Pentecost Sunday & the Life-Changing Final Words of Jesus Christ
After Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected from the dead, the real work began as the disciples were commissioned with sharing the good news of a Savior with the lost and dying world. But first, the followers of Jesus Christ had to wait. Wait for what? What the world now calls Pentecost Sunday was just another day for the disciples- until the power of God came down and lit their spirits on fire.
The final words Jesus spoke on this earth were these: “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 MEV)
Jesus Christ gave His disciples the plan for the miracle of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit He knew was coming. However, the disciples still didn’t know exactly what to expect. They didn’t know the world would look back at Pentecost Sunday as a day when a spiritual fire was ignited in the body of Christ that would spread to the world, but that’s what happens when God’s fire comes into your life!
Pentecost Sunday Brought Eternal Fire Power
It was through the eyes of faith, the disciples of Jesus saw the promise a long way off, even after He had departed. They waited even though didn’t know what they were waiting for, or for how long they would have to wait. Does it feel that way for you sometimes?
Yet is that same Pentecost fire that will usher in the promise you’ve been waiting on God for and it is rooted firmly in what happened on that day.
God has given you a promise for your own life and your future and for the things you are believing Him for, but is that same fire of Pentecost burning in you now? It was the Holy Spirit that lit that fire – and the followers of Jesus Christ burned for Him before they saw the promise fulfilled – that is where the Spirit’s fire began.
The Four Final Things Jesus Spoke Before Pentecost Sunday
The final words of Jesus are significant because they are the message that He wanted His people to take to the world. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He had one, final opportunity to leave His disciples with whatever was on His heart knowing He would not see them again on earth.
It is these words that He leaves with you, today, as you wait for the promise in your own life.
1. “Do not depart from Jerusalem”
The disciples waited in the upper room without knowing how long they’d have to wait. Jesus had not given them a time frame for the fulfillment of His promise of the Holy Spirit. But while they were waiting, they weren’t just sitting around in a prayer circle. Luke records that while they did, indeed, seek the Lord together (Acts 1:14), they also continued to live life, and move forward while they waited in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:20)
The disciples weren’t told the promise would be fulfilled specifically on that Pentecost Sunday. In fact, “Pentecost Sunday” wasn’t even a thing yet! They were told to stay and pray until came – however long that would take. Their trust was that the final words of the Lord Jesus Christ before He left them on earth would prove true at the right time.
In your own life, “do not depart from Jerusalem”. When you are waiting on the Lord to see His promise fulfilled in your life, resist the urge to make sudden changes, or drastic choices or to take matters into your own hands.
The enemy will try to wear you down, but, just like the disciples did, you need to have other believers around you in prayer and in your life. If your waiting season is a battleground, you need seasoned warriors of faith with you. You can lean on their faith to hold tight to your faith and see the promise of God come into your life with fire and power!
2. “Wait for the promise of the Father”
If God has given you a promise – wait for it! When you don’t know what to do, or which decision to make, and when you’re exhausted, scared and discouraged, Paul wrote, “…having done all, stand.” (Ephesians 6:13) The power of God in your life is coming at exactly the right time just like it did when the fire of Pentecost came to the followers of Jesus.
- Isaiah 40:31 says, “…but those who wait upon theΒ Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” (MEV)
- Psalm 40:1-3 says, “I waited patiently for theΒ Lord, and He turned to me, and heard my cry…Β He has put a new song in my mouth,Β even praise to our God; many will see it, and fear,Β and will trust in theΒ Lord.”
- Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in theΒ Lord, and wait patiently for Him…”
When the Holy Spirit’s power comes into your situation, at just the right time, He will transform your waiting into His wonders. It is easy to become so fixated on your own expectations that you forget to fix your eyes on Jesus. When that happens, you can miss the power of God unfolding in your promise!
“…When the Holy Spirit’s power comes into your situation, at just the right time, He will transform your waiting into His wonders.”
~Alicia Purdy
When Abraham became impatient while waiting on God’s promise, Isaac, he gave birth to Ishmael. You’ll never give birth to anything better than God will in your life. He’s worth the wait! But don’t put your life on hold while you wait. Focus on other areas that need attention, seeking, first, “…the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33) Wait for the promise!
3. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes”
Jesus said that when the fulfillment of the promise came, there would be power, His supernatural power, that would provide the strength and courage needed to take the next step. And that’s what happened on Pentecost Sunday! (Acts 2:1-13)
Acts 2:1-13 tells that while the disciples were experiencing the world-changing power of God, others thought they were drunk. Not everyone saw the promise. Religious leaders of the “faith” couldn’t see it, even while it was right in front of them. That is because:
- God’s power defies human reason
- The power of God, just like on the day of Pentecost, doesn’t look like what you expected to see
- His power is impossible to understand with a finite, human mind
- His power proves that waiting on God’s promises is not in vain
- God’s presence takes the power of faith in you and ignites an eternal fire of spiritual power
4. “You will be my Witnesses”
But, “when the day of Pentecost arrived…” (Acts 2:1), the promise, the praise and the power came together all at once, setting God’s people on fire, proving that His promises are true and are filled with sweeping, awesome, supernatural power and ignited into flames by the presence of God to change the world, but that wasn’t just a one-time event.
When the power of the Holy Spirit “comes upon you”- “you will be My witnesses”, Jesus said. This is an important part of growing the kingdom of God! After the power of God came upon the disciples on that Pentecost Sunday, they took their witness of that power into the world. “…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth…” Jesus said.
In Exodus 3, Moses encountered a bush that was on fire and it burned without being consumed. How is that possible? Because that fire wasn’t lit by human hands, it was lit by God’s presence! Many people get into the wilderness spontaneously combust or are consumed by the heat and fire and pressure by the fiery furnace while they’re waiting to see God’s hand in their situation.
However, like the disciples did on the day of Pentecost, if you wait on the Lord and obey His words, the same promise is yours too – the Lord will come with fire will reveal Himself to you and to the world that is watching your testimony of His power in your life.
Think about this: “Jerusalem” was their ‘home’ filled with plenty of Pharisees and “believers” who were caught in a dead religion. “Judea and Samaria” were the outlying areas that surrounded them, filled with Gentiles and pagans, and it was in those places and to “…the ends of the earth…” that heard and saw what God did!
Thought for today: The Fire of Pentecost is Still Burning
One of the most powerful things you can ever do to testify of what the Lord has done is to worship and praise Him- before, during and after the Holy Spirit’s power comes upon you in response to your faith, prayer and seeking. YOUR testimony matters! (Psalm 40:1-3) The world is watching you and they’ll have a renewed hope in the Lord when they see and hear what He has done for you!
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 MEV)
The fire of Pentecost came to people already on fire in the waiting. The final word of Jesus are yours as well as you are waiting on the fulfillment of the promise. Obey His Words, you can trust in Him!
The words of Jesus Christ are always the right ones, in every situation. Stay, pray, praise and prepare yourself- the fire of God is coming!
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