Thought for the Week - 19th April
VandaLuke 24: 59
“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
John 14: 16-17
John 16: 5-15
Luke 11: 13
Luke 24: 49-53
It is wonderful to know that each of us is called to that resurrection in Christ. As Christians we have hope knowing that this is not all there is, there is another life to come, a glorious and wonderful life. Towards the end of Christ’s life, he increasingly spoke to the disciples about another that would come after Him, a helper and a comforter, the Holy Spirit.
As the crucifixion approached, and then in those days before His ascension, Jesus didn’t recount His days on Earth of healing, miracles and the time spent with the disciples. He charged them to wait into Jerusalem with strict instruction. He said to them ‘’My Father has promised you that He would send you a helper and comforter’’ Though it would have been, this was not for their own good or deepening of their spiritual life. It was for the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit to come upon each of them so that they could operate under the same anointing that Christ operated.
Christ came as man, and man has little influence and no power. It was necessary for Him to be baptised in the Holy Spirit from whose power all His works were done. He was here on Earth for a limited time and reaching only those around Him, but He charged those people to continue to reach further. Jesus said ‘’you will do greater works than this’’, not greater than Christ, but in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we would further His work. The disciples had no power in themselves, but after Christ ascended He sent the Holy Spirit to those whom He taught and could receive, so that they could go out in power and love to reach others, heal, save, and deliver. Person after person, the multitudes reached from time to the end of the age.
If it was necessary for Christ to operate in the Holy Spirit, then how much more of a necessity is it for us? It was also necessary for Christ to ascend to heaven so that the Holy Spirit could come to each one of us, to each of our meetings and to the world.
We see the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirt time and time again, His supernatural and timeless power poured out on lives that are sanctified and open to God’s will. We also see the discord, anarchy, and devastation where man is closed off and wanting control. When the Holy Spirit comes into a place, He brings the order, dignity, integrity, and comfort each of us so desperately need.
Every word and action of Christ was full of love, all He did was for others without a self-seeking thought. All He did was for you and for me. He sent the Holy Spirit to carry on that love and to reach out across the world.
We were never meant to be pew fillers; we are meant to be thriving and active in God. He has so much more life, power, and anointing to pour out on us. He has promised us this, it is our birth right and if we seek it we will have it. We can claim His promise and wherever we are in our Christian walk, we will receive His infilling and not withholding, but in perfect measure that will not overwhelm.
Let us not settle for the ordinary, lets seek the extraordinary, hold God to His promise, petition in prayer for the power we need to do His good work, for change, for healings, revival, salvations, baptisms in the Holy Spirit and deliverance. Let us be lives well lived to the glory of God and operating under the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit.
Such a powerful word. Thank you for sharing.