faith-lifter, booster and catalyst for me. What about you?

The verse tells us that there was a specific day, a known day, when Jesus was taken up, the day of His Ascension. In other words, just as there was a day of Resurrection and a Day of Pentecost, the first time the promise was fulfilled, there was a day of Ascension. For those who need it, may these facts about Luke also lift you, ascend you in faith, to mighty works wrought and to be wrought in you, by the already descended and given Holy Spirit. For all who are as I am in these matters, we give living, lasting deference, ownership and un-cheating praise and glory to the Holy Spirit. It is He who has made us witnesses of our Risen Lord. It is only through Him that the works of Jesus are wrought.

Before us are facts about Luke which belong to us also, by faith, through the outpoured Holy Spirit. We begin with the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, his introduction to the work undertaken to write his personal declaration of those things which have been fulfilled among them. He is clear to state that although he was not among the original disciples who were eyewitness and ministers of the Word, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus. Luke 1: 3. The point of faith here is that, through the work wrought in him by faith, through the Holy Spirit, his declaration is just as authentic and infallible as those disciples who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word.

You and I, like Luke, never knew Jesus in flesh and bones, but we know Him in Spirit and Truth. Through the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit, we receive understanding in copious measures, to be used by Him, for it is by Him the works of Jesus are wrought. Faith allows us to become professors of Jesus, whether through preaching, teaching, writing, and any other way of evangelizing, with all understanding, working the works of Jesus in us. We who have not known Jesus in the flesh are not in the least bit disadvantaged.

We live the flesh fulfilment of the Pentecostal outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Works wrought in us by the Indwelling Holy Spirit are testimony to the Living Holy Spirit, risen up and working His works in us.   

Holy Spirit, through our hearing, may we be energized to be worthy professors of Jesus. Amen!