The Book of Acts is filled with the victories that the disciples of Jesus experienced as they presented Christ to a basically Jewish audience.
Though the going was rough, they were resting on the promises that Jesus had made concerning the follow up to His crucifixion, and then the resurrection and ascension. While there may not be the violence of that hour, but it remains a stigma if a Jew converts to Christianity. We must realize that selected vocabulary does not change the underlying resentments. However, that is basically true of any religious conversion. I would not go into the thinking of some of my friends toward my faith being placed in Christ.
Understanding the message that Christ left with His disciples, 1:8 of Acts, “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 even to the remotest part of the earth.” And the subsequent speaking in languages that they had never used before shook all the folks that were present when these things happened.
The overriding ministry of the Holy Spirit enabling such occurrences was sufficient to verify that what had been predicted was now taking place.
One of the most significant experiences was the understanding of what was written in other portions of Scripture: “Let His homestead be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it; and let another man take His office.”
Someone wrote: “Fill the cup with incense, and load the altar with odorous wood, but fire is still needed to send out fragrance – So the prayers, talents, genius and other gifts need fire from above, before they can achieve results.”
Once the Holy Spirit descended on the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2) there was victory upon victory throughout the then known world. Nothing could hinder His working in and through those believers. That is the reason for VICTORY upon VICTORY throughout the Book of Acts. Some have called it THE ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Does God want another display of His power? I have to believe that the answer is YES! Will it be identical? Who knows! I am certain He is not satisfied with our milk fed believers that give little evidence of a total dependence on Christ!
-Ted
ETCetera 