#NEWPENTECOST

(17) “In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. (18) Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.(19) I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. (20)The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. (21) And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:17-21, BSB)

Jesus our Paschal Lamb was slain for the sins of the world. After His resurrection for about 40 days there were confirmed reports of Him being seen in many places around Jerusalem. “After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:4-5, BSB). (Jesus’ sightings are further recorded in Mark 16 9-11, Matthew 24:4-8, Luke 24:13-35) The buzz of excitement amongst His followers would have been electric, no doubt pervading the heightened post-resurrection atmosphere. On the Emmaus road, two disciples discoursed about the unfolding rapturous events occurring in Jerusalem that our Lord had risen from the dead. Jesus’ self-revelation as He drew near them caused them to later exclaim, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us’, as the hope of His resurrecting power rose in their yet anxiously troubled hearts. (Luke 24:32).

On one of those eye witness appearances, Jesus told His faithful disciples to remain in Jerusalem and await the promise of the Father. “And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. (Acts 1:4). It was promised that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth would come from above and settle upon them. (Luke 24:49). The disciples earnestly kept faith as they prayed in the Upper Room, anticipating the miraculous occurrence of the Spirit coming upon them, as instructed by their Lord. (Acts 1:12-13). The Pentecost phenomena would happen at a ‘kairos’ moment when God’s eternal calendar met with earth’s calendar. God’s timing of the prophecy spoken by Joel, some 800 years early was now imminent to come into timely fulfilment. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost would be a significant prophetic juncture, marking the cessation of the Old Mosaic Order that was weak in that it could not keep the Israelites from sinning. The power released under the New Covenant of Jesus superseded that which served as a signpost to Him.

The yearly Feast of Unleavened Bread would therefore bring the many visiting religious Jews into witnessing the first outpouring of the New Pentecost experience. These scholars of the Rabbinical law would have known about the prophet Joel’s word, written in the Torah. However, as regular festival worshippers, since Israel was delivered out of Egypt, they would most certainly not have connected the prophecy of Joel with the unfolding events. Observance of this New Pentecost outpouring was intentional. It was intended as a Testimony of Jesus to persuade those who had travelled into Jerusalem for the annual festive season.

Annually, Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost would be teeming with many Jews. These are religiously devout men who would converge in this central location from different nations. It was therefore no coincidence that they should be present in Jerusalem to have first-hand experience, witnessing the Pentecost occurrence under the New Covenant of our Lord. When the Spirit came down on the believers I believe they would lave left the Upper Room chamber, under a compelling urge moving out into the cobbled dusty streets to proclaim the Testimony of Jesus. Under the influence of the ‘dunamis’ power they spoke in the diverse languages of the visiting Jewish Rabbis. These learnt men were amazed that these humble Galileans were speaking in their respective native tongue. It was a phenomenal outpouring of power and empowerment to spread the Good News to the unbelieving world outside of Jerusalem. (Acts 2:1-47)

The disciples were speaking in the native tongues of the visiting rabbis to bring edification. They were prophesying, a Spirit-urged narrative to bring exhortation and understanding to those unbelievers captivated by the spiritual phenomena. The disciples, ordinary folks would be empowered, authorised with the infilling power of the Holy Spirit to boldly bear witness of the Testimony of Jesus, the Risen Lord. The Testimony of Jesus would always arouse fear and disdain for truth in the corrupt hearts of fallen men. The spirit against the Testimony of Jesus seeks to muzzle the servants commissioned and empowered to speak what the Spirit is revealing. The mantle upon them will always be releasing, healing, delivering and restoring bringing broken lives back to wholeness. The Word that comes under attack is the word that can break the resisting and oppressive works of the adversary. The audacious rebellious spirits against the release of the healing Word are ancient scornful divergent forces intent on moving vulnerable souls out of God’s will. But, those empowered with the Pentecost power will declare the Testimony of Jesus under a forceful uncompromising mantle of grace. It was this Pentecost power that infused the apostles as they eventually left Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets to evangelise the Gentile nations after Jesus’ glorious departure from the earth. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!” (Matthews 23:37, BSB)

The disbelief of the Jews and their refusal of Jesus’ Reconciliation Ministry would serve to disperse and scatter the apostles in the Gentile nations. (4) “Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike. “ (5) And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. (6) But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:4-6, BSB). Clearly, at every opportunity the eager religious leaders sought to put a stop to the spreading of the Word. It was Gamaliel, a well respected authority within the Sanhedrian Council who cited the historical outcomes of those who proceeded to kill God’s servants for preaching the Testimony of Truth. Gamaliel’s word of caution and wisdom staved off the destruction of Paul and Silas as the Pharisees sought to kill them. “At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.” (Acts 5:40, BSB). Paul and Silas on their missionary journeys, passing through Greece visited Thessalonica, and as was customary they entered the synagogue to discourse the Word, the Testimony of Jesus. “Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.” (Acts 17:4. BSB).

Clearly the Word is forceful to ejaculate into the receptive hearts of men. For the role of the Spirit is to woo men into an intimate and loving relationship with the Lord Jesus. The Spirit moves over the face of our inner spiritual deep to prepare the heart for the Word. The Spirit and the Word are one to give new spiritual life. Hence why the Word is sometimes referred to as the ‘spermatic’ Word. “The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63), BSB)

A #NEWPENTECOST

The time is set for a repeat of that phenomenal occurrence that took place about 1,992 years ago. The watching world will be seeing what is reminiscent of Jerusalem at that momentous time of Jesus’ departure to heaven. In the ascension of our Lord, the Holy Spirit would descend upon His disciples in the most intimately convincing manner. The internet has made it possible that we can witness this end time phenomenal outpouring just as the visiting Jews observed in those early days in Jerusalem. Whatever God will do now will reach into earnestly seeking, longing hearts. It will be awesome and fearful. “Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.” (Zechariah 2:13)

It was in 2015 whilst under a strong prophetic anointing to write that I was Spirit-urged that a New Pentecost was coming to the world. In 2020 after Pentecost/Shavuot I began to witness the prophetic mantle beginning to align things to a New Pentecost season. This year 2021, I truly believe we will see the fulness of that word given in 2015 taking place. Since going through this awesome timely and compelling prophetic journey, I have observed over a few years that God always gives me new instructions during Passover week through to Pentecost /Shavuot, This year 2021 will be no exception. I await my new instructions as we approach Holy Week.

GWENDOLYN SMITH #NEWPENTECOST. 21st FEBRUARY 2021