Acts 19 Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed?

Acts 19 Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed? Have you ever been asked a question that stopped you in your tracks? A question so important that it caused you to rethink everything you thought you knew? In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus and meets a group of believers. Instead of asking where they are from or how long they have followed God, he asks a surprising question: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2). That question is still relevant today. Many people have believed in Jesus, but have never considered all that God has promised them through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19 is a powerful chapter filled with the work of the Spirit, transformed lives, miracles, and the unmistakable power of God. As we journey through this chapter, let's allow Paul's question to become personal: Have I received all that God desires for me? Acts 19 takes place while Paul is on his 3rd missionary journey. He makes it back to Ephesus, just like he had hoped God would permit him to do. He is reunited with his beloved Aquilla and Priscilla. There he found some disciples. (Used here to show they were believers, learners, and followers of Jesus.)   Why did they ask the believers if they had received the Holy Spirit? Paul asked these believers at Ephesus this question for the same reason that Jesus commanded the believers to wait in Jerusalem. God had more for the believers at Pentecost when Holy Spirit was poured out and Paul wanted to be sure these believers didn't miss it. Both groups of believers, the ones at Pentecost and this small group of believers 20 years after that Pentecost needed to be filled with Precious Holy Spirit- BOTH GROUPS!!!   And we still do! Not to make us a glorified bless me club, but to make us more like Jesus and to empower us! Now let me finish that verse.   "No," they answered, "we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."   3 "Into what, then, were you baptized?" Paul asked. "The baptism of John," they replied.   4 Paul explained: "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus."   5 On hearing this,  they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.   6 And when Paul laid his hands on them,  the Holy Spirit came upon them,  and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. It has been over 20 years since the outpouring of Precious Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but the same Holy Spirit that was poured out then was still being poured out in these believers at Ephesus with the same sign of speaking in tongues.   About the same time that the events in Acts 19 are taking place, Paul gets the bad news from Chole's household that there are some serious problems in the Corinthian church. Paul loved the Corinthian church. He was their spiritual Father. When he hears about these problems, he writes them a letter (1 Corinthians).   You can hear the warmth of a loving father's voice in his compliments as he opens his letter.   4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.    5For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,  6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.   7 THEREFORE YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.    In this letter Paul addresses: ·         Divisions ·         Pride ·         Sexual immorality ·         Spiritual Gifts Paul is discipling the people, equipping them, training them because he wanted every member of the Corinthian church to function biblically so the church would be healthy and function properly.   Paul did not want them to be uniformed about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. They needed the gifts or God would not have given them.   Rick Renner says "The gifts of the Holy spirit confirm the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Those gifts give testimony to the fact that He is still alive, still healing, and still working miracles today."     Paul taught them what the gifts were (1 Cor 12), then he explained that love was essential (1 Cor 13). Then Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 14 1 Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.  2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men,  but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.    4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.   Paul has even more to say about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but let me stop here. Some people believe that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit ended because of a verse in the love chapter (1 Cor 13).Let's look at it in 1 Cor 13:8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.   I am THRILLED that one day prophecies, tongues and knowledge will end. But I disagree with some dear people about WHEN that will happen.   Some people believe this verse tells us that prophecies and tongues have ceased. That means that the Holy Spirit no longer distributes them as described in 1 Cor. 12:11.   Let me ask you, do you believe that believers no longer need knowledge?   Did knowledge end? Did the revelation of who God is  in Scripture end? We can't really know God unless He is revealed to us by His Spirit. No, we need knowledge that's why we study the Bible.   If our need for knowledge didn't end, then why did our need for tongues and prophecy end? It didn't.   Let's look at the next verse. 1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,    Verse 10 tells us exactly WHEN that happens… but when the PERFECT comes, the partial passes away.   WHEN does it pass away? NIV translates this verse "but when COMPLETENESS comes, what is in part disappears." The word here that is translated perfect (BSB) and completeness (NIV) is derived from 5056 /télos, "consummated goal or "from going through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal." Like a telescope is opened all the way to its end.   Revelation 10:7 BSB But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He proclaimed to His servants the prophets." The word fulfilled here is from the same root word that Paul used in 1 Cor. 13:8.   The perfect (BSB) the completeness (NIV) is the fulfillment of the mystery of God; at the completion of time, when God winds up things on the earth as we know them now.   Back to 1 Cor 13:12 Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.   When we stand face to face with Jesus on streets of gold, the greatest knowledge that the wisest person ever contained will fade in comparison to the greatness of the wisdom that we will be able to grasp. Our earthly wisdom will be swallowed up with the vast knowledge of God that will fill us then. We won't need our limited knowledge that we had before, so it will end. We won't need prophesies, so they will stop. We won't need tongues, so they will cease.   But until that day that John talks about in Revelation, the church needs to be so filled with Precious Holy Spirit that He can pour His gifts according to His divine plan through us to meet the needs of people around us!!!   Father, I am so thankful that I can call you, Father. Thank you, that "The Father's Gift" -- Precious Holy Spirit outpouring is available for believers today. Help us to desire spiritual gifts so we will not just say nice words, but we will demonstrate God's love through signs and wonders. So that people will know that YOU still heal and deliver today! In the Mighty Name of Jesus.   Want To Be Stronger?   Join me every Saturday for faith-filled encouragement, inspiring articles, and helpful resources delivered right to your inbox. I'd love to connect with you! Or subscribe to this podcast on your favorite Podcast Provider.