How Do We View Pentecost?
Pentecost is not a one-time experience. It is not a style of church service or worship. It is not a denomination or a movement. It was not an event that happened, way back when. Pentecost is the blueprint for normal Christianity.
Jesus’ baptism made provision for the Heavens to open, but it was Jesus’ blood that made provision for the Heavens to remain open over you. Until the Day of Pentecost, Jesus Christ was the only human being Who was compatible to receive the abiding anointing. In other words, because Jesus was without sin, the holy Presence of God would live in Him comfortably. He was not anointed for a time or a task; the Spirit came upon Him and remained.
So many of us think to ourselves, yeah, but that was Jesus. The Spirit could remain upon Him and move through Him because Jesus was perfect. That is true. Jesus was without sin. And yet, Jesus’ work at the cross of Calvary made it possible for all to receive the forgiveness of sin and become eligible to be filled with His Presence.
As supernatural as it was for that thick curtain in the temple to be torn down the middle, a greater veil was opened in the heavenlies because of Jesus’ blood. Heaven had become open to all who would place their complete faith and trust in this eternity-defining act. However, Heaven did not simply become a place of future destination, but an experience of present demonstration. Heaven is a glorious eternal destination we all get to look forward to, but here is the encouraging message of Pentecost—you have received a down payment of the age to come in the here and now. His name is Holy Spirit.
With this, I want to give you three practical ways that you can experience the power of Pentecost in your everyday life.
1. Stop Looking for Another Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has already come; we don’t need an upgrade or 2.0 version. Remember Paul’s words to the Romans: “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11, NKJV). When we are always looking for some “new spiritual experience,” this positions us for deception and potentially, heresy. I like how prayer leader Corey Russell, puts it: Revival is not out with the old and in with the new; it’s out with the old, and in with the even older. Instead of crying out for a “new” Pentecost, let’s return to the age-told blueprint that we see in the Book of Acts. Let’s mine the depths of Scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal everything that we have been freely given in Him (see 1 Cor. 2:10-12). We only look for another Pentecost when we do not have a full revelation of what we received in the first one. I believe that as we rediscover the glorious inheritance we have received in the Holy Spirit, revival will shift from being a series of meetings or season to a sustained lifestyle.
2. Freely Give What You Gave Received. Jesus gives us the secret to living in sustained revival: giving away what we have received. While commissioning the disciples, he tells them “as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:7-9, NKJV). People experience powerful “mountaintop” moments in God’s Presence, but then, go back to “normal” life very quickly. Why? Often, we are not discipled on how to carry the Presence in a relevant, everyday way. We are given theories, not instruction. We are given theology, not a model. Theology is wonderful, and it must be accurate, but theology was always intended to lead us into an encounter. Pastor Bill Johnson says it so profoundly: “The Holy Spirit is in me for my sake; He is upon me for your sake.” We are saved and sealed for Heaven because the Spirit lives within us. This is worth celebrating for sure. At the same time, I want to live an effective life where I carry the Presence and power of God into impossible situations. I want to see the sick healed and the tormented set free. I want those who don’t know Jesus to see His nature accurately represented through our lives, and this representation comes through demonstration. We need to learn how to give away what we have received in the Holy Spirit, in both our Christ-like character and demonstrations of power.
3. Cry Out for More. It is legal for you to want to experience more of the Holy Spirit. No, you are not asking for “another” Holy Spirit. Rather, you are desiring to encounter more of the One you have already received. Big difference, even in how we ask. If we feel like we need a new, more upgraded Holy Spirit, and God is holding out on us, we become inclined to beg like paupers, hoping that our begging will compel the Father to give us a “new measure” of anointing. Ridiculous. You are anointed. You have the anointing. God Himself lives inside of you. It goes without saying that you can’t graduate from that! However, Paul writes in Ephesians 5:18 for us to be filled with the Spirit. The Greek for “filled” suggests a continuous, on-going process of being filled. Note the word, though. Paul does not talk about receiving another outpouring from Heaven; he is discussing being filled with the One Who already lives within us. I want the Holy Spirit to fill every area of my life, and I imagine you do too! Yes, I celebrate the power and gifts He has made available, but I also desire for the Holy Spirit to supernaturally fill my mind, my words, my relationships, my attitude and my character to where every area of my life is under His divine influence. When we cry out for more, we are basically asking the Spirit Who lives inside of us to start resting upon us. This is what produces the fruit of Pentecost, for when God’s people are filled with His Spirit, they represent His Son and release His Kingdom.
Larry Sparks is a conference speaker, blogger, columnist and host of the weekly radio program Voice of Destiny (thevoiceofdestiny.org). Featured in Charisma magazine and on CBN’s Spiritual Gifts webcast, Larry is also founder of Equip Culture—a ministry that equips believers with the tools and resources to live victoriously through the supernatural power of God (lawrencesparks.com). His new book, Breakthrough Faith, will be released with Destiny Image Publishers on October 21. You can follow @LarryVSparks on Twitter to receive messages of encouragement and empowerment.
