“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and
Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
~ Acts 1:8 ~
Having
a Spirit-filled life isn’t just about performing signs and miracles and
preaching the Word of God to the masses in power and authority – with flashes
of lightning and bolts of thunder. It is good that to have these, yet we often
neglect the other aspects of being filled with the Spirit.
In
Acts 1:8, we often imagine witnesses of Christ as great preachers, evangelists,
prophets, teachers and apostles. We limit how God can move also in the small
ways, starting from you – your being, your life!
1.
GIFT OF TONGUES
When the Holy Spirit came and rested on the people
on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 1-13), we can notice that the first enablement
was to speak in other tongues or languages (v4). I believe that they also spoke
in heavenly tongues (v3). The significance of speaking in tongues or other
languages edifies oneself unless he interprets then it will edify the church (1
Corinthians 14:2-5). Can we say that God is more interested in the individual?
I believe so! Simply because the body of Christ comprises of you – the
individual. Yes, the focal point of God’s heart is you. And if the focal point
of God’s heart is you, then you will understand that it is His desire for each
of His children to receive the gift of tongues, as in Acts 2:
“All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts
2:4)
How does the gift of tongue edify you? (Note: I will
share this from personal experience.)
I.
In worries, anxieties &
sorrows
Once when I had difficulties at work, I felt it hard
to pray to God and I felt my faith in Him was dwindling. I began to activate my
tongues and minutes later, my spirit got lifted up and somehow my faith
strengthened. I began to proclaim God’s promises in my life and claimed upon
each of one of them. Praise be to God!
II.
In sickness & pain
Two years ago while I was on a student exchange
program in Thailand, I bunked in together with a good friend of mine, a fellow
believer of Christ. One night while I was asleep, she grabbed me at my arm
abruptly and said while gasping for air, “Grace, I can’t breathe…” Immediately,
I began to pray for her. I asked God to release His healing grace and power
upon her. She continued to gasp for air and I began to pray in tongues (to get
focused on God because I was feeling very sleepy) and I continued to declare
healing upon her in Jesus’ Name. Just as the account of Jesus felt power leave
his body (Luke 8:46), I felt an electricity current flow through my arm to her
hand. Then, she could breathe normally again. Glory to God!
III.
In warfare
Once I had a nightmare. In my dream I met with a
demon possessed girl who looked innocent yet her eyes were extremely
frightening. I was fearful. In my dream, I recall commanding her to go away in
Jesus’ Name but I was filled with overwhelming fear and she kept approaching me
nearer and nearer. I started praying in tongues and in that instant I could
feel my spirit man lifted and I became bold and started to command her, “Go
away in Jesus’ Name!” And truly, she went away. God is omnipotent!
IV.
In praise & thanksgiving
Once I received a good news; it was an answered
prayer. I began to praise God in thanksgiving. I praised Him in tongues, of
which I could not understand, yet I knew my heart was filled with immense joy
and I was touched by His love and faithfulness in my life. The Lord is
faithful!
V.
In deep worship and
intercession
Once when I locked myself in my room, took my up
guitar and began to worship. I got more engrossed and deeper in worship. It was
at a point I could no longer sing or speak a word to God and there was a
silence in His presence. I began to sing to tongues as the Holy Spirit flowed
through me and I was ministered to. Tears began to flow from my eyes. I felt
the heart of God – the people on His heart – then I moved to intercession. I
started naming people who came to my mind and prayed in tongues as I didn’t
know what to pray for them. I felt deeply convicted as the Spirit led me
(Romans 8:26).
These
experiences are not just it! God yearns for the individual, you and I, to
experience His Holy Spirit in His special ways. To be filled with the Spirit is
not a one-off thing. And that’s because we aren’t perfect. Sometimes, we fall. We
are weak. Still, just as Enoch walked with God throughout his life, it is
possible to live a spirit-filled life, not just a spirit-filled day.
2.
KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when
you hear of other churches in need? Judgement? Criticism? Apathy?
The believers in Acts were living a Spirit-filled
life. They had a Kingdom perspective of the church – who is the church? What is
the church?
I.
Who is the church?
The church is the people of God, believers and
followers of Christ, who have everything
in common (Acts 2:44, emphasis mine). It isn’t just believing in God. It
isn’t just following Christ. It is having everything in common with each other,
even if it means you are from a different church building, or a different
denomination, or even a different language. What is this “everything”? I believe
it comprises a:
A.
Common mission: The Great Commission
“Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
B.
Common vision: The Second Coming of Christ
C.
“‘As surely as I live,’ says
the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” (Romans 14:11)
D.
Common heart & mind: Oneness (Acts 2:45; 4:32)
“Selling their
possessions and goods, they gave to anyone has he had need.” (Acts 2:45)
“All the
believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his
possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had……There were no
needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses
sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet,
and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 4:32, 34-35)
If you ask me, the churches’ oneness in finances is
the most difficult to achieve in today’s world, whether in rich or poor areas.
May the Lord’s kindness lead us His church into repentance. May His mercy call
us to be like Him, for His love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5). As such,
may the churches, or should I write, the “church”, find favour in His eyes that
He will empower us greatly to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and that His abundant grace will be upon us all (Acts 4:33). I believe, if the
churches locally and all over the world, can catch this common heart and mind,
there will be a great revival in the world:
“And the Lord
added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)
II.
What is the church?
The church is where there’s devotion and commitment
(Acts 2:42). The church is where many signs
and wonders are done (Acts 2:43, emphasis mine). The church is where joyful
noise and shouts of praise are heard (Acts 2:47). The church is where healthy
relationships with each other and built (Acts 2:47). Because we are the church,
wherever God places us, we ought to be devoted and committed to the teachings,
ministries and fellowship. Wherever we go, signs and wonders shall follow us
who believe in His name (Mark 16:17). Whoever we are with, we are not afraid to
praise God. Whatever differences we may have against each other, we can learn
to embrace and accept each other’s weaknesses and grow together in His grace
and truth.
Therefore,
having a Spirit-filled life starts from the individual – you and I. From this,
we become a witness to our Jerusalem, our home church. When the church consists
of individuals who have a Spirit-filled life, she becomes a witness to our
Judea and Samaria, our community. When the community consists of a growing
church with a growing number of Spirit-filled believers, we become a witness to
the ends of the world. This is when the revival fire spreads across the land,
it cannot contain within the boundaries of the nation, and it spreads like
wildfire to the other nations. The heart of mission is not the doing, it’s the
living. May the Holy Spirit help us! For it is not by might, nor by power, but
by the Spirit of the living God (Zechariah 4:6).
Got
it? Or, rather, done it?
