Instantly I knew what was going to happen next...

A few years ago I attended a meeting at the offices of the Evangelical Alliance in Kennington Park Road. The meeting finished late afternoon. It was dark and raining quite heavily outside and unfortunately I didn’t have an umbrella. I set out towards The Oval tube station resigned to the fact that I would be a bit wet by the time I got there. As I walked along the pavement the traffic was moving in the opposite direction just a few yards from me. I looked up to see a lorry coming my way. At the same time I noticed the enormous puddle on the road next to me. Just as the lorry’s front tyres hit the puddle, instantly I knew what was going to happen next and I also knew I could do nothing about it! The wheels hit the puddle and a cascade of water hit me saturating me from head to foot – I was totally drenched. Any remaining concerns about getting to the tube station quickly to avoid getting too wet instantly disappeared.

We've just celebrated Pentecost Sunday and remembered the amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Those disciples knew without a shadow of doubt that they had been saturated with the Holy Spirit.

Whether you come from a church tradition that says baptism with the HS is a second blessing separate from conversion and evidenced by speaking in tongues; or whether you come from a tradition which says it is part of conversion; or whether you come from a Catholic background which says you receive the Spirit at the same time that water baptism is administered – one thing is abundantly clear – since the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit has been available to us.

Unfortunately debates about 'Baptism with the Holy Spirit' have centred on the gift of tongues – certainly this gift was the new addition to the armoury of gifts made available to believers but if we think Baptism with the Holy Spirit is simply about the gift of tongues we’ve missed the point.

The purpose of His coming is made perfectly clear in Acts 1:8 where Jesus said: 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ Jesus concisely emphasised two aspects of this Spirit baptism: Power & Witnessing

If we simply think that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a means to pep up otherwise dull worship times - a few prophecies, tongues & interpretation etc. then we’ve completely missed the message of Acts. We must not be satisfied with an outpouring of the Spirit that produces 'edgier' church services. God didn't think ‘how can I cope with being in all those boring church services – oh I know – spiritual gifts – that will perk them up a bit!’

The outpouring of the Spirit is primarily to equip us to witness – i.e. to benefit those outside the church rather than just those within the church. The Spirit is poured out to help us to get the job done - i.e. fulfill the Great Commission. My concern is that we have become familiar with spiritual gifts within the church and ticked the 'Holy Spirit' box while local communities are dying on our doorstep for want of dynamic, Spirit-filled people who are ready to proclaim the gospel and heal the sick. We haven't finished the job yet so let's go on seeking the fulness of the Spirit.