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Todd Stansberry | PentecostalTheology.com
Thank God for truth acts2:38 and my new life
Paul Bortolazzo
‘…He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22
The time was March 22nd, 1975. The place, a cozy town off the coast of California called Santa Barbara. It was a warm Saturday night with a light breeze. My friends were witnessing to me in the living room of their condominium. They patiently shared the gospel and His promise to come back. Our talk lasted three hours but it felt like twenty minutes. After they finished, I got down on my knees and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and be my Lord and Savior. I’ll never forget the peace I felt that night after receiving the Holy Spirit.
‘And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.’ Mark 16:17
A year later, I was studying the Book of Acts. The evening Jesus rose from the dead, He breathed on His disciples and they received the Holy Spirit. Fifty days later, during the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), these same men were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues.
I discovered these are two different experiences. One must receive the indwelling of the Spirit before being baptized in the Spirit. That night I prayed and received the promise of the Father. I could really feel the presence of God after speaking in tongues for the first time. The next morning, I eagerly shared with my Sunday school class how I received the gift of speaking in tongues. It was like a bomb going off. Welcome to spiritual warfare 101.
A few days later I received a phone call from our youth pastor. When we met in his office he explained why the gifts of the Spirit ceased in the first century. He made it clear speaking in tongues is demonic. He forbid me to mention I speak in tongues. For a baby Christian, it was challenging to say the least. The only way to be free from this spirit of control was to obey the Holy Spirit. My decision to leave helped me defeat the fear of man later in my life.
Eli Azriel
Acts 2:38 was a message of salvation for the whole house of Israel prior to the day of the lord that was coming upon that generation living back then (Acts 2:36, 40). It has no relevance for anyone beyond that generation.