Under The Influence

“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Acts 2:11.

According to the Law, three times year, God’s people were to come to His sanctuary. One of those times, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (the Greek word for fifty days), occurred seven weeks after Passover and was observed by giving thanks at the start of wheat harvest. Each year, Jews from far and near who worshiped God and obeyed His word packed out Jerusalem to sacrifice and celebrate, but at the Feast of Pentecost following the first Easter, all were in for a special surprise.

In obedience to Christ’s command before His ascension, His followers stayed in Jerusalem waiting for the promise of His power, and when the Spirit showed up, He arrived loud and lit up. On feast day, “the believers were all together in one place”(Acts 1:2). As the sound of a mighty wind rushed through the room, tongues of flame floated above their heads. “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit”(Acts 2:4), and when they opened their mouths to exclaim, they found their speech replaced by different languages from around the world “as the Spirit enabled them”(Acts 2:4). The ruckus attracted the attention of a crowd who became even more amazed when they heard the disciples’ words in their native tongues. “Aren’t these men Galileans? How is it that each of us…Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”(Acts 2:7-11). While some dropped their jaws and said, “What does this mean?” others began to jaw, “They have had too much wine”(Acts 2:12-13).

So Peter stood up and shot straight. “We’re not under the influence of spirits but of God’s Spirit. He promised this through the prophet Joel, telling us that such a time would come and that salvation comes through His name”(Acts 2:16-21).

More on that sermon next time, but here’s the truth for today: When we believe, we receive, and the change should be obvious to all around us. If we’re saved, we’re filled with God’s Spirit, and His presence and power should make such a difference in our lives that we attract attention to God. Our speech shouldn’t sound the same as those who don’t know Christ. Our attitudes shouldn’t feel the same as those who don’t know Christ. Our priorities shouldn’t show the same as those who don’t know Christ. Our love shouldn’t prove the same as those who don’t know Christ. Our actions shouldn’t look the same as those who don’t know Christ.

Each day, by what we say and what we do, we are “declaring the wonders of God”(Acts 2:11). His Spirit takes our words and our works and translates them into a language that those who need Jesus can understand. Some will marvel. Some will make fun. Keep being faithful. When others ask, “What does this mean?” explain as Peter did—by pointing them to God’s promise and His provision.

God’s Spirit enables us to do what we once thought impossible.
As a result, we should always be caught LUI—living under His influence.