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(Acts 2: 4, 11), and Acts 2: 14-36 records Peter's long speech containing the quotation
from Joel.
In Acts 4:, Peter and John were imprisoned but when they appeared before Caiaphas
and company, "Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them . . . . ." (Acts 4: 8).
Then followed a brief but inspired and powerful speech, "and when they (Caiaphas and
company) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned
and ignorant men, they marveled . . . . . and beholding the man which was healed
standing with them, they could say nothing" (Acts 4: 13, 14). Such incidents as these
were fulfillments of the Lord's words in such places as Matt. 10: 17-20:
"But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will
scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before the governors and kings
for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you
up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same
hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which
speaketh in you."
Not long after being released, Peter and others were praying together (Acts 4: 23-30)
and when they finished "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word
of God with boldness" (verse 31). This is the third time Scripture records that Peter was
"filled with the Holy Ghost" and on each occasion the result was an inspired and
empowered speech. This would not be unexpected by the Jew who knew his Scriptures
for in the O.T. there is close connection between the Spirit and prophesying (i.e. speaking
forth about God):
"And the Lord came down . . . . . and took of the Spirit that was upon him (Moses),
and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon
them, they prophesied, and did not cease" (Numb. 11: 25).
Thus the miraculous, empowered speeches of Elizabeth, Zacharias, Peter and others
were the result of being "filled with the Holy Ghost".
On the road to Damascus, Paul met his Lord and the glory blinded him, but he heard
Ananias say:
". . . . . the Lord . . . . . hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled
with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and
he received sight forthwith . . . . . Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which
were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ" (Acts 9: 17-20).
Here some claim that the restoration of sight was the result of being "filled with the
Holy Ghost" but this is not stated in the passage. In the context of Acts it makes more
sense to recognize the restoration of sight as the result of Ananias laying his hands on
Paul. Such a healing miracle would be a sign to Paul that God was working through
Ananias. Paul received his sight and was filled with the Spirit and verse 20 states that
"straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues".
Paul was again filled with the Holy Ghost in Acts 13: At Paphos, Elymas the
sorcerer withstood Paul who, being "filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and