{"id":11951,"date":"2013-05-18T00:01:06","date_gmt":"2013-05-18T04:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=11951"},"modified":"2013-05-17T18:29:46","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T22:29:46","slug":"pentecost-the-holy-spirit-has-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/05\/18\/pentecost-the-holy-spirit-has-come\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentecost—The Holy Spirit Has Come"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tomorrow is the celebration of the Day of Pentecost<\/span>\u2014the day almost 2,000 years ago when the Holy Spirit was sent by God Almighty to take Jesus\u2019 place in the lives of His disciples.\u00a0 You can read about this dramatic, unique event in the Book of Acts. \u00a0Acts 2:.<\/a><\/p>\n

After Jesus had ascended to Heaven, the apostles and many disciples had been waiting as their Lord had told them to do.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They were gathered together…the apostles, Mary, the other women who followed our Lord, along with some of His disciples.\u00a0 The Scriptures tell us that they spent their time praying.\u00a0 After Jesus\u2019 arrest, His trial, and His crucifixion, Jerusalem was not a safe place for them to be (as many of them were known to have associated with Jesus). \u00a0But they were obedient to their Lord, even in His absence, and yearned to receive His promise.<\/p>\n

While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem,\u00a0but to wait for the Father\u2019s promise. \u00a0“This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; for John baptized with water,\u00a0but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”<\/em>
\n But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,\u00a0and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem\u00a0and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.<\/em>
\nActs 1:4, 5 and\u00a08<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus had promised them, “If I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). That promise was fulfilled on Pentecost. Just as Jesus was always there to help them, and to guide them, and to teach them, the Holy Spirit would be also.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit was, essentially, to be Jesus’ replacement.\u00a0 Now they would have the Holy Spirit\u2014One who would, just like Jesus,\u00a0minister to them in all the ways that He had.<\/p>\n

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.<\/em>
\n He is the Spirit of truth…<\/em>
\nJohn 14:16 and 17<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 (read the context in verses 15-26)<\/a><\/p>\n

What an incredible promise!\u00a0 Can you imagine?\u00a0\u00a0During the Last Supper,\u00a0Jesus taught His disciples much about much!\u00a0 He was preparing them.\u00a0 And He was helping them to know that, when the time came, they would not be alone. He loved them SO much!\u00a0 And so His communication with them during this time included instruction and encouragement regarding His promised sending of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Now before the Passover Feast began, Jesus knew\u00a0that the time had come for Him to leave this world\u00a0and return to the Father. \u00a0And as He had loved those who were His own in the world,\u00a0He loved them to the last and to the highest degree.<\/em>
\nJohn 13:1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just as real as Jesus was to the disciples when He walked this earth, He is just that real to us, His current-day disciples, through the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit continues to be Jesus\u2019 presence with His disciples today—you and me.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t you yourselves know that you are God\u2019s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you?<\/em>
\n1 Corinthians 3:16<\/strong><\/p>\n

To the same degree that those who were alive in Jesus\u2019 time needed a Helper and a Comforter, so do we; wouldn’t you agree?\u00a0\u00a0Our Lord loves us (you and me) also “…to the last and to the highest degree.”\u00a0 His promise extends to every one of those who are His; who\u00a0obey His commands.\u00a0 His promise of\u00a0One Who would take His place, to be Helper, Comforter, to teach and guide, to walk alongside is to you and me!\u00a0\u00a0We are not alone!<\/p>\n