“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” -Acts 2:1-4

The Promise Fulfilled

The Promise Keeper fulfilled His promise! It was time! The 10 days of waiting, praying constantly together, setting up a leadership structure, and making preparations were complete. I wonder if Father and Jesus looked at one another, smiled, and said, “It’s time to send the promised Holy Spirit! The New Covenant will be established!” I can imagine all of Heaven pausing in longing expectation. Heaven opens, and the Spirit is poured out on this eager band of Jesus lovers, waiting to catch fire. Can you just envision this glorious moment?

The New Covenant

As the law of Moses sealed the Old Covenant, the coming of the Spirit ushered in the New Covenant for those of us in Christ Jesus. This glorious gift at Pentecost was God’s source of blessing, goodness, and power and was the starting point of what He had commissioned to us for the nations. This Feast of Harvest was one of three major pilgrimage feasts on the Jewish calendar. But this particular feast in Acts 2 was a harvest of souls—marking the beginning of the Church age and the prophetic purpose for which she was born. Pentecost was just a foretaste of Heaven, but it was also the starting gate for the last days.

“‘Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.'” -Exodus 25:8-9

God’s presence, which once dwelled in a place made by the hands of men so He could tabernacle with them, found a permanent place of residence inside His people on Pentecost. God dwells in us for the constant manifestation of His power and presence so the gospel and His glory can cover the Earth.

Signs of God’s Presence

How then did He come to overwhelm their sight, sound, and entire person in a theophany unlike anything in all of Scripture? Wind and fire are associated with the sign or person of God throughout Scripture. The rushing wind, tongues of fire, and new tongues came to settle on these expectant ones who were getting ready to be empowered to take the gospel forth.

A mighty rushing wind signifies the ruach they would have known throughout the Old Testament days. It was the breath that filled the dry bones in Ezekiel 37 and the very power to bring dead things to life. God’s life-giving, resurrecting Spirit had come to rest on the apostles. The consecrating Spirit that used to reside in the temple in the Old Testament now consecrated these New Covenant people, full of force and power, through a mighty rushing wind.

Then came the tongues of fire that rested on each one. Again, we see the presence of God through the image of fire throughout Scripture (Exodus 3:1-6, 13:17-22; 1 Kings 18:38). The presence of fire on each person indicates these new living temples are filled with the residence of God just like He filled the temple with His glory. As He takes up residence in us, the life of Christ is displayed through us!

“The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as a refiner uses fire to make pure gold; or fire can burn away what is temporary, leaving only what will last. This is an excellent illustration of the principle that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for abstract power, but for purity.” -David Guzik, Acts 2 commentary

And just like John the Baptist prophesied in Matthew 3:11, this Pentecost outpouring fulfilled the promise that we would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire. All things were coming together with the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus into us—God’s people, His dwelling, His inheritance, His glorious ones who bear His image and His name. It’s almost too much for our minds to process. But then we see the clearest sign of their indwelling—they began to speak in other tongues that were understood by those listening!

The Gospel Goes Forth

The gospel message was being formulated in words that others could understand so they too could receive salvation. Jesus was being magnified in what was mysterious to them for the first time, yet being made known to the nations gathered. As soon as Pentecost (the day of harvest) came, the gospel was going forth, and it has not stopped today!

“Pentecost stands as a mighty demonstration of God’s pursuit of worshippers from every tongue.” -Tony Merida, “Exalting Jesus in Acts”

If Pentecost was an episodic event to release the Bride into her role, identity, and last-day assignment, then we better believe that this fulfillment of Pentecost has not ceased today. Why do I say that? Because all of the nations have yet to receive the gospel message. In fact, more than 3 billion people have yet to hear the very name of Jesus. If we don’t take this message that birthed the Church, was commissioned to us, and power sourced to us, then what are we doing? Jesus doesn’t just live in us so we can be gentle and kind and loving in fruit only. He lives through us so the nations can hear the hope of Christ!

God lovers, Pentecost people, this passage is an ignition point for you. If you’re struggling with your purpose, your calling, or your identity, they are found right here in this passage. This is what you were born for. His fire wants to not only rest on you so you can speak with His mouth but you were born to be His harvester. You were placed in this time in history to help fulfill the Great Commission 2,000 years later. He wants to take up more and more residence in us as we give Him more of our hearts to purify and our lives to manifest His goodness and glory to the nations.

A Prayer for Today

Pray this with me:

Consume my life with Your ruach. Breathe Your breath of life into me so that I may continue to live and bring Your life.

Consume my life with the purifying fire of Your presence, burning up the chaff in my life so that what remains is worship to You.

Consume my life with Your words so that I speak the words of God to the weary and hopeless, those who are perishing, and those who need to be healed and set free.

Holy Spirit, fill my life with the fullness of Christ so I overflow with You.

And together we close this day with these words on our tongues:

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. …

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” -Revelation 22:17, 20-21

A Few Key Notes

• Join us for Training the Bride to War! This study will equip the Bride of Christ for this hour and train her hands to war. Sign up for this six-week study beginning April 2. Register here.
• We are hosting an Arise Missions Conference for women pastors, mission leaders, and women who want to begin a mission movement in their churches to mobilize and equip women to find their calling and role in the Great Commission. Join us on April 9 as we seek to build your faith and answer the why and how of missions. Register now to get the early bird ticket price!