“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 8:14-16, NAS95.

When I began to follow Jesus in the early 1980's, there was an ongoing resurgence of interest regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some churches emphasized an experience like the one above. Some churches said the Holy Spirit "falling on" people was simply history and if one had an experience like this it was probably a counterfeit of the devil.

The issue has died down substantially since that time, but a question remains for those that read the book of Acts. "Where did the Holy Spirit go?" Why would He, the one Jesus emphasized as the primary person relating to us, become the least adored, least worshipped, and least related to person of the Trinity?

Relating to the Holy Spirit has been relegated to feeling goosebumps rather than the powerful presence that He is to instruct, convict, heal, perform miracles, and to give direction in times of darkness. When we are embraced by Him, (that's what the word "fallen upon" means), our lives are changed forever.

We are not instructed to seek experiences as followers of Jesus, but we are instructed to relate to the Holy Spirit. We must all consider embracing and allowing the Holy Spirit to embrace us. As we do, we will experience His work in a way that we have not yet seen. 

Have a wonderful day.  

Thursday

Love, 
Pastor Stuart