SOMETHING GOOD COULD HAPPEN!
Acts 10:23-48

Even though his good deeds and prayer life had been exemplary, Cornelius felt a sense of incompleteness down deep inside. The centurion was devoted to God and eager to possess all God had for him, but something was missing. In response, God sent Peter to speak to Cornelius, his family and friends and the Holy Spirit fell on them all.

Outpouring of the Holy Spirit:

1. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit had filled the Jews at Pentecost;

2. In Acts 8, the Samaritans, a Jewish half-breed are filled with the Spirit;

3. Now in Acts 10 the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit waits to fall upon yielded hearts.   For centuries the church made the mistake of believing Pentecost was a miracle never to be repeated.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for those with a strong sense of Obedience.

• Peter demonstrates that God had prepared his heart and mind (vv. 25-26).

• Cornelius also obeyed the Lord by sending for Peter “immediately,” (v.33).

  •  A successful service not only requires a prepared preacher, it requires an excited, expectant, obedient people.

• Spiritual success comes by seeing and knowing, loving and obeying God.

  • Samuels said to King Saul, “To obey is better than to sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (I Sam. 15:22).

  • Francis de Sales wrote, “Doing the little things with a strong desire to please God makes them really and truly great.”

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for those with a strong sense of Expectancy.

• The posture of expectancy keeps one keenly aware that God is at work.

  • “Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and closest friends.” (v. 24).

  • To a person with a strong sense of expectancy, all doors have hinges and handles. To the doubtful and fearful, all doors have latches and locks.

• Expectancy creates enthusiasm.

• The reason we don’t do more is that we don’t expect God to do much.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for those with a strong sense of Openness.

• If one really longs to have God’s best for his life, he should be where God’s truth is shared and proclaimed.

•  It’s not being together, but being together in God’s presence that makes the difference.

• Although God demands a whole heart, He accepts a broken one if He gets all the pieces. It is full surrender.