Pentecost is the celebration of God giving us the gift of baptism with the Holy Spirit.
In John, Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit.
John 3:6 (NLT) Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
John 14:17 (NLT) He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:26 (NLT) But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Praise God! The Holy Spirit is God's Advocate to us. The Holy Spirit is our friend given to us by God! He loves us and is always supporting us, we can always count on Him!
Over the next 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead to life, He appeard to His apostles and many other followers.
Jesus spoke to them about the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3 (NLT) During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
Jesus explained how Old Testament scriptures pointed to His life, death and resurrection.
Luke 24:44-45 (NLT) Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
Jesus continued teaching them about baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:5 (NLT) John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus then ascended into heaven!
Acts 1:9-11 (NLT) After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
10 days later many were baptized with the Holy Spirit!
Acts 2:1-4 (NLT) On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Peter summarized what has happened:
Acts 2:32-33 (NLT) “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
Praise God!
In future blogs we will explore the gifts of the Holy Spirit. One thing is important to point out is that all gifts of the Holy Spirit should be rooted in love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT) If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
As we move toward the observance of Pentecost, search your heart. Do you have the desire to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?
Please pray out loud: Almighty Father in Heaven, I come to you with thankfulness in my heart for everything You have done for me! I am sorry for my sins (for those sins I was aware of or unaware of), please forgive me and make me new. Jesus, I believe that you were crucified and died, then rose on the third day from the dead to life. Please be my LORD and Savior. Please come into my heart and baptize me with the Holy Spirit. I want to love and serve You always! In Jesus name, Amen
Continue to praise and worship out loud as God leads you:
Proclaim your love for Jesus!
Declare Jesus is your LORD and Savior!
Jesus is the name above all names!
Jesus is worthy of all praise!
The evidence of baptism with the Holy Spirit is that you will hear your speech change as you pray, praise and worship.
Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
Praise God! He is so good!
Please email any questions you may have to: ask@TheAnswer.website
I love to hear from you! Please email me at: kathy@TheAnswer.website
I continue to pray for you! Please send specific prayer requests to: pray@TheAnswer.website
Pentecost is celebrated on May 24, 2026 - have a great celebration!
--Kathy