“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24: 49 NLT)
It is a common occurence in today’s world to celebrate days which have been set aside for various reasons. We wake up each day to discover that the day had been set aside as a special day for one cause or another by a particular group of people or a body. A good example of such bodies is the United Nations. United Nations observes designated days, weeks, years and decades each with a theme or topic to promote internationation awareness and actions on certain issues. There is World Peace Day, World Water day, World Malaria Day and World AIDS Day to mention just a few of them. As the entire world is mobilized to observe many of these days that people may be adequately sensitized, so also the church regularly celebrates the gift and blessing of the Holy Spirit. This is the essence of this special day known as the Pentecost or Whit Sunday.
The gift of the Holy Spirit ratifies a fact on how God treats His people. He takes delight in the timely fulfilment of His divine promises to His people. This particular promise came first by God through His prophets and later through John the Baptist and then through our Lord Jesus Christ as it is written in today’s text. What is so special about God’s promise? Webster’s Dictionary says promise is ‘a pledge that one will or will not do something; a basis or cause for hope or expectation.’ As humans, we use that word in statements we make to people especially our children to support what we say. And when we fail to keep our words or promise, it reveals something about our character. God’s promises are unlike the promise of men. He keeps His word. He never fails to do what He says He will do or will not do. In fact, we can comfortably say that God has a reputation of faithfully keeping His promises. In His dealings with generations before us, he never disappointed them, His promises are Yea and Amen.
One major problem many Christians have today is understanding what God promised and how the promises are fulfilled. How can we access this Promised Spirit? The answer is summarized in Acts 2: 38-39, “Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away – all who been called by the Lord our God.” (Acts of the Apostles 2: 38-39 NLT).
Beloved, what is our situation today? Have we done the needful in order to access this great promise? Or do we just have the reputation of being close to God when we have actually lost contact with Him? Do we now take delight in secret sins that have led to our disconnection with the Holy Spirit? The truth is that, we cannot function effectively and appropriately in this world without being empowered with this precious promised gift of God. It will also be difficult for us to survive the gimmicks and onslaught of the devil and his cohorts in this world without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, as we celebrate another Pentecost, let us repent of our sins and trust God to empower us greatly and afresh today with His great Promise.
This will make us never to struggle to prove to anyone that we are the beloved of the Lord. With the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives, there shall be evidences that God is with us and the Glory of God shall fill our lives.
Have a fruitful week as you avail yourself of the power that comes with being grafted to the Lord and remaining faithful to Him.
Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon
S.Igein Isemede