Go and Wait

Acts 1:4-5

While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jerusalem was the center of worship for the Jews and for the new followers of Christ. Jesus commanded His disciples not to leave the center of worship but to wait for the Father’s promise. They would soon receive the power they needed to accomplish their mission.

Waiting for the Father’s promise can be difficult when everything inside us is urging to move. Just before Jesus had told them to stay in Jerusalem, He told them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). In effect, Jesus said, “Go…” then He instructed them to “wait…” How confusing and frustrating it is with a call to “Go,” and an instruction to “Wait.” For what were they waiting, and how would they know when it happened?

While the disciples had a call to “Go,” they did not yet have the power of the Holy Spirit to embark upon their task. They had to wait for the anointing to come upon them so their preaching would be effective. This is exactly what happened at Pentecost when a rushing, mighty wind invaded the room where they were gathered in prayer. Tongues of fire fell upon them, enabling them to preach the gospel in other languages so everyone who had gathered in Jerusalem was able to hear the gospel in their own language. They had no power to do this until the Holy Spirit fell. The Holy Spirit made their preaching and witnessing effective.

God will always give us a call before He empowers us to carry it through. We may know deep inside what we are to do, but we simply don’t have the power to make it happen in our own strength. We need a move of God to make our ministry effective. How will we know when it happens? Like the appearance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, there will be no denying its presence! We fail when we try to minister in our own strength, but we cannot fail when the Holy Spirit works through us.

If you find yourself somewhere between, “Go,” and “Wait,” perhaps you should do the same thing the disciples did. Stay in the center of worship, and pray. You will simply exhaust yourself trying to do something in your own strength. God will give you the power to do whatever He has called you to do. Wait for His promise, and find yourself catapulted into effective ministry when the Spirit moves. He has not forgotten you. He just needs you to be ready to move when His Spirit takes over. His promise and power are worth the wait.

Have a blessed day!