A Place For a Promise

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth saying, "Let all things be done decently and in order." (I Cor. 14:40)
God is a God of order.  He is very intentional in what He does, and He puts first things first.  In this same letter to the church, Paul said that they were God's building and that He and others were co-laborers with God in this building project.  Paul wrote, "...I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon."  (I Cor. 3:19) Notice that God used Paul to lay a foundation before anything else was built.  Why?  Because everything else needed A PLACE upon which to be built.  God knows in order to do anything; you must first establish a place for it.
We observe this principle in the first chapter of Genesis.  Before God filled the earth with birds, fish, vegetation, and animals He first created a place for them.  Genesis 1:6 records that God created the expanse of the sky for birds. In verse 9 He gathered the waters together into one place for the fish and established dry land for the grass, herb, and fruit trees.  Later, He brought forth living creatures such as cattle, creeping things, animal life, and man.  
According to John 1:1-3, Jesus (the Word of God), created all things.  Verse 3 says, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.  So, creation manifested how Jesus works.  Before He fills something, He first provides a place for it.  He does all things "decently and in order."
We see this in John 20:19-22 where Jesus appears to His disciples who were hiding in fear of the Jews.  He says to them, "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you.  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost."  Did they receive the Holy Ghost?  Apparently so, because Luke records that after Jesus' final ascension to heaven, "They worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem WITH GREAT JOY! (Luke 24:52)
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit! (Galatians 5:22) The Spirit within them turned their fear into joy!
That begs the question, if they had the Spirit, why did Jesus, just prior to His ascension say, "And behold, I send the "Promise" of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) Luke clarifies what this Promise is in Acts 1:4-5, 8 writing, "And being assembled together with them, (Jesus) commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the "Promise" of the Father...For John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence...But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..."  
We see the fulfillment of this "Promise" in Acts 2:1-2, 4 which reads, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven...and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And they were all FILLED with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The "Promise" that Jesus spoke of FILLED the believers with the Holy Spirit.  Why didn't Jesus FILL the believers with the Holy Spirit before His ascension?  Because Jesus always does first things first.  THERE NEEDED TO BE A PLACE TO FILL!  His disciples were dead spiritually...dead in their trespasses and sins.  They needed to be born again.  They needed a new heart. They needed to be raised from the dead as Jesus had been raised from the dead.  How?  By the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:11) When Jesus breathed on them and said, Receive ye the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God came into them and CREATED A PLACE...a new place...a holy place…a living place where the fullness of the Spirit could dwell...a place that Jesus could now FILL!
When the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, many had gathered together who witnessed this outpouring.  After Peter stood up and preached, the scriptures record they were "pricked in their heart, and said, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"  Peter responded saying, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.  FOR THE PROMISE is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
Notice, the Promise was the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Peter referred to this outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost as a gift.  This was the "Promise" Jesus spoke of.  Those that would repent and receive the remission of sin would be candidates for this Promise.  They would receive a new heart.  A new place, a holy place, would be created within which Jesus could fill with his Spirit.  And Peter said this "Promise" was to ALL THOSE AFAR OFF, EVEN AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD SHALL CALL! (Acts 2:39) If you've answered the call, the call of salvation, then you are a candidate to receive this Promise.  Receive it by faith.  Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit.  He will.  He has promised to fill all those who ask Him! (Luke 11:11-12)