Holy Spirit Come!

Are you excited about this Sunday?

It’s Pentecost!

In the Christian calendar, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. Acts Chapter 2 tells the story of what happened ...

"When the Day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly from heaven, there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire room where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them tongues of fire which sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4 )

Imagine the scene! Every disciple was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in another language! What!??

I love reading about the ‘suddenlies’ in the Bible, don’t you? A couple of New Testament 'suddenlies' took place when Jesus was born. For example, Luke 2:8-14 which says, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Suddenly, an angel appeared and said to them ‘Do not be afraid, I have good news … then suddenly a great heavenly host of angels appeared in the sky praising God and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest…’”

Now with the coming of the third person of the trinity, there is another ‘suddenly' as every believer was baptized with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus promised, he sent the Holy Spirit after He returned to heaven, fulfilling the words of John the Baptist “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11)

Fire. Wind. Oil.

All are symbols of the Holy Spirit’s presence and all were manifestly present on the day of Pentecost. It was a day that changed everything for the disciples. No more hiding in the upper room from the authorities! They were set ablaze with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. Out onto the street below they went ... where utter mayhem erupted!

The Jewish festival of Shavuot was taking place and many people from other countries had gathered. To the crowd’s astonishment, each heard the disciples speaking in their native tongue. Peter boldly stood up to explain what was happening! He declared "This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: In the last days, God said ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’” (Acts 2:14-18)

Something absolutely unfathomable happened on that day! What was it?

ROYALTY DECLARED

Peter puts it like this “You are a chosen people, a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:2)

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was only been given to certain people, such as priests and prophets. But now, under the new covenant every believer in Jesus was called a Priest and King. Take a moment to realise just how radical that would have seemed to them!

The term 'Royal Priests' means that like the first disciples, YOU are a King and Priest! This was all made possible because of Jesus who was the perfect High Priest of the tribe of Levi, and the perfect Kingly Ruler of the tribe of Judah.

While Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father as High Priest and King in heaven, YOU (yes I’m making this personal) as His representative are called to walk on earth as both a Priest and King. That's pretty amazing, don't you think? (And by the way, is that how you see yourself?)

Unfortunately, for many centuries, ‘ministry’ was seen to be done primarily by those who were ‘ordained’ or set aside for other ‘religious services’ such as missionaries. But this is completely unbiblical. Praise God that over the last few decades in particular, every believer (YOU) is rightly seen to be anointed for ‘ministry.’

I am wondering where are you called to represent Jesus?

What is your ‘sphere of influence.’

What is your line of work, or involvement in the community?

You have been anointed by the Holy Spirit to be God's power and presence in the world, wherever that is. You are appointed, equipped and anointed to do the very works of Jesus. That's the difference being baptized with the Holy Spirit makes! (Or at least that's what God intended).

As Royal Priests, we carry God's authority and anointing to bring heaven to earth.

Now that we are 'Royal Priests' we need to remind ourselves exactly how royalty lives. For one thing, it means that we (YOU) have access to the royal banqueting table in the heavenlies - in other words - you have royal and supernatural provision available to you. Are you accessing your heavenly resources in prayer?

As Royal Priests, we (YOU) are also called to speak and declare the language of Heaven. Are you speaking with the authority Jesus gave you, or from a place of defeat?

Well, Pentecost Sunday is coming! I am excited! There is great excitement building at our church and we will be inviting the Holy Spirit to 'Come and set us ablaze with fresh fire!'

A great personal prayer at this time of the year is ‘Holy Spirit, come fill me again. Let revival start with me!’

There is an awakening happening all around the world. Will you take some time to pray and fast for a great move of God here in Australia? I will be fasting in the lead up to Pentecost and I hope you can join me in a way which is right for you.

A prayer for the church in our beautiful nation:

"Holy Spirit, come with fresh fire we pray, fill us and set us ablaze for Jesus. Move supernaturally upon your ecclesia as we celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, manifest your presence among us so that we are ignited and united with the power, love and mission of Jesus for our communities and our nation, in His name we pray, Amen.

Happy Pentecost!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)