Personal Pentecost

Acts 9:18….. Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again.

Saul of Tarsus hated Christians. He hunted them down and persecuted them, even to death. He was a self-righteous Pharisee who learned his theology at the feet of the famous Gamaliel.

On the road to Damascus he was struck blind. There followed a dramatic sequence of events that led to his sudden conversion, the cure of his blindness at the hands of a Christian disciple Ananias and his baptism. Saul became Paul and eagerly accepted his commission to preach the gospel of Christ first to the Jews but mainly to the Gentiles.

Paul was not among Jesus’ disciples when Jesus lived on the earth. After his spectacular conversion leading to personal insight and revelation of the Gospel, he became one of the most zealous early Christians. His missionary letters comprise almost one-third of the New Testament.

Paul had a personal pentecost experience that was every bit as powerful as the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. As a result of which he was completely changed. Surely this is what conversion literally means.

Every Christian needs this experience. We all need our own personal pentecostal encounter with the Holy Spirit. It is only the beginning of our salvation journey to meet Jesus at Calvary, but after Easter comes Penetecost and with Pentecost comes the power to change.

Christians cannot fully function in a Christ-like lifestyle until we have been set on fire by the power of the Holy Spirit; this fire that ignites an unquenchable passion for Jesus.

Have you had your own personal penetcost? Why don’t you ask the Holy Spirit to change you today?

Lord Jesus, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to baptise us with power from on high. Amen.