In The Upper Room

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

– Ephesians 5:18

Have you received your own personal Pentecost? Are you a truly Spirit-filled person? Do you know what Pentecost is all about?

Before Jesus was taken up into Heaven, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

The book of Acts tells us that the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost where the disciples were all gathered in one place and among them was “Mary the mother of Jesus”.  It is interesting to note that despite her devout character, her sacrificial spirit and the quality of her life, she is still in as much need of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit as any of the others.  Had we been able to kneel alongside Mary in that Upper Room and ask her why, being the mother of the Lord, she thought it necessary to wait for the promised Holy Spirit, she would probably have said: “Bringing Him into the world was what I did for Him; the gift of the Holy Spirit is what He does for me.”

The fact that Jesus’ disciples and even Mary his mother waited for the promised Holy Spirit, it tells us how important to allow the Holy Spirit work in us and through us. This is the gift God had promised. As Christians, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to examine our lives and ask, “Lord, is there something that is getting in the way of my being witness for You?”  We are in this world to make a difference for the glory of God, and it is the Holy Spirit who will empower us to do it. We can make a difference because:

1. We are appointed to make a difference. Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples…You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:8,16). Jesus said we are appointed to make a difference. He called us to be the salt of the earth and as such we are to give people a taste of who Jesus is and what He is like through our lives, through our witness, and through our testimony. He said that we are the light of the world, and as such we are to radiate the character of Jesus in our lives (Matthew 5:13-16). Hence, the distinction that sets us apart as God’s appointees is a transformed life that makes a positive influence on others. Are we able to make an impact even in seemingly small things?
2. We are empowered to make a difference. The wonderful thing about the Christian life is that not only does the Lord say, “Go out and make a difference, make disciples and share the gospel”, He gives us the power to do so. He does not leave us on our own because He knows, like sheep, we are helpless without Him. By constantly seeking God’s direction and wisdom, by praying without ceasing on every occasion, and making confession and repentance as part of our daily conversations with God, we are placing ourselves under the power of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to make a difference in this world.
3. We are privileged to make a difference. Having the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – is one reason why we are privileged as Christians. When we experience times of pain and difficulty and yet by the power of the Holy Spirit, we manifest the fruit of the Spirit in response, then clearly we make a difference for the glory of God.

Now, would you like to receive your own Pentecost? First, you need to acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior today. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins. Open the door of your heart and receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Read the Bible and pray. Then kneel today in God’s presence and invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, just as He did with the early disciples, until you are full to overflowing.