“The book of Acts is a transitional book. God at that time was authenticating His move with exceptional signs and wonders. If we elevate Acts above further truths and practices, such as we have in the epistles, I fear we’re prone to error.” Fred Pratt Associate Pastor and my accountability partner.

This is a valid concern, both Fred and myself have seen those errors leak into church life. Before I begin my next series on being sensitive to the indwelling Holy Spirit, I must address those errors of the past.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

God has a plan for us all. God is all about the end game and how to enact His will to achieve that end. Now let us consider the times, trials, needs, and people of the first century church.

Rome ruled the known world at the time. Any threat to the rule of Rome was met with a horrible death.

The Jewish religion had a strong hold on the populace and any threat to that religious strangle hold meant being imprisoned and ostracized.

Jesus Christ has just ascended to the right hand throne of God. He has sent the Holy Spirit to enact God’s will and follow the plan set in motion by God the Father.

The people needed something more than a story, a witness, to overcome the odds they were up against them in Roman rule and the hold their church had on them. They needed to be empowered. The first century Christian church, this cult called the Way, needed a kick start. Then came the day of Pentecost.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Yesterday we saw Simon the sorcerer believe and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ along with the others in Acts chapter 8. Then we saw that Simon was denied the baptism of the Holy Spirit because his heart wasn’t right before God. Since Simon believed and his heart wasn’t right before God, I can only think that Simon believed with his mind and not his heart.

This once again reassures me that salvation does not come from baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward condition, it is an expression of faith from a heart that has already changed, already convicted, and surrendered unto God.

Now this baptism of the Holy Spirit is a marvelous and mysterious event that has been denied within some circles because in their minds God would never take up residence within sinful man. What did Jesus say?

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

In some circles this denial goes so far as to even refuse the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not even entertain studies on the matter.

Now I ask this and I am trying to forget my past teaching and open up this one question for an honest and open dialogue.

If you love Jesus with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength, and you keep His Words; how can any lack of asking, or lack of prayer, or forgoing the laying on of hands stop Him from keeping His promise?