Beginning this year, members of The Church of Pentecost worldwide will celebrate a week-long experience with the Holy Spirit dubbed: ‘Pentecost Week’ to mark the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the early disciples of Jesus Christ.
As such, Monday, May 30 to Sunday, June 5, 2022, has been set aside to celebrate the power of the Holy Spirit at all local assemblies of the church worldwide.
The Day of Pentecost marks fifty days since Easter Day and brings the Easter season to an end. It is a major feast of the Church’s year when Christians recall how God’s Holy Spirit was given to the disciples after Jesus’ ascension, empowering them to begin the work of making disciples of all nations.
The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, on Sunday evening [May 29, 2022] launched the week on behalf of the Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, at the studios of PENT TV in Accra.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi indicated that the period, which has been dedicated to Holy Spirit baptism, infilling and gifts of the Holy Spirit, will be observed with intensive fasting and prayer.
Taking his main scripture readings from Joel 2:28-29; John 14:16-17, 26; 16:5-15; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4, and speaking on the topic: “Experiencing Pentecost,” he explained that Pentecost is significant in both the Old and the New Testaments.
According to him, the word “Pentecost” is a Greek name for a festival known in the Old Testament as the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9). The Greek word means “fifty” and refers to the fifty days that have elapsed since the wave offering of Passover.
Touching on Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28–32) and relating it to the promise of the Holy Spirit by Christ (Acts 1:8), Apostle Kumi-Larbi asserted that Pentecost signals the beginning of the church age.
“The giving of the Holy Spirit is therefore not just a stingy, inconsequential trickle,” he said, adding, “It is a very active point of view where we learn that God will act and do something for His people.”
He stressed that God indeed fulfilled His promise to the church ten days after the ascension of Jesus to heaven, during the Jewish feast day of Pentecost, as He poured His Spirit to the disciples with evidence of speaking in tongues.
“At Pentecost, the disciples witnessed the birth of the New Testament church with the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers,” he disclosed.
He also the idea of spiritual life as generated by the Holy Spirit is certainly implicit in the sound of the wind at Pentecost.
“God’s presence and holiness are implied in the Pentecostal tongues of fire. Indeed, fire is identified with Christ Himself (Revelation 1:14; 19:12); this association naturally underlies the Pentecost gift of the Holy Spirit, who would teach the disciples the things of Christ (John 16:14), he said.”
Another aspect of the Day of Pentecost, the General Secretary revealed, is the miraculous speaking in foreign tongues which enabled people from various language groups to understand the message of the early apostles.
“In addition, is the bold and incisive preaching of Peter to a Jewish audience. The effect of the sermon was powerful, as listeners were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) and instructed by Peter to “repent, and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). The narrative concludes with 3000 souls being added to the fellowship,” he stated.
This, he said, gave birth to the church in Jerusalem.
“The outpouring of the Holy Spirit ushered in a new era, the church age. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was a rare gift that was only given to a few people, and usually for specific assignments.
“At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers in Christ, and He came to stay. This marked a major change in the Holy Spirit’s work,” he disclosed.
Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi stated that all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11), saying, “The Holy Spirit still works in and through believers to accomplish His will. His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do His work and spread the gospel. The Holy Spirit’s powerful indwelling is an amazing gift we should never take lightly.”
PENTECOST NEWS.
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