Acts 1:1-5 – “I wrote the former account, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach ² until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  ³ To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs.  He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.  ⁴ While he was with them, he declared, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.  ⁵ For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 As I prayed, read, and meditated on the Word of God today, a singular thought kept reverberating in my head—First!   First?   What could that mean?  In our chaotic and troubled times, people are searching for answers and trying to make sense of the senseless.

The world is sinking deeper into confusion and corruption.  Believers are often confused and distracted, missing the most important: The First.

In Acts 1, God provides help in directing our focus.   The disciples were in Jerusalem, following Jesus’ directive.   They were waiting for the Promise of the Father.   Jesus said, “Go, stay, wait UNTIL…”   They likely did not know what being baptized in the Holy Spirit meant or how it would impact their lives, but they knew Jesus said it was essential.   They had the knowledge (through the Torah and 3.5 years with Jesus) but were still inadequately prepared for their mission.

They were waiting (something we find almost impossible to do).  Jesus said, “But you will receive power (Dunamis) when (or after) the Holy Spirit has come upon you (immersed you), AND you will be my witnesses…”   That was their directive – Do nothing until you are baptized in or with the Holy Spirit.

The disciples were asking the governmental questions about the kingdom.   The church today is consumed with eschatology and signs of the end.   Listen to what Jesus said in answer to their question, “You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father set by His own authority.  BUT you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (v.7)

We err if we focus on when He is coming back rather than our mission!  We have a mission (go to the world, occupy until), and we have the power to perform that mission IF or WHEN we receive the Promise of the Father.   We are not equipped for the assignment until we are baptized in the Holy Spirit (immersed into Him, saturated).

Being saturated and immersed is the key.   It is not a matter of not having had an experience; it is being continuously saturated.  At that point, the mission becomes more important than some revelation about when He is coming back.  He is, and that will take care of itself.   What we do until then is to be our focus.

We need to tarry, wait, seek, yearn for, and long to be FILLED, Saturated With the Holy Spirit so that we can be and do what we have been commissioned to do.  The mission is the gospel to the world.

I pray your day will be saturated with the presence of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit will overflow in your heart and life!