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The Power of a Personal Pentecost

By Dr. William Sawyer  

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16 NIV 1984)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV)

I remember the day in a revival service at my local church, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sins. I went forward to an altar of prayer. Although it was hard to explain, I knew that my sins were forgiven, my guilt was taken away, and I was accepted by placing my faith in Jesus Christ. His Spirit witnessed with my Spirit that I was born again. (Romans 8:16; John 3:3)

Every believer has been promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit not only brings conviction of sin, but He comforts, teaches, guides, purifies, and empowers each one for kingdom service. In addition to a new life in Christ, the disciples were promised power from heaven — something so powerful that it would make them holy on the inside and a vessel of honor equipped by the Holy Spirit to reach the nations with the good news of the gospel. (Acts 1:8)  On the Day of Pentecost the believers received the promise of the Father, when they were baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire from heaven. (Acts 2:2-4)

In response to a personal prayer of faith, the Holy Spirit came in power, baptizing the consecrated hearts of each believer, burning up the chaff of inbred sin. He not only crucified their sinful human nature with its passions of self-centeredness, lust, pride, anger, and fear, but He burnt up the dross of ingrained sinful desires in the believers. He purified their hearts making each one wholly devoted to Christ.

The Holy Spirit entirely sanctified each of them through and through — spirit, soul, and body. (I Thessalonians 5:23-24) He gave them power from heaven and cleansed their inner man. The perfect love of God was poured into their hearts. The apostle Peter later testified that the Holy Spirit came upon both Jewish and Gentile believers “making no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9)

A sinner is saved by grace through faith by repenting of personal sins, being justified and cleansed (initially sanctified) from acts that lead to death. The key to victorious Christian living and effectiveness in witness, however, is received by faith through a second work of God’s grace. The Father has promised every believer a baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16-17)  It is an act of God, brought instantaneously by faith upon the believer who has offered their body as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1-2) This state of grace is confirmed with a blessed assurance from the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:16)

In times that are so uncertain and chaotic, now more than ever, you need the ministry and power of the precious Holy Spirit to live for Christ without fear. The work of the Holy Spirit enables you to become more like Him. He changes families, churches, nations, and you!

He is calling you to daily go to your prayer closet to read the Word of God and pray. He’s calling you to be all out for Jesus. We need the LORD to raise up a thousand preachers and evangelists who hate nothing but sin and love the LORD with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. We need generations of men and women who are called and anointed with the Holy Spirit to preach the Word with conviction and power from heaven. There are multitudes upon multitudes in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:14) He has given us the nations as our inheritance and the ends of the earth as our possession (Psalm 2:8).

The days are evil and the time is short. Sin is running rampant in the culture and some places within the visible church. His promises are trustworthy. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

I remember struggling with the call to preach. I was witnessing and preaching but always lived in fear, doubt, and turmoil. I remember the day when I pulled over into a parking lot. I sensed the Holy Spirit asking me: “Will you trust me for everything? Will you trust me to change you?” By faith, in that very moment of full surrender, I said: “Yes.” The Holy Spirit came with power and washed over me, crucifying and cleansing my inner man from self-centeredness, lust, pride, fear, and anger. He kept my normal human appetites and desires but filled me with His precious Holy Spirit and faith. I am still weak, but have freedom from inordinate appetites and desires because of His power and grace. I am kept daily by the washing and renewing of my mind and heart. What He did in me, He can do in you!

The challenges have never been greater. You cannot overcome them in your own effort. You need clean hands and a pure heart. (James 4:8) You need the power of a personal Pentecost. He has promised everything you need for life, holiness of heart and life. If you will trust Him completely, He will give you power to proclaim the message of Scriptural Holiness in the nations!

— Dr. Sawyer serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Global Ministry Center of the Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, KS.