OCTOBER FAST

I hope all who are participating in our October Fast are finding this month’s fast less challenging than the previous months. And that you are starting to reap the spiritual benefits of committing yourself to a regular monthly spiritual fast.
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With that being said, today, we are going to focus our attention on one of the scriptural readings we were assigned during our 3-day corporate fast – Acts chapter 2. 
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the advocate

​The book of Acts is powerful for many different reasons. One reason is what it reveals and explains to us about the acts or workings of Holy Spirit. Before discussing this, we need to go back to something Jesus said at John chapter 14, verses 16 and 26. 
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… I will ask (pray to) the Father, and HE will give you another Advocate (Helper) who will never leave you.
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… When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 
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​Jesus understood the strong connection His disciples had for Him and the emotional difficulty that would occur among them after His ascension to heaven. (Compare to John 13:33, 36-37). So, Jesus understood the magnitude of having an appropriate substitute for Him once He leave His disciples. This is where the book of Acts comes in to explain to Bible readers the significant role Holy Spirit will play in the Body of Christ's spiritual growth, as well as, in the lives of individual members. The book of Acts shows us how the baptism with Holy Spirit will empower Believers with the ability to pray in the Spirit of GOD (that is speaking in tongues) and to operate fully in the gifts of the Spirit. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 14:2; 1 Corinthians chapter 12). The book of Acts also validates that Holy Spirit is the rightful substitute for Jesus our Messiah to help the Body of Christ and its members to recall and apply all the things Christ had spoken to them through His Word. (Compare to John 14:26). 

holy spirit at work

​This leads us to our focus today during our October corporate fast – Acts chapter 2. There are many different things we can pull from this one chapter. But for this TALKING POINT, I want to focus our attention on one verse. Verse number 2. It reads. 

… Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 
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The part of this verse that caught my attention is “… it filled the whole house….” We see in this text of Scripture, the first important thing we must note is that Jesus’ disciples were all in the place in which Christ told them to be. (See Acts 1:4). 

​SIDEBAR: We have an upcoming Life Lesson by Felicia Crawford Ministry on this very topic called Being In The Place. Look for its release soon.
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As Jesus’ disciples all gathered together there in Jerusalem in the Upper Room. In one accord, they all prayed and supplicated together, while waiting for further instructions from their Messiah concerning what they needed to do next as a Body. As they wait, the entire Body of Christ did not expect what occurred next. This mighty rushing wind, that is, Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the LORD, filled the room. When it filled the room, every member that was present was filled by GOD’s Spirit. HIS Spirit was so grand that it filled the entire Upper Room. The entire house was engulfed by GOD’s presence.
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It is this Spirit that Acts 4:1 speaks about that all Christians will need 

• To empower them to put up a good fight against all the schemes of the devil, while at the same time, enabling them to finish their leg of their race in order to keep their faith solid and strong. (Compare to 2 Timothy 4:7).
• To infuse them with the power of GOD which will enable them to demonstrate signs, wonders, and miracles of healing the sick, casting out demons, and setting the captives free from any strongholds that have spiritually, emotionally, or physically paralyze their faith and or preventing them from having a real and intimate relationship with GOD. 

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The book of Acts truly helps us to see that the operation of Holy Spirit is very much alive today in the lives of Christians. That is, for those who are willing to receive Holy Spirit as Christ instructed and prepared His disciples for. So, the question we all should ask ourselves is this. Are we fully allowing the One Jesus had promised will fill His place as His authorized representative until His return, to completely operate in all our Christian activities, especially our ministry and evangelizing Kingdom work? If we have not, then we have not as of yet, position ourselves to be in the place GOD has called us. We are not fully receiving the instruction, direction, and guidance we need from Christ to complete everything He is calling us to do in this season. We have to be mindful of what Christ told us through His Word. 

1. “… To wait for the Promised of the Father….” Our ability, full authority, and power we need to accomplish everything GOD has called us to do until His return would be supplied in and through this ‘Promise’ (Acts 1:4).

2. That we “… shall be baptized with Holy Spirit…” (Acts 1:5). The ‘Promise’ will come in the form of GOD’s Spirit.

3. Once we were endowed by GOD’s Spirit (or Holy Spirit), it is then that we will “… receive power.” It is this ‘power’ that will enable us to speak in tongues and operate in signs, wonders, and miracles. Without HIS Spirit, that is Holy Spirit, we are powerless. 
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​So, I asked you again. Have you accepted as well as received the “Promised” of GOD’s Spirit, that is Holy Spirit, as Jesus has promised all His faithful servants?