A HISTORIC PENTECOST 2020: YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER

I have been praying much into the upcoming Pentecost knowing that this historic Passover season demands a historic Pentecost. The first Passover was followed by the historic law (and foundation of Old Covenant) being given supernaturally to Moses during the first Pentecost (also known as Shavuot - meaning 50 days). Jesus, the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb, was followed 50 days later by the most historic Holy Spirit outpouring (Acts 2). This too was a fulfillment of the original Pentecost, in that, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the external tablets of the law can now be etched into the heart (Hebrews 8:10), and this was now to be the essential foundation of the New Covenant-- paid for and made available by Jesus, but built on empowerment by a baptism of the Holy Spirit. A HUGE BLUE AND GREEN WAVE, A BIG WHITE SHIP, AND THE END OF CYNICISM Every time I begin to pray into Pentecost I see a huge incoming blue and green tsunami wave. I then see a white ship with the word "LEADER" arise from the incoming wave. I am aware that it refers to LEADERSHIP.

The 7 mountains are being vacated of criminals and a great leadership vacuum is going to be filled by Holy Spirit-filled and empowered saints of God. The colors speak to me immediately. The blue speaks of revelation and the green speaks of provision. I believe that this Pentecost we will experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that rivals the original Acts 2 outpouring and will change the face of the church and the whole world. We have never needed a huge Pentecost wave more, and it is coming. As I repeatedly see this picture of a huge wave and this great white ship, I hear the words “this will end cynicism”. The wave is the tangible presence and power of the Holy Spirit coming in with great revelation and great provision. The supernatural nature of it all will be an eliminator of cynicism which is the heart disease of our day. Raw, supernatural, Holy Spirit power is the coming cure. ACTS 1:8 ALL OVER AGAIN “You will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you will be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.” The disciples had been personally discipled by Jesus for three-plus years. After His resurrection, Acts 1:3 tells us that He showed Himself to them through “many infallible proofs” for 40 days. You would think that would be enough to prepare you for ministry. Yet, Jesus made it clear to them that they were not ready for effective ministry. They were told to wait for POWER from the Holy Spirit to come upon them and only then could they be proper witnesses for Him. These were Jesus’ last words to them before ascending into heaven. They would go on to wait ten days in an upper room for this supernatural POWER encounter with the Holy Spirit.

It is amazing today that being empowered by the Holy Spirit has become optional for those called into ministry. Finances, speaking ability, and social media skills are much more seen as key to successful ministry. Huge mega-churches can now be the best-known representatives of Jesus while having scarce evidence of the POWER of Holy Spirit in their ministry. This is all about to dramatically change. There is no need to criticize or tear down the inferior version of “ministry”- only a need to showcase the upgrade. The rest takes care of itself. Modeling the superior will always disempower the inferior. The abundance of powerless Christianity is not really the problem. The absence of POWER Christianity is the problem. 1 Corinthians 4:20, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in POWER.” A supernatural component is a must for it to be “kingdom”. We have gotten far too comfortable with presenting a “kingdom” that comes only in words. WAIT FOR POWER It needs to be noted that Jesus with His very last words on earth was specifically prioritizing their need for POWER. He did not say “You will receive the Holy Spirit- and He will give you power”. He said, “You will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit is come upon you.” He motivated them with their need for SUPERNATURAL POWER—and they knew what that meant. Jesus had modeled power over demons, over sickness, over storms, over lack of wine, food, or taxes. The answer to every challenging situation they had found themselves in with Jesus was POWER. He always had it. They weren’t perhaps mature enough to know that the Holy Spirit is a person and about cultivating a personal relationship with Him—and then one day He trusts you with power. The instruction was “Yeah, you boys know all of my teachings including the last 40 days as resurrected Messiah speaking on the kingdom of God-- but I need you to have more than character and a teaching gift-- you need POWER.” The relational learning curve with the Holy Spirit would be progressive. Right now what they needed was kingdom-evidencing POWER- and they got it.

We are in such a place today—more than most of us even come close to realizing. POWER OR LOVE? This question is often posed among believers. Sometimes it is said in other ways. We might say, “Seek the Giver not the gifts”. We point out 1 Corinthians 13, “if I have not love it profits me nothing”-- and miss something important. That chapter starts out saying “Though I speak with tongues, though I can prophesy, though I have all power even to remove mountains etc., etc.” because that was the post-Pentecost assumptive standard for “ministry”. There was never to be a juxtapositioning of Power vs. Love. The standard was and IS that you should have this POWER—but that it profits YOU nothing if you are not motivated by love. But other people DO profit from demonstrations of supernatural power. There never was a standard that powerless Christianity is okay as long as you have love. If it were so, Jesus would not have told them to go wait days in an upper room for supernatural POWER. He would have just said remember to be loving with people "as I have shown you for three-plus years".

You see, people did not follow Jesus simply because He was loving. They followed Him because He had love-validating power. Atheists can be loving. New Agers can be loving. Buddhists can be loving. What separates the gospel of Jesus from any other is the constant demonstration of supernatural POWER. The power proves the greatness of the love. When Jesus sent out the 12 and then the 70 (or 72) in Luke 9:1 and 10:19, it says “He gave them POWER.” Supernatural proof of His great love was the initial norm and if you didn’t carry POWER you were not qualified as a messenger, no matter how silver-tongued you might be. In the gospel of the kingdom, there is not just a highlighting of love—there is a highlighting of His supernatural power. It is not that power is greater than love, it is that power proves the greatness of the love. His love testifies of His power and His power testifies of His love. Even as the King and His Kingdom are inseparable so too His love and His power are inseparable. Theoretic love devoid of supernatural presence or power is just easily reproducible by even deceivers. It is why Jesus said, “Wait for power”. That establishes the credibility of the love being exhibited. It is not about forgoing being loving. The disciples had already learned that foundation—but it was just a foundation. Now they needed the inherent supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to be upon them.

DEFINITION OF DUNAMIS POWER

The Greek word used for power is DUNAMIS and it is defined as “ strength, power, ability, inherent power-- by virtue, the power, and influence that belongs to riches and wealth, resources and numbers that arise from power”. As you see it is a loaded word that encompasses riches and resources as well. In Acts 2:22 when Peter stood up to explain what all was happening with this outpouring of power, he said, “Jesus- approved of God among you by DUNAMIS.” Acts 2:43 tells of the apostles performing MANY demonstrations of POWER that gave them the seal of credibility. We hear way too many warnings today of “lying signs and wonders” as if that is some kind of high priority, when our present reality is almost NO signs and wonders.

A massive religious spirit is operational in “mainstream Christianity” suffocating ANY signs and wonders and demonstrations of power as “lying”. I don’t think anyone who has NEVER operated in the supernatural has ANY right to warn of “lying signs and wonders”. Let that be the new standard. If you are warning of the false- you better be able to demonstrate the real. If not at minimum be able to point to someone that you believe exhibits the real as some kind of proof you aren’t just a supernatural power of God denier.

POWER TO BE WITNESSES

The word WITNESSES is very relevant for this year 2020. The POWER is to be WITNESSES. A witness is one who both SEES and SAYS. 2020 is associated with both as well. The Hebraic year we are in, 5780, is about the mouth, breath, and speaking. 2020 is about seeing. It takes Holy Spirit POWER to both see and say. More than that it is about supernatural SEEING and supernatural SAYING. The first is about dreams, visions, and revelations. It is Caleb “grapes” seeing versus ten spies “giants” seeing. The second is about prophesying and decreeing. This Pentecost of 2020 is about a line being drawn in the sand that we never retreat from as to supernatural seeing and saying. It is a game-changer, nation-rattling anointing of power. JERUSALEM, JUDAEA, SAMARIA AND THE UTTERMOST PARTS The witnessing power is for Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. JERUSALEM (“double peace and wellbeing”) represents your local city. JUDAEA (“He shall be praised”), represents your spiritual community/local church expression. SAMARIA, (“watch mountain" and “guardianship”), represents the seven mountains of influence—media, education, government, arts/entertainment, religion, economy, and family, where we must now watch and guard from. We are the Light of the world. UTTERMOST PARTS (“farthest or lowest”) represents the lowest, the last, the least, and the farthest. The kingdom encompasses all of these as it is both the answer for the micro and the macro. It is the POWER for the top of the mountains of influence and it is the POWER for the "least of these".

PROPHECY, VISIONS, AND DREAMS

Peter stands up in Acts 2:14 and on, to explain what has transpired with the “tongues of fire” that came on everyone. “Sons and daughters will prophesy”, “young men will see visions”, “old men will dream dreams”, "male and female servants or underclass will prophesy”. From the “tongues of fire” and on—everything, about that first Pentecost related to “seeing and saying” supernaturally. This 2020 we get a great Pentecost wave to totally upgrade our relatively pitiful seeing and saying. A tsunami of power is coming - because no generation since the Acts 2 generation has needed it more. We face the biggest challenges with the greatest promises of rewards. The Holy Spirit is about to baptize us for this new kingdom era. WAIT FOR IT Isaiah 40:31 “But they that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their STRENGTH; they shall mount up with wings as the eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” Even in the Old Testament “waiting” preceded “power/strength”.

In this 2020 historical reset of the world, there has been a lot of waiting. Any time beginning Thursday evening, May 28, and through Pentecost Sunday, May 31, we can expect a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind that brings us the greatest baptism in the Holy Spirit since Acts 2. As in Acts 2, not everyone gets initially baptized-- but those who WAIT in an “upper room” posture. This is an intentional posture of expectancy and demand from your spirit on the Holy Spirit to be being visited afresh—and like never before. It is not a boring, passive waiting. Think of a restaurant waiter and his posture—he waits attentively for orders. He is not distracted by any other thing. His focus is singular. This is how we are to wait on the Lord, how we are to wait on the Holy Spirit. “Upper room” settings of being together in prayer, worship, or silence are going to be invaded. It can happen geographically together or it can happen by being together on social media.

POWER FOR NATIONS

The assignment of discipling nations that is before us cannot be accomplished without a fresh outpouring of power. Good plans are not enough. Good finances are not enough. Good unity is not even enough. As in the original Pentecost- we must wait for the supernatural empowering by the Holy Spirit to be seers and sayers (witnesses) of His kingdom on earth. Miracles are about to be commonplace. New kinds of miracles. Miracles that repair and restore society. Miracles that restore mountains. Miracles that place nations back on their destiny track. Of course, love always remains priority-- but the days of powerless “love” are about to be over. When the love of God crashes in- power comes with it. A tsunami wave of revelation is incoming. A tsunami wave of economic empowering is incoming. It is all going to be power of the Holy Spirit generated. Wait for it, Wait for it- in an attentive, undistracted, must have it-- posture. If Jesus' personal disciples needed it- you can be sure you do as well. The most important Pentecost since Acts 2 is about to be upon us.