He is right that there is no distinction regarding the gifts between the original disciples (not just the apostles) who received the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 (assuming I am understanding the discussion here). The apostles were just first.
In Acts 1, we are told who is in the Upper Room, awaiting the Holy Spirit:
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
c 13When they arrived, they went to the
upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 2: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were dwellingb in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
The crowd is large and diverse and are there for the feast of Shavuot, and have gathered outside in the temple courts because they heard this sound : Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?
9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
c 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
Why do we know the Holy Spirit coming upon people continues?:
Acts 2: 37 (Peter preaches)When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
The Holy Spirit falling on us to empower us to be His witnesses is for all believers, not just the apostles or the early believers.
What do "believers" do? Mark 16
Mark 16: 14 Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;d 18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
So, Jesus appears to Mary first, and then others see him, and finally the 11. And this mission is to be carried on by all after they receive the Holy Spirit.
Jesus sent the apostles out ("apostle" means sent, by the way - it is not a title) two by two (Mark 6:7), and then he sent 72 OTHER BELIEVERS out two by two to continue exactly the same work.
Luke 10: After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
This work was not ever intended and is not limited to just the original apostles.
And why are people battling illness mentioned in scripture? Because we are human and sometimes have to fight battles. Some are faster than others. Some are more laden with many problems than others. That doesn't mean it doesn't come to pass, but only that it isn't always instantaneous. Don't you remember the apostles asking Jesus directly, "Why couldn't we cast it out?" And He replied that it was because of their little faith.
They were human too.