![[ Back ]](../../images/nav_back.png)
![[ Contents ]](../../images/nav_contents.png)
![[ Forward ]](../../images/nav_forward.png)
Reinhard Bonnke with George Canty: Mighty Manifestations. Kingsway Publications Eastborne, England: "The only Spirit Jesus promised us is the miracle Spirit, the Holy Spirit. To claim to possess the Holy Spirit and deny the very work which has always distinguished Him can only grieve Him. He it is who began with the supreme physical wonder of creating the world. He doesn't change His nature. What He is, He is and always will be. God operating on the earthly scene "I am that I am" (Exodus 3:14 ). The Holy Spirit who made the world supernaturally should have no difficulty in continuing supernaturally."
A simultaneous baptism of the spirit for all assembled brings a breakthrough. This happened to those assembled on the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:1,4 "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place ... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (NKJV)
The coming of the Spirit upon them all was sudden, with a sound they could all hear, a sight they could all see, a sharing in which they could all participate. A symbol recognised that was appropriate to His person, "as of a rushing, mighty wind" (Acts 2:2,3 KJV), speaks of His sovereign freedom of movement and action. A supernatural speech was given to all (Acts 2:4 ). A mighty endowment of power granted, so that the sounded out word was obeyed by 3 000 to their salvation (Acts 2:38-41 ), and full commitment to the Christian way of life (Acts 2:42-47 ).
Expectancy of the unpredictable has the sound basis of an unchanging Christ (Hebrews 13:8 ), and the unlimited Holy Spirit who cannot be shut in an historic box of the unrepeatable. Rather, what He has done in simultaneously coming upon all gathered, in freshness, He can do again. Confident expectation receives a further boost, in the Holy Spirit falling upon all the congregation listening to Peter, in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48 ). They all heard the word believingly. It was this that made the unpredictable possible. All the initiative was the Lord's.
In the instance of the Samaritans receiving, leaders took co-operative action.
The Ephesian disciples had the Spirit come on them after explanation and the ministry of laying on of hands by Paul. The wonderful fact emerges that the Lord is not confined to the laying on of hands, where individual after individual is ministered to and receives. He can bypass the usual and simultaneously come on all. He can of His own volition make the unusual the usual - breaking through our set ideas. It is worthy of particular attention that with His sovereign coming on all, they all manifested gifts of the Spirit. Also, in these instances where the Holy Spirit came on a gathered company, there was no need of the assistance of others either by prayer, catching, counselling or suggestions. There is, of course, a case for instruction and counsel in the ministry of the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17; 19:6 ), but never for manipulation by suggestion. Care should be taken never to trespass into the work of the Baptiser, the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5 ). Neither presume to be in the place of the Giver (1 Corinthians 12:11 ).
A persecuted Church and a threatened leadership responded with prayer power (Acts 4:21,24 ). The united Church as with one mind and in unison of voice, prayed:"they lifted up their voice to God with one accord" (Acts 4:24 KJV). As one, the assembled Church expressed their confidence in God's overruling power:
A Scripture appropriate to their situation was applied and prayed by them all (Acts 4:24 ). In asking God to "look on" the "threats" of their persecutors (Acts 4:29 NKJV), they were saying "Lord, in the truest sense the threats are against You, so we can leave the dealing with them to You." They did not ask for their own personal safety. They expressed their paramount need for boldness in the Spirit to speak, and the accompaniment of signs and wonders to confirm the preached Word (Acts 4:29-30 ). Here are indeed great and tested principles to be followed by the Church in times of difficulty, opposition, and hard times. Whenever the same procedure is followed, as spiritual history proves, breakthrough comes. The Lord gave an immediate answer to this praying Church, in the phenomenon of the place where they met being shaken (Acts 4:31 ). The very building quaked at the manifest presence of God. The original word for "shaken" means to shake, to agitate, to move by stirring up. (Matthew 11:7). It is used in Acts 16:26 of a rocking caused by an earthquake. The reason for shaking the place where the praying Church was met, was probably that God, through the external sign, could demonstrate that indeed all earthly power was in His hands. Interestingly, we are not told the assembled believers were shaking, nor are we given the slightest hint of fear being expressed by those in the building that was rocking under God's power. What is said enlightens us as to the reason for their fearlessness.
None missed it - all experienced a fresh supply of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 1:19 ). We are not told whether this filling was accompanied by much joy in the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:6 ), nor if their mouths were filled with laughter (Psalm 126:2 ); neither if they broke out in spontaneous singing in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15 ). We are told the ongoing result of their being filled with the Spirit:
This would appear to be the experience of the whole Church, not just the leadership or a select group, but all were filled and all were boldly speaking the Word. When Spirit fullness has that effect on us, the city in which we meet will quake with the impact. Miracle action where the Church is met should bring breakthrough. Spirit fullness is intended to give boldness for all His people. Like the Early Church the Lord's miracle interventions will affect and advance our fellowship, serving, giving, and living. The leaders will know great power in witnessing, and all His people the evident favour of God on them ( Acts 4:32-33 ).