:: In.a.Mirror.Dimly ::

In Acts 1:4 Jesus asked his disciples to not leave Jerusalem until they received the Spirit. John prophesied that Jesus would baptize them in the Holy Spirit, and before they set out to do the work of the Kingdom, they would need this empowering baptism.

Though they were looking for the restoration of Israel as a Kingdom, Jesus pointed them back to the coming Holy Spirit. The Spirit would empower them to be witnesses whether close to home or far abroad.

Don’t Leave…

The words of Jesus stop me in my tracks. How many times have I tried to do something for God and His Kingdom without first waiting for the empowering of the Holy Spirit? I think I’ve tried to do a lot of well-intentioned ministry out of my own strength and wisdom.

In our American culture that focuses on planning and doing, it’s jarring to read that Jesus told his disciples to sit and wait. Waiting can be one of the most important parts of our ministry.

It’s like that episode of Seinfeld about a show that is about nothing—the work of ministry begins by doing nothing. We are seeking the filling, empowering, and guidance of the Spirit before we step forward.

That doesn’t mean we do nothing all of the time; waiting can be exploratory. Waiting may look fairly proactive in some circumstances since we’ll need the Spirit to confirm our tentative first steps.

However, can you imagine what the early church would have looked like if the disciples ran out of Jerusalem without the Holy Spirit? They would have created some chaotic, ill-conceived mishmash of the teachings of Jesus and of the expectations of Israel’s restoration as a Kingdom. No one would have thought about preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles for sure.

Waiting on God’s Spirit

What does waiting for the Spirit’s power look like? Do you need to sit in the presence of the Lord to wait for his leading? Do you need to talk with some friends about where you sense he’s leading? Do you need to try something new, while prayerfully asking God for guidance?

We know that waiting for the Spirit’s empowering is important. We oftentimes don’t know what it looks like. However, as we step forward in ministry, we should aim to make sure there’s no mistake that it has been God’s power at work in and among us.