“… I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will have dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
And even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
— Joel 2:28-29

We mistakenly think of Pentecost as a fixed date on the calendar, a one-time event that happened more than 2,000 years ago.

But then, just recently, we read “2023 Asbury Revival Is Déjà Vu All Over Again,” a startling report by GetReligion editor Terry Mattingly:

“The atmosphere in Hughes auditorium was electric as Asbury (University) students — many in tears — streamed to the altar to pray, while worshippers sang hymns, mixed with Bible readings, testimonies and public prayers of repentance.

“Administrators canceled classes, grasping that this ordinary chapel service was the start of something bigger — a 144-hour wave of worship that drew thousands to Wilmore, Kentucky, while similar revivals began on other Christian and secular campuses across the nation.

“The year was 1970. Then again, revivals rocked Asbury College — now a liberal-arts university — in 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958 and on other occasions. Historians will now add 2023.”

Yes, it just keeps happening. It started when The Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus’ followers shortly after His ascent back to Heaven.

As written in Acts 1:4-5, Jesus had told them in advance: “… wait for what the Father had promised, ‘Which,’ He said, ‘you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”

And sure enough, in Acts 2:1-4: 

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.”

The Holy Spirit continued to descend upon believers throughout the Book of Acts (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 8:17; 10:46; 19:6) — to larger groups (3,000 and 5,000), to families (Cornelius), and to countless individuals. It works that way to this very day …

Every time a sinner, any sinner, comes to saving faith in Christ, abandoning all hope in himself or his “good works,” the Holy Spirit descends and indwells that person forever.

As noted in John 14:16-17 — another “Pentecost” has occurred: “I (Jesus) will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth … but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

Bible commentator Bill MacDonald wrote, “This means that He (the Holy Spirit) is constantly BEING sent forth by God, and His coming at the day of Pentecost was a special instance of this. The Spirit testifies concerning Christ. This His great mission. He does not seek to occupy men with Himself, though He is one of the members of the Trinity. But He directs the attention of both sinner and saint to the Lord of glory.”

Three things happen simultaneously at the time of a person’s conversion:

• The Spirit indwells the believer, providing he/she with the overcoming power to live the Christian life in a hostile world. As written in Acts 1:8, “… but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
• In Ephesians 1:13, the Spirit seals the believer eternally, “… you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise …”
• The believer is instantly incorporated into the church, the mystical body of Christ, as noted in 1 Corinthians 12:12-1, “For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

How About You?

Here, in Ezekiel 36:25-27, is a solemn promise from God’s lips to your ears, “… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you …”

But there is an inferred “IF.” If you want it. He never forces anyone. The Spirit of God is gentle, quiet and patient.

Here is another suggestion. A movie is playing in Santa Barbara theaters called Jesus Revolution. Will you check it out?