To me, today’s television commercials fit into one of these categories – out and out funny, somewhat blah and a waste of my time, information providers, and lastly just offensive. With little effort, you too could possibly quickly place current commercials in each of these categories, right?
Here’s my take on one of the most offensive types of commercials that I dislike with a passion – the before and after commercials. Why? They are incredibly deceptive. The products that I am talking about promise incredible hair growth or rapid weight loss or miraculous wrinkle reduction, right? But, on closer examination, every one of these commercials places a small, almost unseeable asterisk beside their claim and then somewhere else on the screen, another asterisk provides a disclaimer telling that the results are either not typical or have not been substantiated by medical science.
Maybe I should place an asterisk beside my offensive commercial category because there is a before and after claim that I FULLY endorse. Without hesitation, I promote its claim because I see its proof demonstrated over and over again in our Holy Spirit Rallies. This amazing claim is found in the telling of Paul’s visit to Ephesus.
Open your Bible to Acts 19 and you will see that BEFORE hearing about the Holy Spirit, no one in this group of people was baptized in the Holy Spirit. In fact, the 12 men mentioned at the first of this chapter told Paul, “We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit.” Now for the part that I love, love, love. In the AFTER picture, upon hearing, “the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied.” They all received the typical results – they received this wonderful promise from the Father.
Here’s a quick observation from the get-straight-to-the-point me. The reason that the majority or even all of those around you haven’t been baptized in the Holy Spirit comes from this one fact – they are in the BEFORE picture. Simply put, they haven’t heard that our Father wants to give today’s believers His precious Holy Spirit – no hear, no receive. But, from personal experience from our numerous opportunities in our Holy Spirit Rallies to provide people an opportunity to hear about the gift of the Holy Spirit, the AFTER picture shows individual after individual receiving the promise of the Father (Acts 2:38-39). Again, simply put – hear and receive. It is truly glorious!
Really, nothing more needs to be added. If you and I will teach/preach/tell about the Father’s great desire (Luke 11:13) to bless His children with the power that comes from receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), the BEFORE will be replaced with the benefits of the AFTER. Enough said!
