Spirit Break In

Many of us are familiar with the Pentecost story, where the Spirit falls powerfully on the followers of Jesus in Acts chapter 2. Note the detail in verse 2 - they were in a house. Kind of their own form of lockdown (though with many people in the same house!). They were there intentionally: partly to keep out of the way of the authorities, but also to pray and wait.

While in their house the Spirit did of course come - through the walls and into their lives. See how the Spirit can penetrate - even if you were locked in a prison cell the Spirit can still break in!

Remember that after Jesus' death they literally locked themselves into a room out of fear of the authorities. Jesus came into their locked room and showed that He was alive, reassuring them. That enabled them to go out - they went to a place where they saw Jesus taken from the physical into the spiritual ('The Ascension'). In that episode Jesus commissioned them, giving them a task: to tell that Jesus is alive to the whole world. Yet with that commissioning He said do it only with the power of the Holy Spirit.

It was with that commissioning that they went back to the room they were staying, and prayed, seeking God for what He will do. They now did this with purpose: for example they appointed a replacement leader (see Acts chapter 1). This shows their mood had obviously lifted from the gloomy crucifixion aftermath. They could now pray with expectancy.

For us in our houses, anticipating coming out of lockdown, we can pray with expectancy too. As we are able to go out, God can bring about many opportunities to tell of Jesus: let us pray and seek God in that, and wait also for His fresh empowering. Remember that the empowering can come on you in your house! Nowadays we often think it has to be at the big Christian gathering, with the powerful music and intense moments. Yet the Spirit can come in the quiet of your own home.

That indeed was my own personal experience. I was seeking God, wanting a fuller experience of the Holy Spirit. I asked people to pray for me: they did this at Christian gatherings and nothing happened. A friend prayed for me quite specifically in their room, but still nothing happened. Then, a few days later in the quiet of my one home, I sat alone in my living room ... and then the Spirit came, quite powerfully over me.

Note the ingredients: seeking, openness and expectation. Let us apply those same ingredients and wait on the Spirit afresh in this crucial time.