The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today (Chapter 7)
21 Or, “were continuing steadfastly in prayer” (ēsan proskarterountes tē proseuchē). This more literal Greek reading points to the fact of their continuous devotion.
22 The account in Acts 2:1-4 of the coming of the Spirit does not directly say that the disciples were praying when this happened. However, it would seem clearly implied both from the words of Acts 1:14 (suggesting a continuing devotion to prayer) and the setting of Acts 2:1-4 where they were “all together in one place” (2:1) (suggesting a unity in prayer) and were “sitting” (suggesting an attitude of prayerful waiting) when the Holy Spirit came.
23 We have already spoken of God’s sovereign purpose—His own timetable—being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. However, again this is not to be understood as making irrelevant the human context of prayer. God fulfills His purpose through those who prayerfully await His action.
24 The point is sometimes made that the account of the disciples waiting and praying prior to Pentecost cannot afford an example for others thereafter, since the Holy Spirit had not yet been given—in the words of John, “the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (7:39). Hence, there could be no reception of the Spirit prior to Jesus’ glorification. However—to that point—Jesus had been glorified (i.e., returned to the Father’s presence, as Acts 1:9-11 records it) before Pentecost, and yet they waited some ten days. When this fact is realized, and such a Scripture as Luke 11:1-13—which seems clearly applicable to God’s children at any time—is also considered, it is apparent that earnest prayer continues to be the context for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
25 In chapter 6, “Means,” supra [Editor’s note: see the Fall 2003 (Vol. 6, No. 4) issue of the Pneuma Review for Chapter 6: “Means” of The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today], it was pointed out that there was no automatic reception of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by Peter and John. Though hands were the medium, the gift came only to those who believed in Jesus. Now we are noting a further point, namely, that it was not simply a matter of laying hands (apostolic or otherwise) upon believers. Rather, prior to hands, and still more basic (as an expression of faith in operation), was prayer.
26 One of the questions in the Heidelberg Catechism (Q. 116) is: “Why is prayer necessary for Christians?” Then follows the striking answer: “Because it is the chief part of the gratitude which God requires of us, and because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who sincerely beseech him in prayer without ceasing, and who thank him for these gifts” (italics mine). See The Heidelberg Catechism, tr. by A.O. Miller and M.E. Osterhaven (United Church Press, 1962).
27 Prayer as background for the outpouring of the Spirit has been evidenced since the early twentieth century. The usual dating for the beginning of the Pentecostal/charismatic renewal is New Year’s Day, 1901, in Topeka, Kansas. There, at Rev. Chares Parham’s Bible School, a devout prayer service had been held on New Year’s Eve, and all New Year’s Day God’s presence was felt “stilling hearts to wait upon greater things to come” (Klaude Kendrick. The Promise Fulfilled, p. 52). About 11:00 P.M. Miss Agnes Ozman, one of the students, was prayed for to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit “fell” (see Chapter 2: “Dimensions” supra. fn. 9 [Editor’s note: see the Summer 2002 (Vol. 5, No. 3) issue of the Pneuma Review for Chapter 2: “Dimensions” of The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today]). The second outburst occurred in Los Angeles on April 9,1906. among a group of people, whites and blacks, who had prayed and fasted for ten days, asking for God to send His Spirit. On the tenth day, a young black man spoke in tongues, followed shortly by six others. Such early twentieth-century beginnings are repeated variously in our time, For example, it was at a prayer meeting that Dennis Bennett had his experience, and in prayer that the gift of the Spirit came. A friend prayed over him, and then Bennett “prayed out loud for about twenty minutes” before he began “to speak in a new language” (Nine O’Clock in the Morning, p. 20). Examples can be multiplied.
28 In the words of Peter: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The multitude were promised two things: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. Thus one could speak of there being a twofold expectation. It is important to emphasize again, however, that the latter is based on the former, for without the forgiveness of sins expectation of the gift of the Spirit is in vain.
29 eis makran.
30 “The presupposition of the charismatic renewal today … is an expectant faith, a faith that expects God to do what he said.” So writes Steve Clark, a coordinator of the Word of God community in Ann Arbor, in an article “Charismatic Renewal in the Church” (found in As the Spirit Leads Us, p. 22). Jim Cavnar, also active in the Ann Arbor community, in speaking about his own experience says: “I knew that the baptism in the Spirit was received in faith by asking the Father for the outpouring of the Spirit promised by his Son. I felt that the most important thing was to ask in faith, with confidence in God and full of expectation” (Catholic Pentecostals, p.63). This note of expectant faith is found throughout the contemporary renewal.
Category: Pneuma Review, Spirit, Winter 2004
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