A. Read Acts 2:1-13.

1. Note the following action of Holy Spirit and then the reaction of men to His presence. By this action and reaction you will learn to discern, that is, learn the difference is truth and error of someone’s life who confesses to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This action and reaction does not give you the right to judge another. But it does give you the position to keep yourself from being fooled by someone.

a. You see the presence of Holy Spirit through the action of men who have reacted to Him. Holy Spirit is not out there in some mystical sense. He is not some great mystery, some great difficult thing to understand. He always move in and through submissive people in union with Him as were the 120 in the upper room.

b. Holy Spirit always moves in harmony with YAHveh’s Word. Note the word “sound.” The Jewish Bible says “THE SOUND OF A VIOLENT WIND AND WITH TONGUES OF FIRE WHICH SEPARATED.” THIS EMPHASIZES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TORAH AND HOLY SPIRIT BY GIVING BOTH WITH SIMILAR MIRACELOUS SIGNS. THE ROAR AND FIRE IN JERUSALEM RECALLED THE FIRE, SMOKE AND SIGNS AT SINAI (Ex 19:18-19; De. 5: 19-21.) HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF GOD’S PEOPLE BEING KEPT AWAY, HIS GLORY, REPRESENTED BY THE TONGUES OF FIRE, CAME TO EACH INDIVIDUAL. WHAT HAPPENED AT PENTECOST IS THE REVERSAL OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TOWER OF BABEL.

c. Please remember that Holy Spirit promotes unity. The first act of Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was to seek and draw other men into the Truth. This drawing was not by force but by the love of God who gives all men the freedom of choice to believe or deny Him.

d. Notice, YAHveh did not force men -- the 120 -- but sought those gathered in His purpose of Pentecost.

3. What YAHveh does is seen by the results of His presence in men. As men yield to His moving, results can be seen as in Peter and in the others who leave the relative security of the upper room to witness to people in the market place. LISTEN:

(1) Man must have the will to change when he hears the Word of YAHveh.

(2) Based upon the will of man to change, Holy Spirit then empowers the desired change. This is the teamwork of YAHshua.

(3) The presence of Holy Spirit in human lives is always known by the changed life of that person. I.E.

(a) Paul changed from persecuting to preaching Christ.

(b) Peter changed from a doubter to a preacher on the day of Pentecost.

(c) Judas did not change but continued to follow his desire for money.

(d) David changed from a mere shepherd boy to become the king of Israel.

This is the place of the Church. Right now, you are in the upper room, learning “WHO IS THIS HOLY SPIRIT?” But are you changing? Do you see the need in the market place to become the witness of Holy Spirit, doing all things in His timing and not as some loon.

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF HOLY SPIRIT

- He waits for the timing of YAHveh to empower the ministry of YAHshua in humans.

- He only uses those who are yielded to His purpose. This purpose is to witness of Jesus Christ to all mankind.

- He seems to put men in places of great challenge and misunderstanding. Holy Spirit’s first act on the day of Pentecost was violently challenged by unbelievers. This challenge does not mean those being used by Holy Spirit were wrong. It means some men and women will continue to doubt.

- He witnesses with others who are filled.

- It is with a certain sound that He moves. This is the sound of

… new personal conduct

… new language

… new music

… new life

… new relationships

I remind you of Daniel in the lion’s den. Daniel was in exile in Babylon, a country foreign to the ways of Israel. Because Daniel and his three best friends did not deny God nor His Holy Spirit, they constantly overcame the ways of Babylon and rose to positions of great prestige and purpose in that government. By this they were able to set the stage for the Kingdom of God to come on earth, even that Kingdom that we seek today. Daniel and the three, totaled four. Yours is never a group too small to be purposeful with YAHveh.