The Acts of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 4:33 – And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. NKJV

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Traditionally, the book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. I’m not trying to rewrite biblical theology, but I am suggesting that this book, is more than the Acts of the Apostles, but it reveals the Acts of the Holy Spirit!

From His great entrance in Acts 2, throughout the remainder of Luke’s writing, we see many scriptures filled with examples about what the Holy Spirit came to the earth for. It’s not surprising that we feel the apostles were the ones with power, who went about doing these greats things, because they did. However, the Holy Spirit had filled them full of Himself, distributing His power through gifts, to accomplish His will in the earth!

Peter explained to Cornelius and his family how Jesus was able to do the wonderful miracles He did:

Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV

This is the same method that the Holy Spirit used in the book of Acts. He was with the the disciples, allowing the power of God to flow through them, that they may be used by God to expand the kingdom of God, and He is doing the same thing for us! Let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit enabled some of the people in Acts to accomplish:

• Peter’s first message, after receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit resulted in a great conviction coming upon the people and three thousand souls were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
• Peter and John went to the temple and a man who was lame from birth was miraculously healed when He looked upon Peter. Yes, the glory goes to the power of the Name of Jesus, but it was the Spirit of God who did the healing through the disciples. (Acts 3)
• Peter gives another powerful message (because he was filled with the Holy Spirit) and was noted as having great boldness. (Acts 4) Remember, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, and then went fishing after the resurrection. Now he’s boldly proclaiming His name, being that witness with power!
• The disciples gather, after Peter and John’s arrest, and pray for boldness and that miracles will happen when He stretch out His hand. How? By the power of the Spirit through them. And He filled them again! (Acts 4:31)
• Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about how much they sold their property for, and Peter said that they had lied to Holy Ghost. They dropped dead at that proclamation! (Acts 5)
• These disciples were walking in so much power of the Holy Spirit that people brought the sick into the streets that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them so they might be healed. (Acts 5)
• Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people! (Acts 6)
• Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to do many miracles, including casting out demons and seeing the lame walk. (Acts 8)
• The Holy Spirit told Philip to overtake the chariot that the eunuch of Ethiopia was in. After he completed his assignment, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus. (Acts 8). The commentators don’t agree on the distance, claiming it to be anywhere from 34 miles to 400, but however far apart they were, he was miraculously translated from one place to a different location.
• Paul was miraculously converted and commissioned by Jesus to take the message to the Gentiles, but not before he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Paul received a miraculous removal of the scales falling off his eyes.
• Aeneas was healed of paralysis after being sick in bed for eight years. (Acts 9)
• Peter was used to raise Dorcas from the dead. (Acts 9)
• Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body were sent to others and they were healed, and evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:12)
• Prison doors were opened, crippled people were able to walk, the dead was raised, demons were cast out, and a host of other things happened through the apostles, but by the work of the Holy Spirit!

The point of the matter is this: that the disciples, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit became bolder in their life for Christ; and began to do the same things He did as the Holy Spirit moved upon them. This Holy Spirit is still alive and available to the Church today!

I have personally seen the Holy Spirit do miraculous things. I have heard powerful testimonies of so much more. God is real! Jesus is real! The Holy Spirit is real!

The whole reason for my blogs on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to remind us that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. What He required of the apostles and prophets in the Early Church, He is requiring of us in the last days Church. That we be filled with the power from on high! We can deny this is truth, but can we deny our continual inability to see a miracle because we don’t believe this? We can deny the tongue, but can we deny the supernatural testimonies of those who speak in tongues?What I suggest is this, let’s join Him in what He wants to do in these last days and believe for a great outpouring of His power upon all flesh! It’s time to see miracles! Wonderful Jesus!