The Wait Is Over Series

Last week we concluded Acts chapter one where Jesus gave His followers the instructions to wait for the Holy Spirit to come, and now, as we move into chapter two, the wait is over. The Holy Spirit has come and we are now ushering in the church era. In chapter one, the Savior ascends, in chapter two, the Holy Spirit descends.

If you are tired of the strain and stress of life and are ready to experience the abundance of life which God has promised, you are a prime candidate for the workings of Acts 2. As we look at these verses, prepare yourself for a Pentecostal experience. It is time to move in and take possession of the power and abilities God has freely given to believers through a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. I want to encourage you, as we unfold the pages of Acts, verse by verse, to allow the Holy Spirit to speak freshly into your life, for your wait is over, the Holy Spirit has come, and He is here, so let us learn together these great truths from and about our God.

I. God meets us In His own way.

“And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they nested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

Human nature has a tendency to try and impose its plans on everything else. Our agenda, our schedule, our wants, our desires. We have talked about how they waited in the Upper Room, how they spent time waiting on God’s agenda, rather than waiting on their own. It must have been really hard for them. Just look at how difficult it is for us to wait, to say not my own personal will, but your will Lord be done in my life. People want to have control of their own will power and when they take control, they muss the opportunity for God’s power to flow through them. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and so many times God’s timetable is quite different from ours as well. The benefit of being in line with God, well, there is no comparison. So what happens? Lets take a look.

A. God’s Way’s are Higher than Our Ways

God spoke to Job about Job’s inability to control his own destiny outside of God’s will. Job 38:4-7 God asked him, Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together, and all the angels shouted for joy? I wonder, could God ask us the same thing when we try to operate outside of His power thinking we know best? When we desire to take the control of our life and circumstances away from God, thinking that we have the ability to run our own lives without repercussions, without the wisdom of the Creator, then we should also be able to respond to the questions God put to Job and have a right answer. In truth, we know we cannot. How do we know? From experience, we have tried to run things before and they work for a time, but eventually, well, we find ourselves lacking in the ability to plow ahead as we thought we could. The reason we cannot is because God controls the times and seasons. It is God who created, it is God who controls. Our responsibility is to be ready when God opens the doors for us to move ahead in our lives. We have to have our lamps ready, filled with oil, prepared to move out and light the world when the bridegroom comes. Too often we are idly doing something else, our oil us running low and we are unprepared for the visitation of God. Somewhat like the foolish virgins in Matthew 25, unprepared they were as a result missing the banquet Christ had prepared for them. Jesus gives us some advice in verse 13, Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. We use this verse to speak of the second coming of Christ, or of our own death and our passing into eternity, it can also be used of the opportunities God places in our lives right now.

B. God fulfills His Promises, Always.

On the day God designated, He fulfilled His promise of the Holy Spirit coming to all mankind, for all mankind. The timing, according to Scripture, was the Day of Pentecost.