Waiting on the Lord

Jesus told his disciples to wait for the promise of the Father which was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all believers, men and women, old and young. As promised, the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus is now in and with all Christians - each of us the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Their waiting meant they were all together constantly in prayer.

I want to know the Spirit of Jesus working in and through me and to me waiting on the Spirit means starting with prayer, with worship, with loving Jesus. How gracious is our Lord. He is the King of Kings yet knows and loves even me. He wants my fellowship. He wants my presence with him and he with me. How real is the thrill and the reality of his presence.  He tells me he loves me and will give me his Spirit - and he never lies, never fails.  Because Jesus made these promises they are true. As my mind and heart know and love him more I become aware of the reality of his presence. It is real! It is true! Jesus lives!

And as I love him more in worship, waiting in this way, I cannot help but confess my sin and repent, once again receiving blessed, fresh and refreshing waves of forgiveness. I am free!, I am safe, I am in the arms of Jesus! I am overwhelmed with peace and joy and tell him of my love for him.  I pray in the Spirit.  

This is a wonderful way to wait on the Spirit!

As I pray in tongues I want to know more. What are you telling me, Lord? What are we praying? What and whom are we praying for? Thank you, Lord for the prayers you pray.

There have been times then when the Lord is good enough to bring particular people to my mind and prayers and I am deeply, perhaps desperately in prayer for them.

O, Lord you have been so good to me, so precious and real to me. Love this one even more! Bless them! If Jesus the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! Set this beloved one free, Lord Jesus, as you have done for me! I pray more, now believing that my prayers are not only being heard but that Jesus has the answer in progress.

There have been times when I am convinced that there is some encouragement I should share with the person in my prayers.  But are these my thoughts or are they really the thoughts of the Holy Spirit?  Is it true that “I, however, am not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if (as Jesus said) the Spirit of God lives in me”? (Romans 8:9)

I pray more and wait for some confidence and guidance about sharing what I have prayed.

Waiting on the Holy Spirit seems inevitably to mean prayer and worship above all and, importantly, with a sense of expectation! It is not a time of thumb twiddling, unproductive musing. There are things to do! Things to happen. Love to experience!

In fact it seems to go on as I go about the normal with that wonderful sense of expectation and presence if not concentration and with distractions! Jesus is with me, never leaves me, loves me and is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.