BLOG ARTICLE

As we turn again to the rhythms of the Church calendar, we arrive at the season of Pentecost—the remembrance of the pouring out of the promised Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples, foretold long ago by the prophet Joel:

And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.

(ref Joel 2:28)

It’s striking that in this promise one of the hallmarks of the Holy Spirit is the propulsion of God’s people to

speak,
envision, and
dream

things yet to be revealed—to anticipate and activate the unfolding intentions of God.

Here, on the day of Pentecost, the promises of God burst into history. The Holy Spirit is breathed out to move through and with the people of God, breaking forth the reign of God in transforming power.

This is not a Spirit who animates people to retreat in fear or shrink back in timidity.

No.

That is not this Spirit.

To be certain, the Scriptures warn us that there are animating powers that seek to render us ineffective and bind us to fearful ways of living. This is why the Apostle Paul reminds the young Timothy to actively conform his life with the ways of the Holy Spirit, even as he names the spirit that threatens to quench his boldness:

I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

2 Timothy 1:6–7

“Keep ablaze.” The same fire burning within Timothy recalls the “flames of fire” that rested upon each disciple on the day of Pentecost.

This is the same Holy Spirit that makes men and women bold.

The same Holy Spirit who emboldens the Apostle Peter from paralysing fear and denial—“I do not know him” (Lk 22:57)—to raising his voice before thousands and proclaiming that Jesus is both “Lord and Messiah!” (Acts 2:14, 36)

The season of Pentecost stirs questions within us that are revealing, convicting, and, if we allow them to be, freeing.

• Is fear or courage our primary animation?
• Do we quench or minimise the activity of the Holy Spirit? (1 Thess 5:19)
• Are we expanding or shrinking in our desire to speak, envision, or dream God’s work in the world?

Pentecost is a time to remember the first outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit—a necessary outpouring that empowered and emboldened Christ’s disciples.

It is also a time to remind ourselves that this same Holy Spirit continues to reveal and fulfil the promises of God in our own day—to empower and embolden us to

speak,
envision, and
dream

the redeeming ways of God into our broken world.

If we are in Christ, fear is not to be our master, nor retreat our measure.

We are a Pentecost People every day—pressing on,
speaking,
envisioning, and
dreaming
in the power of the Holy Spirit.