GOD'S SUDDENLIES WORTH THE WAIT

PART TWO

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

As I stated in the previous blog post on this theme, this would have to be one of my favourite passages from the New Testament. This was the beginning of the fulfillment of a prophecy given by the prophet Joel at least 800 years before Christ.

Jesus had told his disciples ten days before this event prior to His ascension to heaven: " Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Acts 24:49 KJV

This day saw the birth of the New Testament church with an estimated three thousand people saved following the anointed preaching of Christ the Messiah by the Apostle Peter. He called on his hearers that day to: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2: 38,39

What a tremendous "suddenly" as the infant Christian Church grew to around three thousand in one day, with the people coming under the conviction of sin and their need for a Saviour.

As we continue to read through the Book of Acts, we see the church continuing to grow in leaps and bounds, as the twelve apostles of Christ lead the growth of the church, starting in Jerusalem, then spreading to all parts of the known world as persecution acts as catalyst for the leaders to go to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the world, as Jesus told them it would be - in Acts 1:8.

Recently I heard Karen Wheaton, Senior Leader of "The Ramp" churches in Alabama, Tennessee and Manchester, England say of God's time in relation to the outworking of His purposes in our lives as either SLOW or SUDDENLY. There is often a process we have to go through in order to receive His promises, BUT, when it is God's appointed time, that's when we may well experience some of God's amazing Suddenlies in our lives.

When the Spirit of God is moving powerfully in the life of an individual believer or in a church body - or even in a nation, the manifestation of God's provision, His power and His glory may at times be overwhelmingly of a "suddenly" nature - revealing God's desire to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hope is in Him alone.

How exciting it is to read the Gospel of Mark, and to discover all the instances of "Immediately" or, as it says in the King James Version, "Straightway." There is a real sense that God was moving powerfully in His manifest presence to heal, deliver and transform spiritually those who had been walking in blindness to see the glorious light of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

That is not to take away from the other three Gospel accounts of Matthew, Luke and John - but the Gospel of Mark does seem to have a real sense of the "suddenly" actions of the Living God!

Read through all four Gospel accounts and it is obvious that many received their "suddenly" encounters with the Lord Jesus Christ to heal chronic diseases and afflictions, and demonic oppression that, for many had held them captive for years, even from birth for some.

Think of the woman in Mark 5 with the issue of blood. The Bible tells us this had been an affliction she had borne for twelve years. She had spent all she had seeking medical help, but instead of getting better, rather grew worse. Her faith was such that she knew in her heart that, if she could just get close enough in the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, she would be healed instantly - and that is exactly what happened. That day, she experienced her "suddenly."

I think about the crippled man Jesus encountered at the pool of Bethesda who had been in that condition for thirty eight years. The Bible tells us in John 5 about this man. It is stated that around this pool lay many who were sick, blind, lame and paralyzed - as they waited for the moving of the water. It says that after the moving of the water, whoever stepped in first was healed of whatever affliction they had. Because of this man's condition, someone else always got in the water before he could, as he had no one to put him in anyway. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. He then commanded him, " Rise, take up your bed, and walk." Immediately, the man was healed, took up his bed and walked. After thirty eight years of being unable to be independently mobile, this man received his "suddenly."

Then consider the case of the woman mentioned in Luke 13 who Jesus healed of an infirmity that had had her bent over for eighteen years and could not straighten herself up. What a terrible condition to have to endure. The Bible tells us that this incident was in a synagogue on a Sabbath. When Jesus saw her, He called her and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." Then He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.

The heartless ruler of the synagogue was indignant that this woman was healed on the Sabbath by Jesus. Jesus rightly replied: "You hypocrite. Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it. Then should not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has bound these eighteen years, be loosed from this bondage on the Sabbath?"

This woman was another one who, although waiting eighteen years of physical bondage - in the presence of Jesus was instantly healed, and experienced a liberating "suddenly."

Many more passages could be cited in the Gospels of Jesus of His healing the chronically sick and infirm, setting free those held in bondage to demonic spirits,

turning those in spiritual darkness to light, as multitudes experienced their individual "suddenly" from the Living God, whose love and compassion for each one was displayed by demonstrations of the Holy Spirit's power to make the broken whole.

One final incident from the Book of Acts will also serve to highlight God's delight in moving in the power of a "suddenly" to bring glory and honour to His name.

In Acts 16, we see the account of Paul and Silas in the city of Philippi in Macedonia. I encourage you to read the whole chapter for yourself.

As the chapter unfolds, they wind up in prison with their feet in the stocks, after having been beaten "with many stripes." The Bible tells us that at midnight they prayed and sang hymns to God - in the midst of their pain and imprisonment, they prayed and worshipped God - and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's shackles were loosened. Amazingly, none of the prisoners escaped. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit was so real in that inner prison that the prison guard knew God was there, as he cried out to Paul and Silas: "What must I do to be saved?" He was saved that night, along with those of his household - and I would like to believe some of the other prisoners were too. It must have been a miracle for the other prisoners not to have attempted to escape.

If you are reading this today, and are one who has been praying, believing, waiting for your "suddenly" from the Lord - perhaps for the return of a prodigal child or children to the Lord, for healing in your body, or your mind, to see the restoration of a broken marriage, for financial breakthrough. Whatever area you have been praying and standing in faith on God's Word for, may I encourage you today to: NOT GIVE UP BELIEVING!

STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD IN HIS WORD!

GET INTO AGREEMENT FOR YOUR ANSWERS TO PRAYER WITH SOMEONE WHO ALSO TRUSTS IN THE LORD!

REFUSE TO ALLOW DOUBT AND FEAR TO ROB YOU OF HOPE!

IF YOU ARE NOT IN A CHURCH FAMILY, FIND A BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH WHERE THE UNCOMPROMISED WORD OF GOD IS PREACHED AND THERE IS AN EXPECTATION OF GOD TO MOVE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR SALVATION, HEALING, DELIVERANCE AND FULL PROVISION OF THE BLESSING OF THE LORD

If you live in southern Tasmania or the southern Midlands of Tasmania, and you do not have a church home, may I invite you to Living Waters Christian Centre, meeting at 54 Bridge Street in the centre of historic Richmond village at 10.30 next Sunday, 18th October, 2020.

A blessed time of fellowship, praise and worship, Word and Holy-Spirit led ministry!

You will be made to feel most welcome!

Living Waters Christian Centre is led by Pastors Anthony and Annette Castro