Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Acts 2 and Psalm 70

¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Yet another one of Jesus’ promises was fulfilled in today’s reading. Just as Jesus had said He would, He now poured out the Holy Spirit into the disciples, baptising and saturating them with the Holy Spirit and the accompanying symbol of fire. With a multitude of faithful Jewish worshippers gathered in Jerusalem for the First Fruits Festival of Pentecost (7 weeks after Passover), the time came for all those who had believed in the Lord Jesus and received Him by faith to receive the first fruits of the promised Holy Spirit.

This impartation of the indwelling Holy Spirit transformed their lives, and He transforms our lives too. The Holy Spirit is given to all who believe in Jesus (John 7:37-39) and, from within us, He imparts the eternally abundant life of Jesus (John 10:10; Galatians 2:20), He gifts us spiritually (1 Corinthians 12:1-11), He transforms us into the glorious likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23), He empowers us for witnessing to others about Jesus (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:5-41), and He draws us into vibrant, intimate and generously loving Christian fellowship (Acts 2:42-47).

Life Application: Let us take time today to thank God for the indwelling Holy Spirit and commit ourselves to a greater trust in (and surrender to) His work within us. And then, let us witness for Jesus boldly, sharing with others what He has done for us and trusting in the Holy Spirit to embolden and empower our witnessing.