WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES - MAY 27, 2012

Today is the 50th day from Easter called Pentecostal Day and is considered a very special day since the Holy Spirit was poured mightily upon the early apostles this day.  So the title of this day’s message will also go along with this day, the Holy Spirit.

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

We come to know from these verses that the Holy Spirit was poured upon with Power on the 120 disciples who were gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.  Because of this Power the disciples spoke in different tongues and from that day on they became witnesses in many places of the world.  We realize one point here that when Holy Spirit comes upon us, there will be many miracles happening.

Even today being the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has come to be poured upon in order for you to receive many miracles.  This specialty of the Holy Spirit is the same as before.  Like how it was mighty in the early days it will be the same even now.  This was well demonstrated in the 20th century revival of the Holy Spirit in Azusa Street, Los Angeles.  Rev. William J. Seymour conducted a powerful meeting in this place and Holy Spirit started to pour upon many millions who gathered there and all spoke in different tongues.  Just because Rev. William Seymour was Black, his revival meeting was not revealed to the world.  But God enabled this revival to be known by the entire world later.  This meeting started every morning at 9 a.m. and it went all through the day.  People of different castes and creeds gathered there and get delivered of their problems and started speaking in tongues.  The visitors could not understand what was going on, but accepted one thing in common that people were speaking in heavenly languages which no man could understand.  This was the mighty act of the Holy Spirit when we submit and surrender to Him even today.

When we went to Azusa Street in Los Angeles later, all we could see was a signboard but no church.  We later were informed that this church was shifted to the next street.  But we felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues even as we neared the Azusa Street.  No one at that time was there to explain us what happened during the revival.  We prayed to God and He sent us a man who informed us many wonderful things about the meeting.  According to him, there was no music or choir but the people heard angels singing.  The meetings happened every day and millions of people from nook and corner gathered there every day.  We understood from this that when Holy Spirit comes, there will be Great and Mighty works done.
So what are the things that will happen when the Holy Spirit comes in midst of us….

1.    There will be LIGHT.

Gen 1:2-4 - Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

The Earth was formless and empty in the beginning and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  Wherever there is darkness, the Holy Spirit comes and makes it bright.  Perhaps certain parts of your life may be disorganized, formless, and may be in darkness.  Some of you might even say I am not able to gain victory only in this part of life.  You may be longing for a change but could not find a way out.  You may be willing to change your immoral behavior but you could not do so.  If you are facing the above said situations in your life, kindly surrender to the Voice of the Holy Spirit right now.  Holy Spirit never likes a disorganized life.  He has come now only to change your life to a moral one.  Definitely your life is going to be changed from now on.  After that seeing your moral life, Holy Spirit will say “It is good.”

Prayer:  Dear God, I feel darkness in many areas of my life.  I am willing now to surrender my life at your feet.  Kindly make it bright and say, “It is good.”  Thank You.

2.    There will be VICTORY

Judges 6:34 - But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.

You could have read this history many times from the Bible.  The Spirit came upon Gideon.  Before this Gideon was pessimistic and was testing God whether He will do according to His word.  But the moment the Holy Spirit descended on him, he gained victory.

Judges 7:20, 21 - Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”  And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.

God gave Gideon a different strategy which no man could ever think of while going for a battle.  God asked them to carry an empty pitcher with torch inside and a trumpet.  If we are in the battle we would have wondered what pitcher and trumpet will do in a battle.  But Gideon and his army obeyed the voice of God totally.  Gideon faced a great opposition from his enemies but when he surrendered to the voice of God and did accordingly he gained a great victory.
Even so for us when we surrender to the Voice of the Spirit, he will give us different strategies in order for us to gain victory.  Here the different strategy was that, God did not ask the Gideon’s army to fight but to stand still and blow the trumpet.  They did just as the Lord told them and He started His mighty works in the battle.  God made the Gideon’s team to know that battle was His and not of them.

So keep aside all your efforts, just do what the Holy Spirit says.  The secret of victory lies not in your own strength but on the God.  Rely on God totally and see the mighty works of God with your own eyes.  You could not accomplish a particular task by your own wisdom.  This will only happen by the Power of the Holy Spirit.  He will command a great victory in all your adverse situations.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I now understood that it is not by my strength or by my wisdom I am going to gain victory, but by You.  Thanks Lord for opening my eyes.  I now surrender totally unto you.  Please give me victory over all my adverse situations.  Thank you.

3.    There will be EXALTATION

I Samuel 16:13 - Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.  So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

We are more honored than the OT people since after Acts chapter 2 the Holy Spirit stayed permanently on every one who were saved.  This was not so with the OT people.  The Spirit will come on them at certain times and not stayed with them permanently.  As we see here, David did not search for the blessing of God but the blessing of God came in search of him.  So when the Holy Spirit comes, there will be exaltation and that exaltation will not be a small one but great to the extent of a shepherd boy becoming a King.

The Lord who exalted David will also exalt you too to the extent that everyone will hear about you and know you.  It is possible with God and Him alone.  Perhaps you might require a promotion in your office and there is no chance of you getting it.  God will come in search of you at His time and make it possible.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I need many things to be accomplished in my life but there seems to be no way of accomplishing it.  Please exalt me and give me your blessings as you exalted David and made him King.  Thank you for doing so.

4.    There will be LIFE

Job 33:4 - The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

You would have expected many things to come to pass in the previous days but there was no outcome.  You would have disappointed and came to a conclusion that everything was over.  Many are in this situation nowadays.  Kindly do not worry.  Our Holy Spirit is the reviving Spirit and He is the life-giving Spirit.  Never assume a particular way in which God is going to help you.  God knows to give you what you need in whichever way it seems best for Him.  The Lord is saying now to the Parents that they are going to hear a good news from far off or nearby for their unmarried sons and daughters.  It is possible with God since we are hearing many testimonies of dead being raised from the mortuaries.  He is able to do any kind of a miracle.  If you believe now, He is going to revive you.  Perhaps doctors would have said some parts of your body are perishing.  Do not believe their words, but believe God.  He is going to give you life and make you live again.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I have come to know that you are the life-giving spirit.  Kindly enter my life and revive my dead situations to a living one.  Thank you.