Infilling of the Holy Spirit for Any Believer.

Acts 10:44-48

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“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. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” Acts 10:44-48

In the previous post of Acts 10:34-43, Peter was speaking to a Roman Centurion and the Centurion’s relatives and close friends. The message is that God is the Creator of all people, not just the Creator of the Jewish people. Everyone is created to have fellowship with Him is through the Holy Spirit, not through the laws of Judaism nor any other religious guidelines. That fellowship comes by the remission of sin so that we do not live by the carnal desires of the flesh, but we live by the Spirit. The remission of sin comes by believing the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is summed up like this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon everyone who heard the Gospel of Christ. These were people who believed and were overtaken by the mercy and grace of God to include them as His children. That is how the Holy Spirit comes to people today, He comes into the heart of those who are grateful for His mercy and grace to forgive their sin. Those who came with Peter [they were all raised in laws of Judaism] were astonished that a Roman family had received the Holy Spirit, the same as they did. They were learning that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

“For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Click here for a post on “tongues”, and also click here.

Those raised in the laws of Judaism would have had a very difficult time accepting that non-Jewish Gentiles [such as you and me] could be baptized in equality with the Jewish people. However, the Jewish people that were with Peter, and Peter himself, were willing to accept God’s grace and mercy towards them. After all, the Centurion and his relatives and friends had already received the Holy Spirit so who could prohibit them from being baptized into the family of God? As we see, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the deciding factor over water baptism. Only the Holy Spirit can make us part of the family of Jesus Christ since He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit by putting our sin in remission.

The Roman citizens asked Peter and Peter’s friends to stay with them for a few days, and they did. For Peter and his friends to stay, associate with, and eat the non-kosher food of the non-Jewish Gentiles was further acceptance of the born-gain Gentiles. In those days, it was illegal [by the laws of Judaism] to associate with Gentiles, as quoted, “Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Acts 10:28 Peter and his friends were living what they were preaching, that living for God came by faith in Jesus not in the laws of Judaism.

When God removed the barriers of who could be associated with and of what foods could be eaten, He opened doors. He paved a way for the Gospel of Christ to be presented, created Christian fellowship, and brought the infilling of the Holy Spirit. “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…” Romans 8:3

We live in a world today where the culture, which is global, is being bonded together by the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They oppose the presence of the Holy Spirit, reject the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and do not believe in God the Creator. They are being “baptized” into the family of the beast, that is given life to speak and live through them. By what they say and do they are groomed to the mark, name, number of the beast.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11