Gathering them together, He [Jesus] commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”Acts 1:4-5
- He reveals Himself to us. God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the garden.
- We accept His free gift of salvation. All who who receive the Holy Spirit will be forgiven.
- He gives us guidance. Noah found favor from the Lord, and God told him to build an ark.
The Christian walk is strewn with brightly colored jewels and nuggets waiting to be polished, promises. Our eyes may not be trained to look for the jewels, and the emeralds may blend in with the green grass while the rubies appear to be roses.
Step 1: Study the Bible
It’s the same with God’s promises. The Word of God reveals the promises that He has for us. The Christian is called to meditate on the Word of God, as Joshua was commanded. We need to understand the context of the promises as well as the recipients. Steeped in prayer, we wait upon the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s promises to us.
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13
The Bible reveals how God’s people recognized the promises set before them. God gave Eve the promise of a Savior, Abraham the promise of a land and descendants, and Christians the promise of a new heaven and new earth.
Many promises lie within the Bible, and they wait upon God’s followers to discover and cherish.
Step 2: Wait on the Promise
Waiting is active, not passive; it’s hopeful expectation.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples waited in the Upper Room. They weren’t just sitting and wondering when the Holy Spirit would come. They devoted themselves to prayer; they chose Matthias as the twelfth disciple to replace Judas, and they expected the Holy Spirit to come upon them and give them power in God’s perfect timing.
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:25
Notice, the person seeks God as he waits for the Lord.
Throughout the Bible, followers of God waited upon Him to act.
- Joshua and his warriors walked around the walls of Jericho for seven days. They stared at the problem, the walls and the soldiers watching them from atop the walls. They walked in silence and waited upon the Lord. The seventh time around the walls on the seventh day, God acted, and the walls tumbled down.
- Joseph waited upon the Lord in the pit, in Potiphar’s house, in the prison, and in the palace. God brought Joseph’s family to him and saved a country, in His time.
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