What It Means to be Filled with the Holy Spirit # 6

"And When the Day of Pentecost Was Fully Come"

Brethren, before we go further let us also say that although the Word of God teaches that in God's Plan the Church as a whole was baptized in the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, it also clearly teaches that each individual who has been saved by His grace must also "be filled in the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). This will become clearer as we proceed with our study.

"And when the day of Pentecost was filling up ..." (Acts 2:1 - Emphasized Bible)

"And when the day of Pentecost was in process of being fulfilled ..." (Acts 2:1 - Wuest Translation)

"And when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled ..." (Acts 2:1 - NASB)

"And when the day of Pentecost was completed ..." (Acts 2:1 - Greek Interlinear) 

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come..." (Acts 2:1 - KJV)

"...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit ..." (Acts 2:4)

So we see that "the Promise of the Father" to the Son was that the Church His Body would be baptized in the Spirit, would be empowered to become the Fullness of Him. Acts 2:33 tells us that the Promise of the Father to the Son was poured forth upon the Day of Pentecost: "Therefore (Jesus) being by the Right Hand of God Exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." And in Acts 2:1-4, we are told what they were seeing and hearing.

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Throughout the history of the Church, one of the greatest problems has been the misunderstanding of what took place on the Day of Pentecost; and this has caused much division and ineffectiveness in the Church as a whole. So as we proceed into this great subject, let us pray that we will comprehend more fully, "in the Spirit," what God means when He declares that "the Day of Pentecost was fully come - was in the process of being fulfilled - was completed." "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 7)