When The Spirit Comes!

“When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place…They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak…Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles and in a loud voice, began to speak to the crowd” Acts 2:1,4,14 GNT 

I never ceased to be amazed at the transformation that took place in the life of Peter (together with other Apostles) after the encounter with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. This was not only the enablement to speak in other tongues but also the baptism of boldness that made Peter stand up to the crowd and addressed them accurately to the point three thousand souls got saved and was added to the Church. This was the same Peter who could not stand boldly to declare for Jesus when confronted by a young lady. He denied Christ as predicted, which of course he later repented of. Many other disciples equally went into hiding when Jesus was being tried and even on His way to the Cross.

When the Spirit Comes, He brings changes and transformation; He enables and empowers; He emboldens and graces a life. 

The experience of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not meant to be a once and for all affair but as we open up to Him, He surely does come again and again to work upon, work in and work with us. The Spirit of God helped the Apostles, working through and with them. He equally worked upon them as much as He worked in them.

In this New Year, as we tarry before Him, may we encounter more and more of the outpouring the Holy Spirit bringing transformation to our lives and empowerment for service. May He work upon us, healing our deficiencies and making us more fit for the Master Jesus Christ. May He also work in us, with us and through us to the glory of God, the Father. Amen!

© Funmi Adebayo 

Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
And make this house(life) your home;
Descend with all your gracious pow’r
O come, great Spirit, come.

Come as the light; to us reveal
Our emptiness and woe,
And lead us in those paths of life
Where all the righteous go.

Come as the fire and purge our hearts
Like sacrificial flame;
Let our whole soul an offering be
To our Redeemer’s name.
Author: Andrew Reed (1829)