“And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
Acts 2:4 (NLT)
Here we see the glorious day of Pentecost. Believers are meeting together in one place. Verse 2 says there’s a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the place where they were meeting. The wind of Holy Spirit is for power. We see that displayed by Jesus when he spoke his name to those coming to arrest him and all his enemies fell to the ground. That’s the kind of power coming to rest upon the believers on Pentecost, like a mighty windstorm.
In verse 3, there are tongues of fire appearing and settling on each of the believers. The tongues of fire separated and came to rest on each of them. This is like the pillar of fire that led Israel from slavery into the promised land. Now there is a pillar of fire individually when Holy Spirit rests upon us to guide our lives to where we’re supposed to go.
In verse 4, everyone present is filled with Holy Spirit and begins speaking in other tongues as Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Holy Spirit gives an ability but the believer has to speak it. Every believer present had the opportunity to receive Holy Spirit. It wasn’t for a select few. This is the gift of Holy Spirit baptism that Jesus promised. In the Great Commission from Mark, Jesus said there are signs that accompany those who believe. Speaking in tongues is one of those signs. When you see in context that the Great Commission includes power that accompanies those who believe, we understand why this event was so significant.
In Acts 11, Peter makes it clear that the same Holy Spirit that came on the Gentiles is what came on them at the beginning, referring back to Pentecost. Peter says, if God gave the same gift to these Gentiles as he gave the apostles, who am I to oppose God? This event of the Gentiles speaking in tongues is how the apostles reasoned that the Gentiles could be saved. I think there’s much opposition in the church today of speaking in tongues. But throughout the book of Acts, the church was excited about it. They took it as a sign. They saw it as a gift. So, who am I to oppose God? Let’s understand the gift and not fear it.