12.17.17 Awakening

“Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.”  Isaiah 32:15

 

 

Awakening

Written By Michael Herbert

 

It was AW Tozer who explained Jerimiah 4:3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns.  Fallow ground has all the possibilities for growing great things; however, the fallow ground had been neglected for several years and was in desperate need of uprooting and tilling in order for the ground to be 100% again, full of nutrients and all the right stuff to grow something great. The heart of mankind has found themselves in the same regard. All the possibilities to produce great and mighty things for the kingdom of God are planted deep within our hearts, but they cannot produce anything worthwhile. God declares to us it’s time to break up the fallow ground in our hearts. Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 In all of these astonishing words, there needs to be someone to direct the efforts. There needs to be someone who is all knowing and fully able to deal with the heart and the blindness of man. Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 It was then in that upper room where 120 Jesus lovers prayed and sought the Lord for his promise to now be fulfilled. It was at the time of Pentecost, a most fitting time when the Holy Spirit made his presence known and the entire world was forever changed. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4 It was then, on the day of Pentecost that Peter arose up to preach the word and three thousand were added to the church. The power of the Holy Spirit could not be stopped nor slowed down.

The landscape of the world was dark. The politicians and the religious leaders had thought they seceded in eliminating any more talk about Jesus. The status was at that time, “business as usual.” Little did those leaders ever think or even had any vision that the promise of God had now come to them in such a bold way. Living as a Christian was not easy at the time of the Roman Empire. They were in love with persecuting anyone who dared say they were followers of Jesus. The political and religious leaders did not expect the boldness that came with the new church. The church took to heart the words of Jesus to pick their cross and follow him. Matthew 16:24-26 The boldness gave the early church strength they needed to deal with hardships. The church was growing by leaps and bounds. The dry desert of the wilderness started to see beauty has grown from a dark and barren land. The light of the new church members started to radiate the light of Jesus in the culture they lived in. There were no sacred places the light of Christ did not shine. Everywhere the Apostle Paul and other Christians went the Holy Spirit. He no longer just went with them, but now because of Jesus, he lived within every believer.

From the naked eye everywhere the darkest and most unreachable places in the world were now overpowered be the presence of the Holy Spirit. Although, still today there are strongholds yet the Lord keeps marching on till the 4 corners of the earth have heard the gospel. Everywhere we evangelize the Holy Ghost is tilling the soul and making the desert into a rich plush forest. Creating oaks of righteousness, filled with the love of Jesus. Spreading forth the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. People to whom the world would give up hope for any change become trophies of God’s grace. To the lost he becomes “the way” and to the saved, he becomes the source of all life. Pentecost came in like a roaring lion. The Holy Spirit brought with him gifts and unmeasured amounts of grace. What once looked like a helpless cause now became an unexplainable series of miracles the world to this day still does not understand. Dry bones became alive. Contaminated water now became drinkable. If all that wasn’t enough, there is still work of the Holy Spirit to be poured on the beloved people of Israel who will be transformed and know Christ at his coming. On this day, it looks on the surface foolishness to think Israel will know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We must remember the Holy Spirit does not live with limitations. It is he who can make the hardest of hearts melt and the vilest among us into saints.