We’re going to continue on our subject here of the power of the Holy Spirit.  You know, most people that are born-again believers, part of the kingdom, and love the Lord, would love to embrace all the power and all the ability of the Holy Spirit, if it didn’t have this little bit of a problem in the minds of so many, if it was not accompanied by tongues.  Tongues is the big hang-up in the understanding of God wanting to gift His church with power to be witnesses unto Him.  Acts, Chapter 1, verse 8, we’re all very familiar with it.  We’ve been going over these passages and the Scriptures are clear here that we will “receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  And when he had spoken these things”—this was the last thing Jesus said before He had ascended unto the right hand of God.  It must be pretty important; amen?  The last thing to say to His church—listen—that you’re going to be filled with power from on high.  “I want you to go to Jerusalem and I want you to tarry and wait for the promise” (Acts 1:4).  We know that He had been being seen of men for 40 days after His resurrection, He had been ministering to His church, and He had been giving forth wisdom and counsel.  It says, “by many infallible proofs,” verse 3.  “He shewed Himself alive…by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”  “Are you going to bring Your kingdom right now” (verse 6)?

Speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God—listen beloved, “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17); amen?  And so, He’s speaking to them of these things, that the kingdom’s going to begin to manifest in their midst in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  “I’m telling you what this kingdom is going to be like and I’m going to empower you from on high and you will be witnesses unto Me.  Now go tarry and wait for the promise.”  And so, they did, and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, not knowing what to expect, they were there waiting for the promise, they knew the promise was coming but how it would manifest itself, they had no idea.  They just knew there was power coming.  Well, Jesus had already endued them with power in the earthly ministry when He sent them out; amen?  And He gave them power over what?  “Over all the power of the enemy,” the Scripture said (Luke 10:19).  “I’m going to give you power to heal the sick, I’m going to give you power to raise the dead, and I’m going to give you power to cast out devils.”  So, they were not unfamiliar with the power of God.

They’d experienced it, but they were experiencing it in the same way that the Old Testament saints experienced it.  It would come upon them and enable them to affect these things for the kingdom of God, but this power was coming to abide in us, not upon us, but in us; amen?  It wouldn’t come and then depart such as it did with Sampson.  It would come and reside within us.  Where a lot of Christians over the years have had problems is understanding that this baptism in the Holy Spirit, the promise from the Father, was a subsequent work to the Holy Spirit’s abiding in us and us abiding in Him to be the benefits and the consequence of regeneration.  A subsequent work, an empowering.  What would it be like?  I know those that had tasted of that power had to have been very excited.  “If we experience this without this promise, what’s going to happen when we receive the fullness of God?”  They were looking for the greater things that Jesus spoke of; amen?  “And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.  If I go to the Father, I’m going to send you the Comforter” (John 14:12 and 16).