Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
February 12, 2023: SOAP #4819: Leviticus 18-19; Psalm 13; Acts 19

SCRIPTURE:  Acts (NIV) 19:1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

OBSERVATION:  Paul had the same priority as Jesus.  Before Jesus left, He made sure that the disciples knew to wait in Jerusalem to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus had given them the Great Commission of going into all the world, but He knew that they were not prepared to fulfill it until they had a special encounter with the Holy Spirit.  (Luke 24:49 & Acts 1:8)

When Paul met the disciples in Ephesus, he wanted to make sure they were ready to face the troubles that accompanied being a Christian.  “Had they received the Holy Spirit?”  “No,” they answered.  So, “how were they baptized?”  “In John’s baptism.”  So, Peter baptized them in the Name of the Lord Jesus, laid his hands on them and they were baptized in the Holy Spirit!  

APPLICATION: If you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will know it.  Others will know it too.  It is hard to keep it hidden!  

But more important than being baptized in the Holy Spirit, is staying full of the Holy Spirit!  Our relationship with the Holy Spirit should be even better than the New Testament disciples had with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit lives within me.  I walk and I talk with Him!    

PRAYER:   Holy Spirit, I want to live full of you.  May my every word and action have your approval.  More than you being in me, it must be me being fully in you! Amen.

Pastor Leon   
Making friends for time and eternity!