Page 135 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom

• Moses wished for it: “I wish that all the LORD’S people were prophets
and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:29).
• Joel predicted it: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all
people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy” (Joel 2:28).
• Peter announced it: “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see
visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants,
both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and
they will prophesy’” (Acts 2:16–18).

In this same passage, Peter identified speaking in tongues as prophetic
speech. When he said, “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.… Your
sons and daughters will prophesy,”
(Acts 2:16–17, emphasis added) he
was referring at least in part to the
speaking in tongues of the newly The charismatic
Spirit-baptized disciples. Peter thus nature of the church is
identified speaking in tongues as
prophetic speech. Speaking in exhibited throughout
tongues became a distinguishing the New Testament.
sign of the new prophetic com-
munity (10:44–46; 19:6).

A Charismatic Community

Because the church is a Spirit-anointed community, it should also
be a charismatic—or Spirit-gifted—community. The disciples’ reception
of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost resulted in a great outburst of
charismatic activity. This activity included signs, wonders, healings, and
Spirit-baptisms (Acts 2:43; 3:1–9; 4:31). The charismatic nature of the
church is exhibited throughout the New Testament.

A Missionary Community
Jesus commissioned the church as a missionary community. He said
that the primary purpose of the Pentecostal outpouring would be to
empower His people for missionary witness to the ends of the earth
(Acts 1:8). The missionary nature of Pentecost can also be seen by
the following:

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