The Holy Spirit has things covered from every angle. The Spirit witnesses to Cornelius that his prayers had been heard by God. He instructs him to send for Simon Peter, giving precise instructions.
The Holy Spirit witnesses to Peter as he prays. God prepares him in an unusual way to meet Gentiles- “what God has made clean you must not call unclean / profane”.
By this time Cornelius’ people are there to meet Peter. Just as Cornelius did not hesitate to obey the Spirit, neither did Peter. He welcomed the strangers.
Taking believers from Joppa, he goes to Cornelius who has already assembled a company at Caesarea. There is EXPECTANCY on the part of both. God has broken down any would-be barriers so both parties can connect.
When the Gentiles hear the Good News, they receive the Holy Spirit and are subsequently baptised with water in the name of Christ [cf. 8:15-17 where they had been baptised in the name of Christ but the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them].
Peter and John laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit.
Then why do we still play God and insist that one size fit all? Let us focus on the essential is the Gospel message concerning the One-Way Jesus whose blood has been shed on our behalf. Let’s encourage faith in Christ whose Spirit will guide us straight home, cleansing us from all unrighteousness, making us disciples, undoing our biases as he undid those we read about in Acts 10.