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PENTECOST: What's In It For Us?

Today is the Christian Church Worldwide celebrates the Feast of Pentecost. It’s already 50days since Easter – how time flies!
Today, as we commemorate the Coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church of Christ as promised by Jesus, we will survey the implications of that out-pouring to us and to the world.
Summarily put, the primary reason for that out-pouring (with the accompanying signs) was to announce the exaltation of Jesus Christ to the right hand of God and His new status as both Lord and Christ.
Peter in his sermon puts it this way, “…Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear…
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord AND Christ (Acts 2:33, 36 EMTV)”.
To the disciples, their Master has suddenly become the Most Powerful Entity (MPE) in heaven and on earth, and so they have nothing whatsoever to fear any longer.
They could now go out boldly and preach the gospel with power from this MPE without fear of they that can only kill the body. Even language barriers were broken as they could now speak to foreigners in their (the foreigners’) native language. Suddenly, the table has turned to the favour.
For us today, we need to put it into our heads and hearts that Jesus whom we serve
- HAS BEEN exalted to the right hand of God,
- HAS BECOME both Lord AND Christ,
- HAS RECEIVED from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, and
- HAS POURED OUT the Spirit upon us.
This is what God will have us know today. Notice the tenses: they’re all Past. It is done! We need not pray (or sing) like David of old: “Be Thou exalted among the heaven…” for He is already exalted!
I pray for you “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ,
“Having raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, above every ruler and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the coming age.
And He subjected all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him filling all things in all. (Eph.1:17-23)”.
This is the message of Pentecost. When we understand it, much of our prayers will turn to praises, and we will find a lot more time for intercession and witnessing. Are you praying for power, God has released it since! Are you praying for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit upon your life, God had already done that on Pentecost! That is why Paul could say boldly that believers receive the Holy Spirit at conversion (see Eph.1:13 for instance). Are you still begging God to reign over a (or your) life or land or situation when you should be enforcing the rule-ship of Christ, since all things has been subjected under His feet?
See, you have to accept the finished work of God in these aspects too, just like you accepted it when the issue was Justification, Forgiveness and Salvation. Was it not you that believed that the shed blood of Jesus is there to cleanse you from all iniquities (1Jn. 1:7)? Was it not you that believed that Jesus has by His death paid the price for your sins and reconciled you to God (Rom. 5:8-19)? You have to believe (the Word of) God in this too – for He has magnified His Word above all His names (Psa. 138:2).
May the Lord expound these words more in your heart, and cause you to SEE what He has already accomplished for you; that you might come of your shell and declare boldly the message of our exalted Lord and Christ, Jesus. Only then will Pentecost have its fullest meaning to you.
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