Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Part 2: Work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
When the Holy Spirit fell on the believers at Pentecost, and
when they began to speak in other tongues, these tongues were other
languages. The Holy Spirit spoke the gospel through these other tongues
so that people of other nations who witnessed this would be able to
hear what the apostles were saying in their own language that they might
understand what had happened.
Acts
2 ... And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire,
and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men,
out of every nation under heaven. 6Now when this was noised abroad, the
multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man
heard them speak in his own language. 7And they were all amazed and
marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak
Galilaeans? 8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we
were born?
And Peter explained what was happening for some thought those speaking in tongues were drunk.
Acts 2 ... Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem,
be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15For these are not
drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall
come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit
upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days
of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19And I will shew wonders in
heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and
vapour of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved. 22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth,
a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24Whom
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that he should be holden of it.
And Peter continued speaking many words telling of Jesus the promised savior ... The
power of God, the Holy Spirit, had fallen on Peter and others and by
this power of God, Peter was speaking to the people that day and telling
them the things of God. Remember Jesus had said to them to remain
in Jerusalem until they received "power" and this was the power ... the
Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter. We can't do
these things of ourselves nor of our own reasoning. But when the Holy
Spirit comes upon us we receive power of God to speak the things of God.
Acts
2 ... Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do? 38Then 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. 39For 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. 40And with many other words did he testify
and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls...And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved.
One working of the Holy Spirit is to convince men of their sins. Jesus said this to HIS disciples before the crucifixion: Nevertheless
I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I
go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I
will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Jn. 16
That is what happened in Pentecost example.
When the Holy Spirit is doing the work there is power to change men. Without change we know man did the work himself and it was not of the Spirit of God.
Example of the Holy Spirit working:
I was baptized in water when I was 15 years old. But I was not born of
the Spirit of God until God spoke to me when I was 37 years old. God
spoke to me in the form of a thought. God said, "Joan... You know all these mistakes you've been making all these years? ... Those weren't mistakes ... Those were sin."
? SIN ? ... I was shocked! (My life changed instantly at this point)
The Spirit of God entered my life and that made all the
difference. I didn't speak in tongues. I didn't run around the room
with hands raised. I simply heard from God by His spirit and heard truth about
myself and was changed. And I was immediately excited. I had been
staying at the home of my best friend and her husband while I was
recovering from an operation. As I left the house that day and passed
Donna, I remarked, "Oh, by the way ... I don't think I was a Christian until now." I walked on out the door. Donna began shouting: "Wait ... Joanie ... come back ... what did you say?" I
told her what had happened to me and how God spoke to me and I believed
that now I was a Christian although I thought before this I was a
Christian but I didn't live like a Christian before this happened to me.
This is an example of real change ... Change by the Spirit of God speaking by the will of God ... That is the power!
To be continued tomorrow ...
(These writings are not available in printed paper form. Only Internet form. You can copy this writing from Internet and distribute to your church group.)