Daily devotion – The promise
Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
The Church of Jesus Christ is not an organisation or a company. Neither is it a social gathering, or a democratic run assembly. No, it is the body of Christ with Jesus Christ being the Head of His body, called the Church.
I am sure that the modern Church is struggling, flailing away yet not seeming to be making an impact as much as those few early disciples did just after Jesus resurrection.
The reason is that the power, the turbine, the driving force, the compass of the Church has been neglected, that is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gave a clear and crisp command to His disciples straight after His resurrection from the dead – He told them to wait!
To wait, for the promise – Jhn 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Why wait? Because the mission can only be achieved by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by man’s ingenuity, wisdom or effort!
Fifty days after the disciples obediently waited, the promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. This was the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ in power!
Acts 2: 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
What a difference this promise being fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Spirit made. Peter steps up to the plate on that day, but this time when he spoke, there was a difference – there was the power of God driving his words.
The man who had denied Jesus now exploding with courage said, Acts 2: 38 ….. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
From that day, every member of Christ’s Church, knew the reality of the Holy Spirit as a force, and they were totally transformed.
The Holy Spirit was promised, the promise was fulfilled, the disciples were changed, and the glory of it for us is that He is present in every true believer today. And so His power is available today!
Will you pray for a surrender in your life to God’s Holy Spirit? Will you yield every area where you have locked Him out of your life?
It’s time for a change, it’s time to see the power of God both in our own lives and the Church here at Calvary Chapel Secret Harbour!