Holy Spirit

Then Peter asked, "Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that [Cornelius and his relatives and friends] have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

—Acts 10:46b-48 NLT

Key Thought​

Can anyone properly object when the Holy Spirit has clearly been involved? "No!" So Gentiles were baptized, and Jewish and Gentile Christian...

 

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message [on Cornelius and his relatives and friends]. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.

—Acts 10:44-45 NIV

Key Thought​

Jesus had promised his closest followers that the Holy Spirit would bring them power and enable them to be his witnesses to people all over the world (Acts 1:8)...

 

[Peter, to Cornelius and his relatives and friends:] "This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel — that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."...

 

Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men have come looking for you."

—Acts 10:19 NLT

Key Thought​

Peter wants to know the meaning of his vision — read Acts 10 for the details of that vision. What he learns about the vision is shocking for him. But, the key to unraveling the mystery of the vision is that the Holy Spirit is getting Peter to help reach the ends of the earth with God's good message of grace. Jesus had given this...

 

When [Paul's] friends learned of the plot [to kill him], they got him out of [Jerusalem], took him to Caesarea, and then shipped him off to Tarsus. Things calmed down after that and the church had smooth sailing for a while. All over the country — Judea, Samaria, Galilee — the church grew. They were permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God. The Holy Spirit was with them, strengthening them. They prospered wonderfully.

—Acts 9:30-31 MESSAGE

Key Thought​

I love...

 

So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

—Acts 9:17 MESSAGE

Key Thought​

Acts 9 tells the story of one of the church's greatest enemies becoming one of its most passionate leaders. No one could have expected this complete turnaround to happen, especially not Saul of Tarsus. (Saul later becomes...

 

Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

—Acts 8:38-40 NIV

Key Thought​

When the Holy Spirit leads and guides God's servants, people come to Christ with great joy. Then the...

 

The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot [carrying an Ethiopian official] and stay near it."

—Acts 8:29 NIV

Key Thought​

As in a previous Key Thought section, we are reminded again that reaching the ends of the earth with the good news of Jesus is the Holy Spirit's work. Throughout the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit inspires, convicts, empowers, emboldens, directs, guides, and leads God's servants in sharing the story of Jesus in much of the Roman Empire. In the book of...

 

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." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God."

—Acts 8:18-21 NIV

Key Thought​

Simon's callous disregard for the...

 

When the apostles in Jerusalem received the report that Samaria had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John down to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Up to this point they had only been baptized in the name of the Master Jesus; the Holy Spirit hadn't yet fallen on them. Then the apostles laid their hands on them and they did receive the Holy Spirit.

—Acts 8:14-17 MESSAGE

Key Thought​

Jesus promised his closest followers that the Holy Spirit would empower them...