“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.
And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere –
in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
Hmmmm…. so to me that sounds like a promise. You WILL receive POWER, not you might receive power, or if you are in the correct country you will receive power, or even if you pray hard enough and are good for long enough you will receive power. It says you WILL receive POWER when the Holy spirit comes upon you. I believe that the Lord is a good daddy, and wants to give good gifts to His children. and everyone knows christmas time is all about getting presents right? (insert heavy sarcasm) But there is one gift that i think God wants to give out a lot more, but maybe, just maybe, we aren’t asking for it enough. The gifts of the Holy Spirit. I experienced these gifts first hand on the world race, seeing people get healed, hearing people prophesy, listening as people prayed in the spirit. I got to witness and be a part of that power! and to be honest i haven’t seen a whole lot of that power since i got home. I have seen it, but not nearly as much and i want to know why? we have just as much access to that power here in America. God is still just as present and working here. so are you asking for that POWER this year, or one of those cool leopard print snuggies that i can’t stop hearing about???
“Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants-men and women alike.
And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth-
blood and fire and columns of smoke.
The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved,
for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape,
just as the Lord has said.
These will be among the survivors
whom the Lord has called.
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants-men and women alike.
And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth-
blood and fire and columns of smoke.
The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved,
for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape,
just as the Lord has said.
These will be among the survivors
whom the Lord has called.
Joel 2:28-32
So i guess what i am saying this morning is that i want to see people using that power, that gift, that God has given us. i want to see people get healed. i want to see people get freed from depression and anger and abuse and addiction. i want to hear about people dreams from the Lord, and i want people to come up to me and say the Lord spoke to them and they got a word for me. maybe that last one is a bit selfish, but that is one of the perks of living with people who are in tune with God, and walking in His spirit.
hope this finds you all enjoying the holidays with the ones you love, whether in the room, or across the country, together in the Power and Spirit of the Lord.
love. obedience.
