“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39
I believe the greatest promise that the Lord gave us is the gift of His Holy Spirit. I was thirteen years old, when I accepted this gift and spoke in tongues for the first time. Although I did not fully realize just what I had received, I still remember the experience. Through the years I have learned that the Holy Spirit is not just a blessing in church but an abiding presence in every moment of my life.
Unpacking This Promise:
- It is free. Isaiah 55:1 “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
- Offered to all: Acts 2:39 “The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off.” Young, old, rich, or poor, nobody is excluded.
- Gives us power to share our experience with others. Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost 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.”
- Illuminates the Word of God to us. John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.”
- Guides our steps. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
- It gives us a prayer language. Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
What a wonderful promise this was to the disciples. And it is still offered freely to us today. God is still pouring out His Spirit on whosoever will yield their hearts to Him.
Thought For Today: Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
Devotion by Anne Johnston
