Bring to Memory What God Has Done

Bring to Memory What God Has Done
Receive Power to Live

Published by Deborah Negron M.A.

May 24, 2015

Soon we will be celebrating Memorial Day and moments with family and friends and national pride… but we will also be in this time when we are to
Celebrate the Day of Pentecost.
Pentecost was 50 days after the Passover.

Why celebrate 50 days after the Passover, which was the celebraton of their freedom in exiting Egypt, as the Angel of the Lord passed over Egypt and killed the enemies of God. He delivered them. So, after 50 days in the Mountain, God gave Israel the Law, the Ten Commandments.

Well, we celebrate the day of Pentecost after Jesus had come and died on the cross and been raised from the dead.
The Lord poured out His blessing on the remnant of those which followed Christ. Jesus had told them to go to Jerusalem and wait there for the manifestation of His Power. He would send them the Holy Spirit. Why?
Because they needed the empowerment to go out and witness to the world. But some fell away. Of the 500 who had seen the Master after the resurrection, only 1/4 of them, went to wait to Jerusalem. Only 120 were in the remnant that waited for the pouring of the Spirit of God.

People don’t like to wait. Some that give up too soon are the ones the enemy capitalizes on. The doubtful, the weak, the ones who don’t really believe. Some listen to contrary voices and forget their calling.
But for those who waited on the Lord and His promise, they were able to receive the blessing. They were patient and trusted God. Though they had seen adversity.
In Joel, was profesied that the Lord would pour out His spirit on all flesh. The important thing was the waiting, trusting, holding on, persevering, not allowing anxiety, fear and doubt to overtake them. They were not focused on the prize not on the circumstances.

But for those, those that were the first of the offspring of Christ, to them, the Bride of Christ, did He give power to be called the sons of God. He calls us the elite of God.
His plan and decree was to pour out the Spirit of God would be a river of Living Waters that would come from within. God had promised we would be empowered to fulfill the Great Commission. We are empowered to be his hands and his feet.

Jesus said, it was bestter for Him to leave, because He would send the Holy Spirit. This Spirit indwells us. His Spirit draws us to a closeness with the Lord. You see, the first church, was hiding, fearful, afraid of persecution. Yet after the Holy Spirit came and was poured out these same folks, stood boldly proclaiming the Truth. Now they were able to tell the lame to walk, the dumb to speak, the deaf ears to hear.

We are the Body, yet, are we reaching the lost? Are we impacting the world. Do we really have the Holy Spirit of God? Are we really a catalyst within our community? Are we effective in our witness? In many churches the church is a building where we socialize and gather to hear, make me feel good messages. We have become dead. A clanging cymball. We have become acomplises of hindering the Holy Spirit.

The First church had no building, yet after the Holy Spirit was poured out Peter preached with boldness and thousands came to the knowledge of Christ. This same Peter who had denied Christ Jesus 3 times.

But what happened to the church’s boldness? What happened? An Emperor, Constantine decreed that the church would not be persecuted but an alliance was made. We cannot make an alliance with Satan. We cannot make an unequal yoke. We are the church of God. Yet we have sold out our birthright. We have sold out our position of power to be politically correct.
We have stopped the Spirit from flowing. We have shut the mouth of God.

The persecuted church was effective because they did not compromise. We cannot be effective if we are enammored with the world. The church has three enemies basically. First the Devil. Then the world, the one under the rule and power of the enemy, Satan. Then, our flesh, it is the one that says, oh come on pastor. I have picnic plans. I have many things to do. It unfocuses our spirit. It draw us away from the purpose of God in our lives. It seeks self gratification.
When we come to Christ we have the indwelling Spirit of God who gives us caution. He causes us to hesitate when we are about to sin. He pauses us and draws us to right living. He empowers us to move forward and believe and trust God.
The Holy Spirit will empower us to combat the enemy, the falsehoods, the counterfeit. He allows us to proclaim truth. To abstain from sin. He causes us to live effective Christian lives.
We are to be a voice crying in the wildreness. We are to be a Beacon of hope to the lost. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment to know the authenticity of the gospel. He gives us boldness to speak truth, hope, peace and repentance. Without the Blood there is no remission of sins.
The true gospel points us to the cross, convicts us of sin and brings us to repentance.

We need the Holy Spirit to regenerate us, to empower us, to baptize us in the power of the indwelling of God’s presence. This will then cause us to be bold in our profession, sure of our faith. It will draw us to a life of service freely to the Lord. He needs to indwell us. He needs to be able to rule and reign. He must govern our walk, order our steps and allow us to live in the purpose he has for us.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have declares the Lord…plans to give you a hope and a future.
God’s desire in Christ is that we would have power to live in accordancee with His heavenly paln.

Be empowered. Come be filled. Come receive the Spirit. Repent from sins and submit to the Lord. And receive the gift.