What happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 is usually thought to have been the one-time birth of the church, and in many ways it was, because power first came and world outreach began. However, after this birth, the exact same experience was repeated several times in the book of Acts, using different terminology, and the same experience has been repeated ever since. We will briefly examine each example in Acts.
At Samaria:
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:14-19).
Note the words "come upon" in this passage. This passage is somewhat of a mystery in that these people in Samaria had accepted the Word of God and had been baptized in the name of Jesus, but they had neither "received" (lambano) the Holy Spirit nor had the Spirit "come upon" them.
It is not mentioned here that they spoke with tongues after this experience as they did on the day of Pentecost; however, many scholars assume they did because Simon witnessed something so supernatural, tangible, and moving that it caused him to offer money to obtain it.
Paul's Damascus Road experience. Paul, formerly called Saul, was a strict Jew and persecutor of Christians. But after His ascension into heaven, Jesus dramatically appeared to Paul while Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute more believers. Paul became a believer at this instant and received the "in" experience because he confessed Jesus as "Lord" and purposed to obey Him. Then Jesus told Paul to go into the city and to see a man named Ananias, who "entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit'" (Acts 9:17).
Note key facts here:
· Paul instantly became a believer, confessing Jesus as Lord, and purposed to obey Christ.
· By becoming a believer, Paul received the "in" experience of the Holy Spirit, which happens automatically upon believing in Him.
· Paul had not yet been "filled" with or empowered by the Holy Spirit, the "upon" experience.
· It does not say that Paul spoke with tongues here, but we know that he did, at least later, because in 1 Corinthians 14:18 Paul said, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you."
At Cornelius’ house. As mentioned, Cornelius was a Roman military officer. Following a vision by both Peter and Cornelius recorded in Acts chapter 10, three men came to Peter, saying:
We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say (v.22).
Peter went with the men to Cornelius' house and began explaining the gospel, and...
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God (vs. 44-46).
Note the words used here: "fell upon." This is the same as the previous "on" and "come upon" experience.
Also, as I mentioned, in Acts chapter 11, Peter was explaining what happened here to the believers in Jerusalem, and he made it clear that this was exactly the same thing that happened on the day of Pentecost, and even referred to it as the baptism with the Holy Spirit:
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit' (10:15-16).
Ephesus. Paul arrived at Ephesus, found some disciples and asked them:
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit".... When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all (Acts 19:1-2, 6-7).
Note:
· They were previously believers. We know that all believers have the Holy Spirit "in" them. The fact that these disciples did not even know about the Holy Spirit does not prove that they did not have the Holy Spirit. But they obviously did not have the power of the Holy Spirit. Many believers today have the Holy Spirit in them, but they never get any teaching about the Holy Spirit and are ignorant about Him, just as these people at Ephesus, and many are not even aware that He is in them.
· When Paul laid his hands on them, "the Holy Spirit came on them." Not with, not in, but on, as we discussed.
· They also spoke in tongues and prophesied.