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1.2 The Biblical Framework for Pentecost
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ACOP’s alignment with the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 has two major implications on my faith as an ACOP member. First, it demonstrates that my belief in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is rooted in the story of Scripture. The coming of the Spirit was something the early church celebrated, and recognized as a gracious gift of God that was prophesied by Joel and other OT prophets. The outpouring of the Spirit is a good and biblical thing that ties my spiritual experiences back to the very origin of the Christian church. Second, the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 left a demonstrable and transformative impact on the lives of the community around the church. I believe there is a missional component to the outpouring of the Spirit that empowers and enables us to walk out the Great Commission and have greater spiritual potency and fruit in our ministry. We minister and partnership with the Lord, and the outpouring of the Spirit is perhaps the greatest expression of that truth.
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As a foundational concept to the ACOP the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will affect my life as a member of the ACOP, in that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is a basic necessity for the Christian life and ministry, but also a distinctive that shapes our lives and ministry together within the ACOP. The teachings about and the experience of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring should be foundational in our ministry and shared experience. Without His power and presence, I hope and suspect that much of what we do together in the ACOP would be meaningless, powerless, and missing a key ingredient Jesus died to secure for believers and His church. As such, I will teach and preach the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire by Jesus, to all who repent and believe and are willing to receive. This is something that is not just a one off for us, although there is an initial experience, but as a member of the ACOP this is a basic and foundational pursuit, experience, and should be normative for us together. Like Paul in Ephesus, it is evident something is missing without it!
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Just as it was important for the Jews to see and hear and feel the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is equally important for us today to experience His presence and His power. If we believe that the day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the new covenant for which Jesus died, then it would be of utmost importance for us to live out that belief by expecting the Holy Spirit to fill every believer with the power to fullfill God’s plan and purposes here on earth.
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Being in unity allows God to pour out his spirit and Ps 133 promises that in unity God will command the blessings.
As a member of ACOP, tbere must be room for the spirit of God to operate in and through us. Trusting and coming in agreement with the leadership of ACOP in accordance ce to God’s will, will affect my life. UNITY!
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