Acts 3:1-8 – “Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour (3 o’clock in the afternoon).
“And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily (seemed to be a daily occurrence which had taken place in one way or the other since the man was a child; little did he realize that this would be the greatest day of his life)at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautiful (according to Josephus, it was made of costly Corinthian brass; it was said to be about 62 feet wide and 31 feet high), to ask alms of them who entered into the Temple (he was a beggar);
“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple asked an alms.
“And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John (indicates they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit to do this thing), said, Look on us (Peter wanted him to hear what he was about to say).
“And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them (expecting to receive money).
“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none (I wonder how this statement as given by Peter concerning silver and gold relates to the modern greed message?); but such as I have give I thee (presently, the modern church has silver and gold, but doesn’t have the Power of God): In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk (it is not in the name of Mohammed, or Confucius, etc.).
“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up (was not presumption, but rather Faith in action): and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength (this was a Miracle).
“And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”
In this account from Acts, Chapter 3, we find the miraculous healing of a man born lame. His physical infirmity serves as a picture of unsaved humanity. Born into sin, all are born a spiritual cripple, as unredeemed man cannot walk the path of Holiness and Righteousness. As well, it is important to note this man sitting in front of the Temple portrays a powerless church. The church can only be of help to hurting humanity if the Holy Spirit is allowed to Move and Operate in all of its Services and activities. Peter and John, standing on the outside of the Temple, show us that in too many churches, the Holy Spirit is outside and not on the inside, because He is not welcome.
My article this month is addressed to those who call themselves Pentecostal. My comments are not directed to Evangelicals, or even those who call themselves Charismatic. By the use of the term Pentecostal, I am referring to those who are a part of one of the mainline Pentecostal denominations born after 1906 and the Azusa Street Revival. Those groups would be the Assemblies of God, Church of God in Christ, Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), Four Square, Pentecostal Holiness, Pentecostal Church of God, etc.
The reason I’m addressing these Pentecostal denominations is that this is my heritage. I am Pentecostal. I do not use nor do I accept the term “Charismatic.” My roots and my influence are thoroughly from a Pentecostal background. Actually, I am the fourth generation Pentecostal preacher in our family. My great-grandmother was the first family member to be baptized with the Holy Spirit at a Church of God campmeeting in Louisiana, shortly before World War II (WWII) broke out. My grandparents were both Saved and filled with the Holy Spirit at an Assembly of God Church along with my Father. There are both Assembly of God and Church of God preachers in our family tree. I was baptized with the Holy Spirit at the age of 13 in an Assembly of God Church in Detroit, Michigan. I also attended an Assemblies of God Bible School. My point is that my heritage and Spiritual Influence is thoroughly Pentecostal.
As well, I want to state that I am proud of my Pentecostal heritage. I embrace fully and thoroughly Pentecostal worship, singing, and preaching. I still believe in the Moving and Operation of the Holy Spirit in a Service.
The State Of The Modern Pentecostal Church
The Pentecostal Church of the Twenty-first Centuryis, by and large, a shell of what it once used to be. By and large too many Pentecostal churches of today know nothing at all of real Pentecost; too many don’t know what the Power of God really is. I can say that because if they did, they wouldn’t be resorting to the schemes, fads, programs, and foolishness being subscribed to, supported, and offered to their people. And to make it worse, many of the church growth strategies being endorsed and used don’t even come from Spirit-filled men.
I maintain that the Power of God in a Service can do more to meet the need of an individual in one second than all the sermons preached, and schemes practiced.
The Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit transforms lives, heals the sick, and mends broken hearts. This is what we need and this is what we must have.
Almost on a weekly basis, either by mail, e-mail, personal testimony, or phone call, I hear from people who are members of these Pentecostal denominations who, with heavy hearts, will tell me, “My Pastor no longer preaches on the Holy Spirit” or “We no longer pray for people to be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Or even worse, they say, “My Pastor no longer allows any public demonstration of Tongues, or the Gifts of the Spirit.”
In 2006, the 100 year Anniversary of Azusa Street, The Pew Forum On Religion & Public Life did a study on Pentecostal churches in 10 nations. When issued, the report on the state of the Pentecostal Church in America was heartbreaking. Here are the results of its findings:
49% of Pentecostals reported that they do not speak in Tongues.
Many Pentecostals no longer believe that Tongues are the initial physical evidence that one has been filled with the Holy Spirit.
Pastors are no longer addressing the subject of the Holy Spirit.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if you want to see people baptized with the Holy Spirit, you need to preach on it, and then pray for Believers to be filled.
The Great Miracle
The Bible says that there was a lame man. As stated earlier, this man portrays to us the fact that humanity born into sin is born a spiritual cripple. They cannot walk the road of Holiness and Righteousness. But there is something else that the physical state of this man portrays to us, and that is this; he presents to us a picture of the Pentecostal Church of today. They are spiritually crippled. They are powerless. As one leader of a major Pentecostal denomination said, “It is obvious that people are coming into our churches and leaving unchanged, unmoved, and unsaved.” Why? Because the Holy Spirit is not there, He is no longer welcomed or sought after.
He Was A Beggar
Not only was he lame, he was a beggar. This is a perfect picture of the Pentecostal Church of today begging for the latest church methods, most of which are coming from the minds of nonspirit-filled men. Not only that, but they don’t even believe in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Peter And John
We now get a glimpse of True Pentecost. These men portray to us what men of God are supposed to be. Preacher, when was the last time you saw someone Saved, filled, healed, etc., under your ministry? The Bible says, “These signs shall follow them who believe” (Mk. 16:15-18). Those signs are demons cast out, the sick are healed, Believers filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Gospel preached. Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the preacher is nothing more than an empty suit, wasting God’s Time and the people’s time.
“Look On Us”
This statement has to do with the Power of God about to be administered. Instead of us referring the needy to practitioners of the mind sciences, we should be proclaiming to the world that we have the answer to the needs of the human heart.
“Silver And Gold”
The beggar was looking for money, but money wasn’t going to change his problem. The Charismatic world and some in the Pentecostal world are majoring in things that won’t set men free. Money is not our greatest need. Jesus Christ is our greatest need. The Word of Faith people must decide what they want, silver and gold, or the Power of the Holy Spirit.
“But Such As I Have”
What they had was the greatest thing anyone could ever have, the Power of God. Let me ask you what do you have: Religion or the Power of the Holy Spirit, Works or Grace, Celebrate recovery or God the Holy Spirit?
“In The Name Of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth”
The Name of Jesus is our Power of Attorney to use against the powers of darkness, and the results of the power of darkness. The Name of Jesus backed by the Power and Anointing of the Holy Spirit changes everything.
The Result
Immediately his ankle bones received strength and he began walking, leaping, and praising God. This is the Power of Pentecost and this, and only this, is all we need.It’s time the Pentecostal Church and its leaders come back to the Holy Spirit.
Publication Date:
07/01/2009
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