GOD'S "SUDDENLIES" WORTH THE WAIT 

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 KJV.

This would have to be one of my favourite passages from the New Testament. I love the King James Version rendering of this momentous event in the life of the early church leaders and Christ-followers. THIS INDEED WAS THAT,  as the apostle Peter explained to the Jews gathered there in Jerusalem from every nation - which was spoken by the prophet Joel some 800 years + BC. Incredible to think that in the Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit came only on certain individuals to inspire them to prophesy or to understand God's will at that time and for particular circumstances - but it was not until Jesus came to earth, lived and died on the cross of Calvary and rose triumphant over the grave and death - that the Holy Spirit was poured out on  all believers in Christ who had committed themselves to His Lordship, to not only come upon them - and leave, but to indwell them by His mighty power, making alive the human spirit.

As one of my Facebook friends, John Iuliano, a Pentecostal pastor in Sydney, stated on a recent Devotional video, it is incredible that this promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was foretold over eight hundred years before Christ's appearing on earth - but at God's appointed time, SUDDENLY, He came to fill the lives of the expectant 120 gathered in the Upper Room, and their lives would never ever be the same again.

One of the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians chapter 5 is Patience. That it is a fruit of the Spirit indicates that those who exercise the outworking of this fruit in their lives know, from experience what it means to WAIT in EXPECTATION for the fulfilling of God's promises in total trust in the goodness and the timing of the Lord's purposes and provision. As the psalmist says in Psalm 31:14,15 But I trusted in You, O LORD;

                                                    I said, "You are my God,"

                                                    My times are in Your hand,

                                                     deliver me from the hand of  

                                                     my enemies

                                                      and my pursuers.

Psalm 40:1-3 in The Passion Translation says:

                                                    I waited and waited and

                                                    waited some more,

                                                    patiently, knowing God

                                                    would come through for me.

                                                     Then, at last, he bent

                                                      down and listened to

                                                      my cry.

                                                    He stooped down to lift

                                                    me out of danger

                                                    from the desolate pit I 

                                                    was in,

                                                    out of the muddy mess

                                                    I had fallen into.

                                                    Now he's lifted me up

                                                    into a firm, secure place

                                                    and steadied me while I 

                                                    walk along his

                                                    ascending path.

                                                    A new song for a new

                                                    day rises up in me

                                                    every time I think about

                                                    how he breaks through for me!

                                                    Ecstatic praise pours 

                                                    out of my mouth until

                                                    everyone hears how

                                                    God has set me free.

                                                    Many will see his

                                                    miracles;

                                                    they'll stand in awe of

                                                    God and fall in love with

                                                    him!

It is true, as Proverbs 13:12 states: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, 

                                                        But when the desire comes,

                                                        it is a tree of life.

I can tell you from experience, that my wife and I know all about Hope Deferred. We have both received a number of significant prophetic words over our lives and for our children as well, some, many years ago - and to be honest, many are yet to be fulfilled.

And YES, there are times when we have become discouraged.

BUT, we have also known, throughout the years - and decades of waiting, an ongoing sense that the Lord has not left us. He is faithful to provide for us. We have known blessing along with adversity - and through it all, we are still trusting Him to "come through" with Breakthrough! IN HIS TIME!

Earlier this week, I was thinking about an aspect of ministry the Lord told me through personal prophecy many years ago, that would help define my ministry for Him. This same word was confirmed by an elder in a church where we were in fellowship ten years ago. As I was thinking about these prophetic words, and feeling somewhat discouraged that they have not been fulfilled in my life to this point, I pulled out of our street to drive the short distance to the shops two days ago, and when I stopped at the traffic lights, my attention was drawn to the car in front of me - an SUV - as I looked at the model name on the back of the car, I was amazed that the name was that of the aspect of ministry the Lord spoke to me about through the gift of prophecy! I know that this was not just a random coincidence, but God wanted me to see this to let me know my "suddenly" in this area is on the way!

In the last book of the Old Testament, the Book of Malachi, we read in chapter 3, verse 1 where the LORD says: I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. He is coming, says the LORD of  Hosts.

Malachi was most likely written between 440-400 BC, being the last of the Old Testament books and also of the prophetic voices under the Old covenant.

This messenger the Holy Spirit spoke of in Malachi was John the Baptist, who, the Bible says came "to prepare the way of the Lord." He called those who gathered to him in the wilderness of Judea to "repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." John the Baptist's ministry had been foretold prophetically also by Isaiah some 700 years BC in Isaiah 40:3, where it says of him: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness; 

                                    Prepare the way of the Lord;

                                    make His paths straight."

From the time of the prophet Malachi to the time of Christ on earth had been about 400 years. There had been four hundred years of silence, then suddenly, the Lord, through angelic visitations and dreams spoke to Mary, Joseph, and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist about the miraculous births to take place of John and Jesus, who was the prophesied Messiah.

When John, as an adult began his ministry, he proclaimed of Jesus that: "there is one coming after me who is mightier than me. I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose his sandal-strap. I baptize with water, but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

He must increase, but I must decrease." 

To fulfill Bible prophecy, Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. The Bible tells us that, coming up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove. This was the beginning of Christ's powerful and gloriously fruitful earthly ministry for the next three and a half years, where multitudes were turned from darkness to light, the blind and deaf and mute were made to see, hear and speak. The lame were instantly healed and able to walk, the lepers were cleansed, chronic diseases and associated physical symptoms were healed in an instant. And the dead were raised to life again, as in the case of Lazarus, which you can read about in John 11.

Perhaps you who are reading this, are waiting for one of God's "SUDDENLIES." My encouragement to you today would be to: NOT GIVE UP!

                                                                    CONTINUE  TO TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD!

                                                                    STAND ON HIS PROMISES!

                                                                    KNOW THAT HE IS FAITHFUL TO PERFORM

                                                                    HIS WORD!

                                                                    FILL YOUR MOUTH WITH PRAISE!

                                                                    TRUST THE LORD OF THE 

                                                                    BREAKTHROUGH TO COME THROUGH 

                                                                    FOR YOU!

THIS COULD BE YOUR DAY FOR A MIRACLE "SUDDENLY."    

To Be Continued     

www.vision.org.au is a good place to discover online Christian media resources!

God Bless!