This is the Truth Network. When the tongues of fire came at Pentecost, God was sending a message to the church and to us that the faith would spread like a raging wildfire throughout the world, and it did. But what was Satan's reaction to all this?
Well, stay with us, listen, and learn. You're listening to Until He Comes, a blend of prophetic and practical biblical studies with Dr. Greg Hinnant, author of The Second Coming of Christ, His Appearing, His Return, Our Preparation. And now, author and teacher Greg Hinnant. Welcome to the broadcast, my friend.
We're going to continue today our talk about tongues of fire. In our last lesson, we were noting that the tongues of fire that fell at Pentecost indicated that the faith of Jesus Christ. That filled their hearts. and burned in their hearts, would continue to burn and grow like a raging wildfire, and it did. Let's track that.
progress and see what happened. The gospel wildfire, once ignited, rushed throughout the ancient world, and is still burning to day as I speak. Within a matter of just a few weeks, or at most months. It set all Jerusalem aflame. The Jewish priests said, You have Field, Jerusalem, with your doctrine, Acts five twenty eight.
What a significant statement Because Jerusalem was the head of another religion, the Jewish. Faith. Particularly Pharisaic Judaism. in the first century. And the leaders said that these Christians who were Jews, Had not only influenced Jerusalem, but filled it.
So we see that the wildfire of faith had spread throughout the whole city. Miracles were happening. People were being healed and delivered and set free. left and right. Miracles were occurring in the very streets And Peter, Walk by, the presence of God was so potent.
the power of the Holy Spirit was flowing so powerfully. That people were touched and healed. This was an amazing time.
So the apostles were teaching Jesus' teachings everywhere, all over the city, and the priests said, You have filled Jerusalem with your doctor. This was a capitulation statement. They were saying, Look, We're almost at the point of surrender to you guys but of course they did not, as we're going to see in a few moments. But what a significant achievement this was that The center of Judaism was filled with Christianity.
Now, at this point, of course. No one knew that What was happening then would be called Christianity. It was known then as the Way. Made up almost exclusively of Jewish believers. but Jerusalem was radically impacted.
Set aflame by the faith of the hundred and twenty. You know, today this would be like Utah Being set aflame with Christianity when Mormonism has got such a hold there. It would be like For instance, India. being turned from Hinduism to Christianity. Oh, my goodness That would be remarkable.
For the 1.4 billion people in India. Just suddenly. See the light and become Christians.
Well, I'll just give these as an example, but Let's come home a little closer. to your life and mine. It's very possible for your church to be filled. With the faith It's very possible for your city. to be filled with the faith.
As this same raging fire burns in your heart, Now let me ask you. Is the fire of faith glowing in your heart, or is is your heart cold? Have your heart fires gone down and almost gone out? Then today's the day to repent, acknowledge it to the Lord, and turn back to Him. gets serious about him again, starts seeking him again.
every morning. Giving him thanks, worshiping him, praying to him, and getting into the word of God. and God will rekindle the flame of faith in your heart.
Now, let's note the progress of Christianity. It filled Jerusalem in Acts 5. This was acknowledged even by the opponents of Christianity. Then, within a few years, the rushing mighty wind of the Holy Spirit and the flaming fires of faith continued Spreading the gospel. Rapidly.
First to Samaria in Acts 8 through a deacon named. Philip.
Now notice he was not an apostle. Then it spread to Caesarea. through Peter who took the gospel to the house of Cornelius, who was a proselyte, a God fearer.
Now so here this was an apostolic action. and then the gospel sp spread to Antioch. Oh, I love this. This was where the first Gentile church was established, and is spread there through unnamed evangelists. This again demonstrates that All of us can be used to spread the fire of the faith of Jesus.
These were no name evangelists in Acts 11, 19 through 21. There were told Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen. travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, that is, those who were Uh Gentiles. practitioners of Greek culture and religion, preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was with them. That is, the power of God was with these young believers, these evangelists. And a great number believed and turned to the Lord. Wow, what an amazing thing. What a surprise this was.
A great number believed and turned to the Lord. These were. Greeks that were converted. Gentiles. This was a significant Spiritual milestone And the people who did it were no names.
Friend, you may be a no name I may be a no name. To men It doesn't matter to God, God knows you. Your name is registered with Him, it's written in the Lamb's Book of Life if you've been born again. But to this world you're just a no name evangelist. Nobody knows you.
Nobody knows what you do. They don't know about your faith, your commitment, or your sharing of the gospel.
Well, friend, who cares? Who cares? You will stand before Jesus, not this world. to have your life evaluated as a Christian. And rewarded for For your deeds of faith.
and devotion. What an encouragement this is to know that The first Gentile church was not founded by apostles. It was founded by ordinary believers. Men of no office or particularly Important gift. We're not told that healings were occurring there.
or exorcisms. just that they preached Christ and the people believed. because the hand of God was with them. Friend, you may be a no name Christian, but the hand of God will be with you if you are with God. Do you want the authority of God in your life?
Then follow the instructions of I Peter five, verse six. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.
So that he may exalt you in due season. You say me? Exalt me? Yes, friend, you. He's ready to lift you up in the things of God.
In the power of the Spirit. If you'll come under his hand, you see, when you or I submit under the mighty hand of God, that is the power of God, the authority of God. When we're under authority to Christ. Immediately we're in authority. And when you speak the gospel, the hand of the Lord will be with you.
When you witness to your neighbor, the hand of the Lord will be with you, and they will believe and turn to the Lord. When you go to another city, you're speaking to someone who perhaps is a member of your profession or your activity, whatever your interest is. Maybe um A sports club? Maybe a book club, a garden club, Or you may be there again on professional business, you may be an accountant, You may be a lawyer. But when you have a chance to speak to some one about Jesus, If you're living under his mighty hand, his power is going to flow through you.
And it will grip those people. And they will know this. that what you're telling them is true. They may know nothing else, but they will know that. The Jesus whom you are describing to them is real.
And they should believe on him. And they will. And you may be shocked at what God does. through your witness. I'm sure thee's no name Evangelist in Antioch.
were equally shocked. Antioch at this time was a very important city in the ancient world. It was the third largest city. Behind Rome and Alexandria. There were many religious shrines there.
Much trade? A very important city.
So God in His providence led these men there Prompted them to preach the gospel. and honoured it mightily, by his power flowing, So let me encourage you, you may be a no name. But submit to day, as you hear this message, under the hand of God. Tell him, say, Lord, I submit my life unto your hands, so that your power may flow through me. Yes, me.
and then believe that that will happen. Oswald Chambers, as a young man, was at Dunoon College. He had heard about this baptism of the Holy Spirit, didn't know what it was. Of course, at that time, many people did not.
So he stood up and he said, When he after he had heard a teaching on the baptism, he said, I s I Declared that I have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, whatever that means.
Now, that's a paraphrase, but that's what he said, whatever it means. He didn't understand it. But you know God honored that. And it wasn't long after that he was given an aft meeting, allowed to speak there, and when he did, suddenly, Fifty people came forward. To receive Christ.
He was stunned. And uh Reverend MacGregor, Who is the Head of the school. Taught him, he said, Well, didn't you pray for the Holy Spirit and his power? He said, This is the power. The power to influence men.
Billy Graham realized Early in his ministry. That God had given him a gift, and when he spoke about Christ and invited people to come, they came. He couldn't understand how they came, why they came. But they can. The reason Just as it was with these no name evangelists in Antioch, and just as his hand will be with you, If you Follow the instructions of 1 Peter 5 verse 6.
Humble yourselves. Under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up. in due season. That is, lift you to a place of service that perhaps you never thought you would be qualified for. You know, when I was a believer, I was not one who was a reader.
When I was first saved as a believer, I was not really a reader. I was not a. average student. I was not a scholar. But when the Lord saved me, He had in mind making me a Bible scholar.
I was a musician. But this is what he had in mind for me.
So I withdrew from music school. Came home and worked for my dad in the insurance business for a while, and then not long after that. entered into the ministry. This month, for a gift of any amount, receive Dr. Hinnant's book, Precious Pearls from the Proverbs.
This book is an in-depth examination of 33 wisdom sayings from the book of Proverbs. They will enrich your spiritual walk with practical and spiritual pearls of truth.
Some of the topics addressed are attitudes, motives, speech, parenting, mercy, faithfulness, leadership, laziness, and many others. Give and get your copy today. For a gift of $60 or more, we'll send you the complete four-volume Hinnant End Times Prophecy Collection: The Second Coming of Christ, The Tribulation Story, Revelation Notes, a verse-by-verse commentary on Revelation, and the Day of the Lord commentary, which interprets all Old Testament prophecies and foreshadowings of the end times. And if you are a logo, Bible software user, you may purchase all four of these books from the Logos Online Bookstore. You may give your gift today by visiting the donation page at greghinnantministries.org or sending your checks to Greg Hinnant Ministries, P.O.
Box 788 High Point, North Carolina, 27260, or by calling 336-882-1645.
Now, again, Dr. Hinnant. Begin to write. Because this was the particular way that God wanted me to reach people for a number of years. then was invited to join the staff.
The faculty of a Bible school and I've been teaching there for over 25 years. And so the whole thing sort of developed. I had no clue. when I received the Lord. What God would do through me.
Friend, you don't know where God's going to take you. You don't know what He might do. He might have in mind sending you to a particular nation where you will have the power of God, the hand of God on you, and you will reach. thousands, perhaps millions of people with not only the gospel, but with discipleship. You know, and that's my passion as a teacher.
Um Of course I want to see people saved. But as a teacher, I want to see them discipled and taught. Because there's no end to growing in Christ. Even when we are very mature by the standards of the church in this world, there's still So much more to learn. I know that.
And so I would encourage you. Even if you're a no-name. to share the gospel with people wherever you come. wherever he sends you. And just watch what God does.
Now after Antioch the gospel spread to Macedonia or Europe through Paul. We know in Acts 16, Paul had a dream. And in the dream there was a Macedonian man saying, come over to Macedonia. and help us. That's Acts sixteen, verses six through ten.
It tells you the story. And then the gospel spread to Rome. But you know, it got to Rome before Paul got to Rome. We know that because. Paul speaks of this in his Roman epistle.
He tells them. that he has long wanted to come to them. And that he looked forward to visiting Rome.
So there was a church there long before Paul got there. We know that. How did this happen?
Well, in Acts 2, verse 7 through 10, we have this record. and they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another this of course is on Pentecost Day, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea. and in Cappadocia and in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome Jews and proselytes.
Note that last phrase. Strangers of Rome. Jews and proselytes. At Pentecost There were Roman citizens there present.
Some were Jews, some were Gentiles, who were God-fearers, converts to Judaism. And they were born again. when they saw and heard what was going on. And then Some time later went back home. and spread the gospel fires there in Rome, long before Paul got there.
So This was amazing how the gospel spread.
Now it continued to spread around the world. It is said that within the first hundred years The first century. the gospel spread throughout the Roman world. That was a significant Milestone. Because the people were spreading the gospel.
We're not kings and queens and emperors nope, they were just ordinary people. Like you and me. Spreading the word of God.
Now We see here that the order in which the gospel spread was not accidental, but. providential. Jesus said prophesy this very order in the spread of the Gospel in Acts I. verse eight. Before He ascended, He said to His disciples, You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem And in all Judea, And in Samaria And unto the uttermost part of the earth.
That's exactly. The path. the wild fire took as it spread throughout the world. You know, doesn't this show us just how true and real Romans 8:28 is? which states We know God causes all things to work together for good.
To those who love him and are called according to his purpose. God is always at work establishing his redemptive order. even in the midst of apparently accidental circumstances. You know, I met a good friend here. About five months ago, named Dr.
Joe Fears. He took his doctorate from Liberty And um One day in Early December 2025. I received an email from A Bible school? of which I was not a member of the faculty, saying Call Bishop Fierce. Had a telephone number on there.
Well, I thought, who in the world is Bishop Fierce? I don't know him, so I'm not going to call him. You know, I'd no need to call somebody you don't know. And they didn't even put Dr. Hennett, call Dr.
Fierce. It was just call Dr. Fierce. number and that's all. But you know, the next day, maybe two or three days later, the Holy Spirit prompted me and said, You know, you need to call that number.
So I did. Left a message. And then Joe Fierce called me back. We begin to chat. We discovered we had Very similar Positions on Eschatology And um we also just liked each other.
So we became fast friends. He and his wife Teresa are wonderful friends of me and my wife Edie. We took Joe with us to conference here a month ago. He had a great time. He's going to join our.
Ministerial Fellowship. And Joe himself is a Very Powerful servant of God Miracles attend his ministry.
Some of you may not Be acquainted with the gift of miracles and healings, but it has flowed through his ministry significantly. He was a pastor in Italy. For many years. God did amazing things through his ministry there. Let me relate this to you.
Doctor Fear's son. one of his sons, was born bland. He remained bland. Joe said it he could look up into the sun and absolutely show no signs of it bothering his eyes because they simply weren't functioning. But doctor Fears and his wife continued to pray for his son.
They almost were ready to give up. They had persisted in prayer a long time. And then one day God opened his eyes. That young man to day Is an adult an active and productive member of society, with a wife and eight children, no less. Those are miracles.
Well, Doctor Fears and now are collaborating. on end time teaching. I'm presently doing a series with him on YouTube and Facebook. On um In time matters. Specifically, we're going through Uh the book of Revelation.
doing a summary of it. for his thousands of viewers. And he's also starting a Bible school, so I plan to, and he's invited me to be. on the faculty of that school. We had our first faculty meeting.
Last week.
So it's been a very productive Relationship And I think about how apparently haphazardly it started. It wasn't haphazard, it was foreordained. that we should work together in these matters. My work has been an encouragement to him and his work has been an encouragement to me. We really hit it off.
So well.
So, you be ready. For that kind of an appointment. in your life, a divine appointment for a friend. a co-worker, fellow minister, You never know when God will break into your life. Be ready.
Now Jesus prophesied a great flame kindling fiery revival would break out in the end times just before He comes, and that the fire would continue unabated until he comes. We find that record in Matthew twenty five, six. And seven. There Jesus is in the middle of discussing The ten bridesmaids. And he says, and at midnight, that is, after they had waited for.
The bride's excuse me, the groom. And he didn't come, he tarried. And they fell asleep, They came to the midnight hour, and verse six says At midnight there was a cry made Behold, the bridegroom comes go out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
Now this is parabolic language here. What is God saying? He's saying at the midnight hour before Jesus comes in the darkest time. when it seems as if moral, spiritual and moral darkness is prevailing, sin and unbelief. And the church is asleep.
That there will come a cry stating that Jesus is coming soon, and we have to get ready to go meet Him. And that when that happens, all the bridesmaids of the church will arise and trim their lamps. That is, try to get their spiritual fire burning hot again. This fire we've been talking about. these tongues of fire that came at Pentecost.
All Christians will realize we need to relight our fires, and they will try to desperately and those who were wise, that is, were preparing beforehand, We'll be ready when he comes, but those who were not, who were foolish, Who were not kindling their heart fires of devotion and faith and trust and truth and The love of God. and fulfilling the ministry in the life, whatever it is. They will not be ready. That's not good news, but it's biblical truth. It's biblical truth.
So, Jesus was prophesying that just before he, the bridegroom, comes, there'll be a great awakening. There will be an attempt. to rapidly restore the fires of faith in many lives, and this would continue unabated until He comes, because notice verses eight through ten And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. They realized the lamps were burning low, and they said, Would you give us some of your oil? And the wives responded, Not so.
lest there be not enough for us and you. but rather go to them that sell and buy for yourselves. That seems to be unchristian, doesn't it? Ha ha ha. A Christian brother or sister says, Hey, give me some more.
I'll say, No, I can't. You have to buy it yourself. Wow. That would shock a lot of Christians. Because we think that while salvation is by grace alone, thank God.
Thank God it is. Spiritual growth. Is by our response alone, by our works, our works of cooperation, our works that prove the genuineness of our faith.
So these wise brisken said, Look, we can't give you what we have. Friend, you can't give another one. Your spiritual experience. You can't give them a burning heart. unless they're willing to have one.
So then verse 10 says, And while they went to bye, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with them to the marriage, and the door was shut.
Now we talk about this. Several months ago. And I made a point that Jesus himself said, When He appears, they that are ready will go in, but others will not.
So we need to be forewarned and forearmed. Is the fire of faith and devotion burning hot in your heart? as it was in these wise bridesmaids' party. Or are you like the foolish? not attending your Christian life.
not seeing to your relationship with Jesus. and your heart fires are burning low and you need to get more oil. Friend, be busy preparing today for Jesus. Come.
So, these are more thoughts on these tongues of fire that spread rapidly throughout the ancient world and are still burning today. even through no-name evangelists and teachers. and mentors. Let me encourage you, be one of those no-names. Submit unto the power of God in his hand, and let God use you.
If this message has blessed you, tell your friends and please consider helping us stay on the air by sending your tax-deductible donation to Greg Hennett Ministries. Also, remember, you may download the Until He Comes podcast from your preferred podcast app. May you walk closely with Christ and trust and obey Him in your daily tests of faith and patience until He Comes. This is the Truth Network. Yeah.
