A Testimony
Fifty days ago, the Savior of the world drew His last breath on a Roman cross. We never knew such pain and despair until that dreadful moment when a suffocating blanket of darkness enveloped the world. Our hearts were broken and our hopes dashed.
I remember so well when He cried out, “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?!” To hear the Hope of My Salvation declare His own forsakenness was more than I could bear. But I did, somehow. Unaware at the time, now, I know it was by the strength of the very One I saw disfigured before me. The Lamb of God at His weakest, yet proving Himself stronger than ever!
But just three days later, He rose from the dead. I could hardly believe it when I first heard the news; but then, I remembered things He had said about this very thing. He told us that He would die and rise again, but we didn’t understand…until it actually happened. My heart was overcome with joy to know that He had risen!
Now, we’re here in Jerusalem in this upper room because Jesus told us before He ascended into the Heavens to wait here for the Promise. Over one hundred of us are here with one consent, one purpose. And we’re not leaving until it happens. Jesus is coming back!
Three Ingredients
About 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, there was an atmosphere for the miraculous. A group of disciples of Jesus Christ were filled with the hope of His return. And though He didn’t return in the flesh, He did return in the Holy Spirit. About 3,000 people were filled with the Holy Ghost, and there was great revival like never before with signs and wonders.
This was a supernatural season wherein God began to pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh and to show Himself strong to His people and through His Church. Three ingredients were present in that outpouring two millennia ago, and these same factors can produce an atmosphere for the miraculous, today.
God’s Promise
Luke wrote to Theophilus in the book of Acts saying that Jesus “shewed himself alive after his passion” (after Calvary) “by many infallible proofs” and that He was seen alive for forty days and that He spoke “of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). He recounted how that Jesus had instructed the apostles to remain in Jerusalem and to wait there “for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4). And Jesus told them that, while John had “baptized with water”, they would “be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 1:5).
The Lamb of God had paid the price to redeem mankind from the bondage of sin. Jesus told His disciples in John 14:19 that the world would soon see Him no longer but that they (His disciples) would see Him, and He said that they would live because He lived. Jesus was speaking of that “promise of the Father” saying that they would discern Him through His return to them as their Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Christ. Because He rose from the dead, they would also experience new life in Him. And Jesus said in the next verse, “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:20). At that day, they would receive divine revelation and a fulfillment of things that Jesus had been teaching them but that they had yet to experience.
So it was that they were waiting for the promise in an upper room in Jerusalem at that day. And at that day, they were filled with Holy Ghost and understood the deity of Christ beyond what logic, philosophy, or academics could offer.
The promise from God of the infilling of His Holy Spirit set the stage for the miraculous; and that promise that Jesus made to them, He also made to you and me.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts 2:39
Our Unity
Before God’s promise could be realized, the people had to be united. Acts 2:1 tells us that, as they waited for the promise, “they were all with one accord in one place.” Acts 1:14 says they “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication”; but in verse 15, Peter interrupted their prayer meeting because he understood that there was a matter that needed to be addressed. Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus and taken his own life, left a vacancy in the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ; and that void needed to be filled because Scripture required it.
“Peter! This is not the time to have a business meeting! We’re in the middle of a prayer meeting! We’re praying for the promise!”
Sometimes, there is business that needs to be addressed before a prayer meeting can be effective. If there is anything that may be an obstacle to unity in the body, it must be handled wisely; or you may not see the move of God that He desires for you. Peter’s wisdom in dealing with things that could have been an obstacle to unity put them on the stage that God’s promise had set for the miraculous.
My Tremble
The atmosphere for the miraculous that existed in that upper room in Jerusalem would move out into the larger Church that was about to be born. After they were baptized with the Holy Ghost, Peter preached Jesus to the crowd that had gathered outside; and many of them “gladly received his word” and “were baptized”, and “about three thousand souls” were filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:41).
Beyond that glorious day, “they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). One might expect the excitement to wane or the supernatural intensity to decrease, but it did not. Acts 2:43 gives a clue as to why this divine move of God continued.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 2:43
Fear, or a deep reverence and respect, toward God came upon, not just most, but upon EVERY soul. They were in awe at the presence and power of the Almighty God. They had their tremble.
God-pleasing unity that births the miraculous can only occur when I have my tremble. You may think that you’re okay because you believe in God, but that only makes you as good as devils. James 2:19 says that “the devils also believe.” But many people today may not even measure up to devils because James said that “the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Where is your tremble? Where is your awe at His majesty?
I believe that the main reason we don’t see more of the miraculous is because we have lost our tremble. There is a manifestation of the presence and power of God that will only be realized when a people find their tremble at His majesty.
Job said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28).
David said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalms 111:10).
Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge”; and he said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”; and he said, “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33).
Solomon said that the “conclusion of the whole matter” and “the whole duty of man” is to “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalms 2:11
Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Psalms 33:8
The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble…
Psalms 99:1
God provides the promise; we agree in unity; but only I can have my tremble. And when a people of promise who agree in faith recognize the supreme sovereignty of the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-existing God of the universe and tremble in awe of Him, they will have created an atmosphere for the miraculous.