These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication . . .
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . .
. . . and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
—Acts 1:14a; 2:1–2, 4a, 41b (KJV)
Pentecost took fifty days to happen. It’s interesting that it happened so slowly. On Easter, Jesus had already conquered death. After Easter, Jesus “commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4, KJV)—the gift of the Holy Spirit. Why the waiting? The believers obeyed, they waited, they prayed for days on end. Pentecost happened very slowly, over a long period of time, all of a sudden!
Over the next fifty days we are embarking on a journey, waiting for the day of Pentecost to fully come. We must wait for it. Just as the early disciples did, we prepare to become the Spirit-filled, soul-saving church by waiting and praying.
This is the only way. Waiting and prayer lead to unity; unity prepares for Pentecost; Pentecost brings power; power begets saved souls; saved souls birth the church!
We slowly wait with prayer and prepare for the sudden and powerful work of the Spirit to break in. Can we move through these next few weeks with that sense of waiting, praying anticipation?
Throughout this journal, we have prepared a devotional reflection and prayer for every one of these fifty days. The contents will lead us to focus on praying through our mission, our vision, and mobilizing the major elements of work that God has called us into. We will be praying through this long process in faith, knowing that, after our time of waiting and prayer, the Holy Spirit will suddenly move—in my heart and in yours, among our leaders, across our beloved church, and ultimately in our world.
O Lord, over these next fifty days, would you slow us down to wait and pray so you can move suddenly in your church? Mighty God, mobilize us with a renewed, Spirit-filled, soul-saving ministry across the USA and Canada.
—Stan Reeder
Director, USA/Canada Region
