WHY PENTECOST?
I have a question for you.
On Pentecost (this year on May 31st, 2020) when the Jews from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks and they heard the violent wind and then they heard their languages spoken,
WHAT EXACTLY DID THEY HEAR THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO THEM IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES?
Do you remember?
ACTS 2:11 describes the scene- “We hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!”
I want to ask YOU to recount all the things God has done in your life. What happened that day at Pentecost? A great harvest of souls!
Yes! Pentecost, the Jewish 1st harvest celebration (Festival of Weeks when they celebrated the barley harvest), was the day the early church was birthed.
Jesus was crucified on Passover, was resurrected on the Feast of First Fruits and 50 Days later the Holy Spirit was sent to those who were praying and waiting in the Upper Room. Pentecost means “fiftieth.” The number fifty is significant Biblically.
50- the Number of FREEDOM
“The number 50 is used symbolically to represent liberty, freedom and deliverance. This is seen in the face that every 50th year (or 7 X 7-49 +1=50) in Israel was called the year of Jubilee. It was a year of release, of liberty and freedom. Slaves were set free, debts were cancelled, families were reunited and liberty was proclaimed throughout the land by teh sound of the Jubilee trumpets (Leviticus 25:8-17). Priests also served in teh Tabernacle of the Lord from 25 or 30 years until the age of 50 years, then they were at liberty to cease from such service (Numbers 4:1-3, 8:23-26).
For the nation of Israel, the Feast of Pentecost on the 50th day after their deliverance from Egypt was a celebration of liberty from the house of bondage. They were free slaves, now at liberty to serve the true God, the Lord their redeemer.
For the New Testament believers, the Day of Pentecost meant liberty and freedom from Old Covenant bondages of ceremonialism of the Law. It meant freedom in the liberty wherewith Christ had set them free. It meant that they were at liberty to serve the Lord, not in the oldness of the lettter but in newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:1-6).”
The Feasts of Israel by Kevin J. Conner
Pentecost 2020, this year, is to be a celebration of a great harvest of souls into the Kingdom as WE SHARE WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES and how we have been set free from the bondages of sin and Satan by the power of the Holy Spirit.
HOW CAN THIS BE, since we’re quarantined and observing social isolation measures? Simple!
Call to Action, Church- GO FISHING
A verse had come alive to me in January for 2020; Matthew 13:47
“Once again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a
net that was let down into the lake
and caught all kinds of fish.”
I pondered what it meant.
Then, it hit me about a week ago or so how funny God is. The net is the internet. God wants us to share over the internet this PENTECOST his deeds in our lives to see a great harvest of souls this year.
Many prophetic voices were emphasizing Passover and the Angel of Death passover over us, or rather the COVID-19 pandemic. But I believe what God is really doing is setting us up for a massive harvest of souls at Pentecost 2020.
We’re calling it #testifynow.
How will this work?
Using Acts 2 and the story of Pentecost as our guide, we’re asking you to participate in this challenge with us, so we can spread the good deeds of God across this globe by;
- Praying in the upper room and waiting on God and interceding
- Recount what God has done in your life. Write it down. Practice speaking it out. I have written an article HERE to help guide you in the process. Get the story down to 5 min or less. This will be a challenge.
- Just like Holy Spirit exclaimed through the early church believers, boldly share the deeds of God in your life!
- And explain the gospel message as Peter did over social media, in email, telephone calls, on YouTube, Vimeo, podcasts, whatever. Be ready to explain how exactly they can have a personal relationship with God. The gospel message is very simple, so don’t worry too much. Peter said “Repent each one of your and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit.
- Realize and accept that not everyone will understand or like your message. People thought the 120 who were speaking in other languages were drunk with new wine! How did Peter reacted? He brushed off the mockery and just didn’t let it hinder his boldness. Others will respond with a “What must we do?” like in the Acts 2 account. How many of those who were mocking do think accepted Yeshua as Messiah that day? We don’t know, but I think there were some!
- That day 3000 people were added to the church!
A vision this large will be given to believers all over the world! Sure enough, other ministries are urging Christians to share their faith on the internet. You can research initiatives like GO2020 (the vision is to reach 1 billion people with the Gospel in May, 2020 by each believer sharing with 5 people, see https://www.go2020.world/en), #bestdayofmylife, #hopebeyondfear, #praycareshare. GODTV now has a page to share you testimony online- https://hope.god.tv/givehope/. It is no coincidence that May 2020 is the month of evangelism because, again, Penteocost is a HARVEST CELEBRATION.
Please read Acts 2 and take note that in Peter’s sermon, he quotes Joel. What was the setting for the quote from Joel2? A massive plague! It was a plague of locusts followed by fire, the worst plague since the time of the original plagues in Egypt. Joel says it signals that the day of the Lord is near.
Joel 2:28-29 says
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
You sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days.”
So join us by taking the #tesifynow. Post your testimony on social media by Pentecost, May 31st. Spread the word.
Feel to take this hashtag and brand it for your church, ministry or social media platform. This isn’t about bringing glory to any person, but God. We only ask that you stick to the hashtag #testifynow.
Just as the world heard a violent wind which caught the attention of a whole city in Acts 2, let’s create a sound on the earth today with the sound of our stories being boldly told by ordinary people like you and me!
Think of a little spark that falls on tinder, begins burning and the kindling become orange-red flames. The flame becomes a fire which spreads quickly. Each of our testimonies is like a little spark but together, just at the flames of Pentecost, they will set the world ablaze with redemptive story of Jesus and the good news of salvation!
Church, let’s prepare for the harvest.
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