4:31 What is the significance of this infilling of the Holy Spirit - the disciples were already baptized with the Spirit?

(CP V23-33). The disciples were already baptized with the Holy Spirit and empowered for service, but they were given an even greater empowering here than they already had for a witness to Christ in the face of ever-increasing opposition and hostility from the Jews (CP V29-30).

We learn from this that God will always empower believers for service with a fresh anointing of the Spirit when the need arises as here (CP Eph 3:20).

Believers must have fresh infillings of the Spirit to maintain the fullness of God in their ministries (CP Ro 12:1-2; Eph 3:14-19; 5:18; Php 1:19; Tit 3:5). It should be noted here that the disciples did not pray to the Holy Spirit for empowering in Ac 4, but to God. Nowhere in scripture are we taught to direct our prayers to the Holy Spirit. We are to direct them to God and He will replenish our spiritual needs (CP Jn 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24).

This is said in no way to denigrate the Holy Spirit, but to admonish us to always conform to scripture in all that we do. There is much confusion in the contemporary church between "spiritual experiences" and the work of the Holy Spirit. Some Christians place more importance on having a spiritual experience than being empowered for service by the Holy Spirit.

(See also author's studies Signs and Wonders in God's Redemptive Plan in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1), and The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2)).

4:32-37 See comments on Ac 2:44-45.

Acts: