Do you want to boldly proclaim the magnificence of God’s works and point your family, friends, neighbors, and strangers to Jesus? You can have that boldness through the filling of the Holy Spirit. Do you want that kind of life? An overflowing life of praise? A Power-filled Life?

Below is an adaptation of a meditation on Acts 2:1-4 and verse 21. The women of Calvary Chapel Beaumont are studying the book of Acts this year. If you scroll to the bottom, you can view the full video teaching.

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“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. … And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved …” [Joel 2:28-29, 32a NKJV]

Do you like the word, “wait”? Especially when we’re told to wait for something good, something extraordinary like the Promise of the Father.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

Waiting. The 120 believers waited together … not alone.

“Wait” can also mean “hope.” It’s an expectant and active waiting … hope that takes action … waiting on the power of the Promise and then acting.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

Wait … Power … Holy Spirit coming upon you … witnesses … Pentecost is coming.
It’s coming … GO!

Do you like sauerkraut? It’s good for you! Have you tasted homemade sauerkraut?

Preparation is involved. Gathering all the ingredients and utensils, making sure everything is super clean, shredding cabbage, squeezing the salt, juniper berries, caraway seeds, and cabbage together until juice flows. Keith (my hubby) is my squeezer. After the squeezing, the punching down the cabbage in the fermenting container begins, pressing the weights down so the juice is above the weights. Sealing it all up.

Then, the wait. Six weeks of waiting. Day after day, making sure the seal is intact.

After six weeks, the cabbage has completely changed. It doesn’t resemble cabbage. We mix red and green cabbage together—more green than red, but the red takes over. The sauerkraut becomes red. It’s a rich source of probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

The day the sauerkraut is ready, we celebrate.

Think about our Christian Walk.

• We’re the green cabbage, totally wrapped up in the cares of this world. But we’re wondering if there’s something more. Our hearts, our dreams, and our hopes shred into pieces. Squeezed and punched down by the weight of the world.

Then, we meet Jesus. We draw close to Him. The Holy Spirit comes to live in us and begins to season us with His salt. He convicts us of our sins. As we surrender, He squeezes out more and more of our sinful life. We hear Jesus say,

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV).

We learn about Jesus; we rest and wait.

Red covers us. Jesus’ blood washes away our sins, and we’re becoming more like Him because of how the Holy Spirit is leading, teaching, convicting, and filling us. We begin to rejoice in the Lord’s lovingkindness.

Then, the day comes when the Holy Spirit fills us to overflowing with gratitude. We remember how God has worked in our lives, and we burst forth in praise. Others see the change in us and want to know what it means. No more waiting. The Holy Spirit quietly worked, and we waited until He filled us to overflowing.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4, NKJV)

New Covenant Power

They waited and prayed for ten days after Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father.

Leviticus 23:15-22 tells us about the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost is the Greek word for “fifty.” It was also known as the Feast of Weeks when the Israelites celebrated the first harvest of wheat and fruits.

Pentecost is linked with God giving the Law to the Israelites—the Old Covenant.

Our Savior summarized the Law with these words from Matthew 22:37-39:

“Jesus said to him [Pharisee who was a lawyer], “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Jesus came to fulfill the Law of the Old Covenant perfectly and ushered in the New Covenant. It was costly.

During His last supper with His disciples, Jesus took the cup after supper and gave it to His disciples saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:20, NKJV)

For Christians, Pentecost represents the celebration of the New Covenant and the birth of the church through the gift of the Promised Holy Spirit.

We’re His people! Powerful through the Holy Spirit. Together. United.

With New Covenant Power comes Unified Power

Unified Power

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1, NKJV)

The word for one accord means “with one passion” or “in unison.” It occurs 10 times in the Book of Acts. The Lexicon describes it as the Holy Spirit blending the lives of Christians like the musical notes in a concert. Remember the beautiful worship we just enjoyed? Our voices intertwined in beauty. One accord.

What were the believers doing with one accord?

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” (Acts 1:14, NKJV)

They were praying and making requests of God. 120 people together … unified in prayer … waiting for God to act … remembering Jesus and His works … remembering how God had worked throughout the nation of Israel. One accord. Waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit.

Suddenly …

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” (Acts 2:2, NKJV)

Suddenly the sound of a violent wind came from heaven. The deafening sound of wind. It filled the entire place where they were sitting. Verse 6 tells us when the thousands of people heard the sound, they rushed to see what was happening.

What would your reaction have been if you’d heard the sound? Would you have rushed toward the sound?

“Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:3, NKJV)

In Exodus 19, we’re told that the Israelites met God at Mount Sinai. Thundering, flashes of lightning. A thick cloud on the mountain, and a trumpet blasted. The people trembled as God descended upon the mountain in fire. The mountain quaked, and smoke rose from Mount Sinai. And Moses went up the mountain where God gave the covenant—the Old Covenant—the Law.

Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant because we can’t keep even the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before God.

At Pentecost, God’s power filled the believers who were waiting in unity. They overflowed with praise.

Fire burns away impurities. David Guzik writes:

“The experience of the followers of Jesus on Pentecost is another example of God sending fire from heaven to show His pleasure and power, but this time, it descended upon living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).”

Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

God’s power and pleasure filled the believers who were waiting in one accord as living sacrifices. They overflowed with praise.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4, NKJV)

Their speech overflowed in powerful praise.

From New Covenant Power to Unified Power and Now Overflowing Power

Overflowing Power

The word “filled” is mentioned nine times in the book of Acts. It means that we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, and we’re led in overflowing and powerful joy and thanksgiving, pointing others to Jesus.

After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” They received the Holy Spirit then, but they were waiting for the Holy Spirit’s power. On this Pentecost, the wait was over!

The result of the Holy Spirit’s filling?

“They began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The Holy Spirit prompted uneducated Galileans to praise God in the native languages of the people who had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

Many languages united men and women in powerful praise to God.

Miraculous, proclamations of God’s magnificent works.

Picture these followers of Jesus who had been heartbroken at Jesus’ crucifixion and death, then joyous when He rose three days later and spent 40 days with them. Jesus ascended into heaven, and they waited for the Power that Jesus promised.

Friend, they had been squeezed like the sauerkraut.

But now, the Holy Spirit empowered and united them. Imagine their surprise and delight. Praising God for His great and magnificent works!

Have you been there? Surprised by your sudden praise? Perhaps shouting … singing … dancing?

Last year, we visited Victoria Falls in Africa. We had walked a little more than a mile along the Falls. The spray soaked us, and the roar of the waters spoke of the power of the Falls. We reached what I considered the pinnacle of beauty.

I shouted, “God is THE Master Artist!”

I caught myself, peeked at our guide, and he smiled, leaned over, and nodded, “Yes, He is the Master Artist.” We marveled together about God’s creation and His works.

Aren’t you amazed at how the Holy Spirit works in your life?

“‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:38-39 NKJV)

Friend, Jesus has been glorified, and the Spirit wants to flow from our hearts like the mighty force of rivers of living water.

Will you bask in His leading and praise His name?  Who will you tell about His great works in your life?

Perhaps you’ve waited all your life for the power that the Bible speaks of … the power that Jesus promised.

Preparation for that power included fellowship with other believers, being of one accord with each other, prayer, supplication, and waiting in expectation for the Promise. The church was born through the power of the Promise of the Holy Spirit.

Others heard and saw and wondered what it could mean—these Galileans speaking their languages.

“And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21, NKJV)

Have you called on the name of the LORD? Are you saved? You might ask, saved from what? Jesus tells us in John 8:34-36 that

” … Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36, NKJV)

Are you a slave to sin? What are you putting first in your life? God or yourself? God or money and the things money brings? Are you scrolling social media throughout the day but have no time for God’s Word?

“… You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37, NKJV)

Loving God above all else. The great and first commandment. How are you doing?

You don’t have to be a slave to sin. The joy that we see in the Book of Acts can be yours.

Your life can be a power-filled life. Overflowing joy spilling from you. Praising God for His magnificent works. Joy in eternity with Jesus.

What evidence do others see that the Holy Spirit has filled you to overflowing?

Let’s take a moment and silently thank God for the Holy Spirit and His power. Ask Him to fill you to overflowing. Pour out your heart to God. Praise Him for how He has worked in your life mightily and will do even more.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NKJV)

The full teaching:

Related Links:

Walking in the Holy Spirit’s Stunning Power

Do You Long for Peace?

Waiting on God for His Promises

Sauerkraut photo provided by Canva.com.