04/27/2024
This morning we will learn what to do while we wait upon the Lord. My devotional reading this morning was titled "Waiting on the Spirit" and used Pentecost as its example. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven He told his apostles to stay in Jerusalem and wait there to receive power from the Holy Spirit. So they remained in the city and waited, but what did they do as they waited? Did they just sit in the upper room biding their time?
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 KJV
Interestingly, the apostles didn't just idly wait on the comforter to come ... they worshipped and prayed in the temple continuously. They were demonstrating to us how we should wait upon the Lord in our own lives. You see, waiting isn't about lounging around waiting for a miracle, it involves action on our part as well. Waiting is a verb, an action word. Listen to this description…
“And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”
Luke 24:52-53 KJV
Finally, when God deemed the time was right and the hearts of the apostles were in accordance with His own, He fulfilled the promise and sent His Holy Spirit to give them the power that had been promised.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:4 KJV
What the apostles received was more than a quiet granting of power, or even a loud pronouncement by The Holy Spirit; they received the promise in mighty fashion and in a way that all those around them would be amazed to see.
“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 as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4 KJV
In the end the apostles received God's promise and they performed great acts of power... But they always acknowledged who's power they were wielding. They acknowledged this in prayer, praise, worship, and by using their newly acquired gifts as God directed... all within His will.
So, today as we voice our own needs and desires to God in prayer, let's do so understanding that we should continue to come to Him in prayer, and worship Him as we wait for His response. We should seek to bring ourselves within His will such that we too become of one accord, and then expect the answer to be more than we asked for... More than we dreamed possible. Maybe our prayer this morning is to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and if it is we now have the lesson; the blueprint for what is necessary to bring ourselves spiritually and prayerfully into God's will as we wait.
I have always heard that when we are taking a trip that getting there is half the adventure. Well, this is especially true when pursuing God’s promises, and desires, through prayer. May God bless us as He fulfills His promises, and may He richly bless us as we wait faithfully upon Him.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for telling us to wait on you as you answer our prayers, and for instructing us to continue our worship and prayer as we do so. Bolster our faith Lord as we wait upon you and trust in your promised provision. Give us patience, and a desire to act in praying as we go about waiting on you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who answers the prayers that we pray in the name of Jesus, and who expects us to wait upon you as we do so, not by sleeping and lounging about, but by expectedly anticipating your promised response. As we wait Father, help us to prepare for what is about to occur, and what we are about to receive. Let our faith be multiplied as we await in absolute assurance on the fulfilment of your promise. Whether we wait on you to turn water in to wine, for the Holy Spirit to come, or for your judgement to usher us into your eternal presence, there is much for us to do as we wait. Teach us how to wait in our lives as we should Father, and we will praise you in great anticipation and faith as we actively wait on your Word to be fulfilled. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, you are true, and faithful in all you say.
Amen
Rich Forbes