WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
By many the Pentecostal experience is valued to be a very rich spiritual experience. If indeed they had a true Pentecostal experience I would agree.
The day of Pentecost was a very special day; in fact I don’t believe we have seen another day like it since. There are people all over the world claiming they have had a Pentecostal experience. It is amazing that so many people are making this claim without ever really looking to see what actually happened on the day of Pentecost.
Lets go to the scripture and see what happened; “And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:1
The disciples were all with one accord in one place waiting for the promise Jesus
had given them. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but
tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Lu 24:49 We should not overlook the fact that they were all with one accord and
in one place. God is pleased when his people are of one accord he says in Ph.2:2
“ Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one
accord, of one mind.” He especially likes it when they are praying in one accord.
(See act.1:4) To be in one accord they must agree. Jesus said in, Mt 18:19
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any
thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in
heaven.” Unfortunately this praying in one accord is not present in most of the
gatherings of the ones who are claiming the Pentecostal experience. When the
Pastor says lets pray they all start speaking at once, one is praying for his wife,
another is praying for healing, another is rebuking the devil, others commence to
speak in unknown tongues. It is not possible to agree in what you haven’t heard,
and how can you know what people are praying when they all pray at the same
time? “How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say amen at thy
giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?” 1 Cor.14:16
This is why we are to wait on one another, we are to have respect one for the
other and listen to their concerns, if we agree with them we can say amen. We
should pray by course, that is one at a time. “If any man speak in an unknown
tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one
interpret.” 1 Cor.14:27 “ For ye may all prophesy one by one that all may learn, and
all may be comforted.” 1 Cor.14:31 If we are praying, speaking in tongues, or
prophesying we are instructed to do it with understanding. “For thou verily
givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God; I speak with
tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with
my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand
words in an unknown tongue.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children,
but in understanding be men.” 1 Cor.14:17-19
They were praying in one accord and in verses two and three it says, “And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them
cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” Have you ever
seen this? Have you ever heard the sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind or have you seen the cloven tongues as of fire sitting upon all that were
present?
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Vs.4 Please take notice it
dose not say that they all began to speak in unknown tongues but in other
tongues. There is a gift of speaking in unknown tongues but that is not what
happened on the day of Pentecost. They spoke in other tongues meaning they
spoke in the languages of the people “as the Spirit gave them utterance”
meaning not all at once but by course. “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem
Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised
abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every
man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and
marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak
Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were
born?”
Acts2:5-8
Peter then preached Christ unto them; “then they that gladly received his word
were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three
thousand souls.” Acts 2: 41
Let’s compare this with what is happening with those who are claiming a Pentecostal experience today. They all pray at once therefore there is no praying in one accord. There is no rushing mighty wind from heaven, no tongues of fire sitting on them. No one understands anything and instead of multitudes of people repenting of their sins, few are getting saved; because little light is given. This is why the Holy Spirit through Paul says we need to be men in understanding. The Holy Spirit condensed the message of God for us into a few words through the Apostle John: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 When people are left with no understanding they remain in darkness.
Jesus said: “He is the way the truth and the life”, when we don’t walk in the light, we fail to walk in the truth. If we say we have had a Pentecostal experience and it is not true; that is a serious problem.
We know that God is able to give the same blessing that he gave on the day of Pentecost. If however we are claiming to have received the same blessed experience and we haven’t, why should he give us, what we are already claiming to have?
Where are the people who are valiant for the truth? Doesn’t anyone love truth anymore? King David said: “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shall make us to know wisdom. Ps. 51:6
If we fail to love the truth we are bringing condemnation upon ourselves. (See John 3:19) Don’t say you must follow the teaching of the Church. For to often the Church has gone astray. The Church must follow Christ Jesus her head who is full of grace and truth.
We should not love the gift more than the one who gives the gift. To do so is
idolatry. Spiritual pride has blinded the eyes of many. They receive a gift and
they think they have arrived. They no longer hunger and thirst for righteousness.
It is time to humble ourselves and pray like King David did: “Hide thy face from
my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and
renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take
not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold
me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners
shall be converted unto thee.” PS.51:9-13
May the Lord Jesus bless you.
