CHILDREN STS LESSON 21 PREPARATION FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 1:1-26
The time had come for the Lord Jesus Christ to return to God, His Father in heaven. He had spent about thirty-three and half years in this sinful world. He preached the gospel of salvation, delivered the oppressed, set the captives free, opened blind eyes, made the lame walk, raised the dead and comforted the sorrowful. He died on the cross at Calvary for our sins and on the third day rose from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25).
He fulfilled all that were written concerning Him (Luke 18:31-33) and He must return to His beautiful home in heaven. Acts chapter 1 reveals the last conversation between Jesus and His friends before His ascension. He re-emphasised the fact that they were called and commissioned to preach the gospel in every nation of the world. Knowing fully well that the work is great and cannot be done without supernatural help, Jesus told His friends to prepare to receive the power of the Holy Ghost. As the third person in the Godhead, the Holy Ghost will come to lead and guide the Church to fulfil her purpose.
Having given them the mandate to wait for the Holy Ghost, Jesus ascended to heaven in bodily form in the presence of His friends. If you are a friend of Jesus, the command to wait and receive the power of the Holy Ghost is for you. This is the only way we can accomplish the great commission in this end time.
- THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Acts 1:1-8; John 14:15-17,26
The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Godhead. There are three persons in the Godhead, we have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the same power and character like God the Father and God the Son. He is a divine Person whom we must honour, love, worship, fellowship with and listen to. The Holy Spirit is called by various names in the Bible like the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of the Father, the Comforter and the eternal Spirit.
He is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient and holy. He is the great Teacher, Helper and Guide of all friends of Jesus. He is the promised Comforter whom Jesus has sent to the Church. If you are a friend of Jesus, you must desire to be baptized with the Holy Ghost power.
- THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Acts 1:8-10; Joel 2:28,29; Luke 24:49
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The assurance that we have is that God has promised both in the Old and New Testaments that He will give the Holy Spirit to His children.
In the Old Testament, God promised to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh; this was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when friends of Jesus received the power from on high. In the New Testament, Jesus also promised to send the Holy Spirit to all believers.
The promise is still for all who would believe today. There are however, certain conditions to be met before anyone can receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. When you fulfil these conditions, then you are ready to receive.
- PREPARATION FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM:
Acts 1:4-26, Luke 24:29
The disciples were instructed to wait for the Holy Spirit. Therefore, after the ascension of Christ, all of them returned to an upper room in Jerusalem. They did not go back to their various villages, towns or their profession. During their waiting, they engaged in prayers and sweet fellowship with one another. They also chose someone to replace Judas Iscariot.
They waited in the upper room and received the outpouring. Every child who wants to receive and enjoy the Holy Spirit must also wait. Your waiting will make you to do the following:
(a) Take a definite step to be saved if you are still a sinner. Repent and ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus. Submit yourself to the church for water baptism (Matthew 28:19).
(b) Press forward to seek and pray for a holy heart. This is called sanctification. The Spirit of God is holy; therefore, He will only dwell in a holy heart.
(c) “Thirst” – have a strong desire to receive the Holy Spirit.
(d) Have faith to receive.
(e) Pray seriously to be baptized. It should not be the prayer that is done without concentration. You have to pray like the disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:12-14).
The reason many saved children have not receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit is because of their inability to wait patiently and pray. If you want to be useful in the hands of God, you must be ready and pray fervently to receive this great power.
QUESTIONS:
- What did Jesus ask the disciples to do in order to receive the Holy Spirit?
- Who is the Holy Spirit?
- Mention three characteristics of the Holy Spirit __.
- Mention one passage in the Old Testament where God promised to give the Holy Spirit __.
- Mention the steps to take in order to receive the Holy Spirit. __.
MEMORY VERSE: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me” (Acts 1:4).
LESSON: The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is only for ready believers.
THOUGHT: I will pray and wait patiently for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
ACTIVITY: Read Joel 2:28,29 and Acts 2:14-21. Then write out how the Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled, and include two things that the disciples did to prepare them to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
HOMEWORK: Pray very well for the outpouring of God’s power over His church.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 152 – JOYS ARE FLOWING LIKE A RIVER.
CHORUSES:
(1) The power, the power, the Pentecostal power.
(2) Peace, purity, power mine, mine in the Lord.
(3) Send down thy power.
BIBLE WORD SEARCH:
Find the meaning of these words. You can use your dictionary:
1. Outpouring
2. Experience
3. Assurance
4. Definite
5. Ascension.
