Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This past Sunday we read in Luke 12:49 that Jesus said he came to “cast fire on the earth.” In yesterday’s devotion John the Baptist told that Jesus would bring a baptism of refining fire to purify hearts. This passage from Acts is the fulfillment of those promises! The Holy Spirit was sent into a room of Jesus’ disciples and was shown to them in a visual way by appearing as fire on each person’s head. In Luke 12:49 Jesus wanted the “fire” to already be kindled because he wanted people to be filled with the Spirit of God! He wanted the Spirit of God to be active, refining the hearts and minds of people all over the world. We experience this refining process in our lives when we follow Jesus, when we trust in the salvation he offers on the cross, and when we allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. Do you want to be refined and made purer? Do you want to be more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, or self-controlled? Then focus on Jesus and his cross and allow the Holy Spirit to refine your heart.