Preparing for Pentecost

Jesus Christ came to make the new birth available to all who would believe on him.  The fullness of what he made available was finally manifested on the day of Pentecost—after he was raised from the dead and was ascended into heaven.
It was during his earthly ministry, as recorded in the Gospels, when Jesus began preparing his followers for Pentecost.  For example, Jesus Christ spoke to Nicodemus and foretold of the new birth.
 
John 3:3-7:
Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus], Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?  can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit [God] is spirit [the new birth].
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Six months later Jesus Christ prophesied of the day when all that believed on him would be able to receive the gift of holy spirit, which would come with the new birth.

John 7:37-39:
...Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit [the gift of holy spirit], which they that believe on him should receive:  for the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

And right at the end of his earthly ministry, only hours before he began the ordeal of suffering and dying for our redemption, Jesus Christ took the time to prepare his disciples for the coming of the gift of holy spirit, also referred to as the comforter.

John 14:26:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit], whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26:
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth [the gift of holy spirit], which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.

Even after his resurrection, one of the first things Jesus Christ did when he went to see his disciples was to give them instructions about the coming of the gift of holy spirit.

John 20:21,22:
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you:  as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit].

Jesus Christ was with his disciples for 40 days in his resurrected body before he ascended into heaven.  And on the very day he was taken up, he once again spoke of the coming day of Pentecost.

Acts 1:4,5,8,9:
And, [Jesus] being assembled together with them [the apostles], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit] not many days hence.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit] is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

The disciples obeyed the instructions their lord and savior had given them and stayed in Jerusalem, daily coming to the Temple at the hours of prayer.  Ten days after the ascension, on the day of Pentecost, the comforter, the promise of the Father, the gift of holy spirit was given:

Acts 2:1-4:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit [God] gave them utterance.

Since that glorious day, anyone who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ can receive and manifest the gift of holy spirit—the evidence of the new birth—that he made available.  Now God’s gift of holy spirit can be within every born-again believer.  This gift enables the believer to operate nine manifestations of holy spirit:  speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith (believing), workings of miracles, and gifts of healings.

This is the power of Pentecost!

If you’d like to understand more about the new birth and
how to manifest God’s gift of holy spirit in your life,
please Contact Us for a fellowship near you!