Sunday Devo - August 4, 2024

“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

The disciples were to stay in Jerusalem and wait on the "Promise of the Father" This ties together the gospel of Luke where Jesus speaks to them of the "Promise of the Father" as in the book of Acts; both refer to the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in the gospel of John 14, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."
 
Remember in all 4 gospels the picture of John the Baptist out in remote places, by the river, baptizing people as a sign of repentance. That was the preparation for the coming Messiah who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was with the disciples the filling of the Holy Spirit had not occurred but came after Jesus ascended to heaven. Thereafter, everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord has the Holy Spirit.

Paul says in Romans 8:9-11, "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

The Holy Spirit teaches us, guides us and helps us remember God’s Word. May He witness through us to the world.          -Bob