First Witness:
The One Hundred and Twenty First of all, in Acts 2:4, we read that on the Day of Pentecost the 120 who were gathered in the upper room were all filled with the Holy Ghost. ACTS 2:1-4 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE. It wasn't just Jesus' disciples, who were filled with the Holy Spirit that day. There were 120 who gathered in the upper room and were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14,15; Acts 2:1-4)). Women as well as men were in that company. Even Mary the mother of Jesus was there (Acts 1:14). And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and " . . .began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).
Second Witness:
Cornelius and His Household Second, in Acts chapter 10, we find that speaking in tongues was the same sign or evidence that convinced the Hebrew Christians who went with Peter to Cornelius' house that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit. ACTS 1:44-46 44 While Peter yet spake these words, THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL THEM which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 46 For they heard them SPEAK WITH TONGUES, and magnify God.... These brethren of the circumcision were astonished because the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Gentiles. How did they know that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit? "For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. . ."(Acts 10:46).
Third Witness:
The Ephesian Disciples The third instance of believers receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues is recorded in Acts 19:1-7. This is the account of Paul ministering to the Ephesian disciples, which occurred years after the Day of Pentecost. ACTS 19:1-7 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Eph-esus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, THE HOLY GHOST CAME ON THEM; and THEY SPAKE WITH TONGUES, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve.
Fourth Witness:
The Samaritan Believers Now let's look at the two Biblical accounts which do not say specifically that the believers spoke with other tongues when they received the Holy Spirit, but which do infer that speaking in tongues was the initial evidence. In Acts chapter 8 we read the account of the Samaritans receiving the Holy Spirit. ACTS 8:14-18 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST. 18 And WHEN SIMON SAW that through laying on of the apostles' hands THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN, he offered them money. Notice the Bible says, ". . . when Simon SAW. . ." (Acts 8:18). That phrase indicates there had to be some kind of a sign or evidence that registered on Simon's physical senses for him to know that the Samaritans had received the Holy Ghost. Some people say that what Simon saw was the great joy of the new Samaritan believers. But Simon must have seen more than just the joy of the believers. For in reading Acts chapter 8:5- 8, we find there was already "great joy in that city" because of the message of salvation or the new birth (Acts 8:8). Likewise, the sign or evidence Simon saw couldn't have been devils being cast out or healings taking place, because these things had also occurred previously, as mentioned in this same chapter in Acts (Acts 8:7,8). We cannot see the Holy Ghost with our physical eyes for He is a Spirit. But there had to be some physical evidence that registered on Simon's physical senses for him to know that the Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit. And it is only logical to assume that it is the same evidence of believers receiving the Holy Spirit that is recorded elsewhere in the Scriptures, that is, speaking in tongues. And, in fact, Bible students know the Samaritans did speak with tongues, for every one of the Early Church fathers say they did. One does not need to be a student of church history, however, to realize this because the Bible itself gives conclusive proof that tongues are the evidence of receiving the infilling of the Holy Spirit, as we have seen in the three accounts in Acts 2,10, and 19.
Fifth Witness:
Saul The other account in Acts that infers that speaking in tongues was the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit is found in Acts 9. In the case of Saul (who was later named Paul), the account in Acts 9 says Ananias was sent by Jesus to lay his hands upon Saul that Saul might be filled with the Holy Spirit. ACTS 9:17 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and BE FILLED with the Holy Ghost. "But it doesn't say Saul, or Paul, spoke with tongues," someone might object. While it is true the Bible doesn't specifically say in Acts 9:17 that Paul spoke with tongues, we do know that Paul spoke with tongues because he said in another passage, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Cor. 14:18). We know that Paul didn't begin speaking with tongues before he received the Holy Ghost, so it is logical to assume that when Ananias laid hands on him, Saul received the Holy Ghost just as everyone else did — with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Paul received the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues just like the rest of us do when we receive the Holy Ghost, because tongues go along with this biblical experience.
FFT: Speaking in tongues is the biblical evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit.
ACTION POINT: Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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