Series Overview

SPEAKER B Welcome to you shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock. Today I am with Colin, hone. Colin is the international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the prayer coordinator for the North New South Wales Conference of 7th day Adventists in Australia. Welcome Colin, nice to have you here. SPEAKER C It's great to be here. SPEAKER B Now, I understand you're also the owner of a financial planning business on the central coast of New South Wales and married with five children. So that will keep you very busy. Today we will be looking at starting a program called 50 Days of Prayer and Devotionals to prepare for the latter reign and Christ return. And it's based on the book by Pastor Dennis Smith. The programs that we will be doing will be aligning with the daily devotionals. But just before we start, let's just bow our heads for a word of prayer. Gracious Father in heaven, you tell us in Acts chapter one, verse eight, that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. And through these devotionals, Father, we will be praying and petitioning you. We'll believe the words that you said that we should ask, and you are more willing to give the Holy Spirit to us than a father is to give good gifts to their children. And Father, with this thought in mind, with the confidence in you, we pray that you will build our faith, that you'll increase our strength, and especially that you will actually fill us with your Holy Spirit. To prepare for that time to spread the gospel and to be a witness to you all around the world is our prayer in Jesus name. Amen. Well, Colin, maybe you can take us through what this book is about and how these devotionals will work for us. Yes. SPEAKER C Well, the second coming of Christ has been the hope of Christians for centuries. And the Apostle Paul wrote, looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Titus, chapter two, verse 13. Today, most Christians believe that Christ's return is imminent. Jesus in the Bible gives us many signs or events that would happen just before Jesus returns. So students of God's word see those signs taking place in the world today. In the book of Matthew, chapter 24 and Luke 21 and Mark 13, jesus outlines all these signs that will be happening in the world just before he returns. And we can see these signs happening in the world today. SPEAKER B Yes, absolutely. Now, if I look at Matthew 24, for example, jesus spoke about what the signs will be just before he's coming. It talks about wars and rumors of wars there in verse six. And think in verse seven, he talks about nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There'd be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places, but these are only but the beginning of sorrows. And that talks about tribulations and it's talking about the love of many, growing cold. These signs are very prominent nowadays, aren't they, Colin? SPEAKER C Well, as you look around the world, you can see even with climate change, you can see that there's more earthquakes, they're getting more intense, there's more floods, there's more famines, there's more droughts, the amount of hunger in the world, we have so many problems having the world and it just seems like it's accelerating. And Jesus said these things will happen before he returns. And so that's why most Christian scholars believe that we are living in those times today. SPEAKER B Yes, and I think it's very important because I think once we get to about verse 13 of Matthew, chapter 24, it says there that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached as a witness to all nations and then the end will come. But obviously, if you tie that back to our program title, you shall Receive Power, they could not be an effective witness for Christ until they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So how important is it for us then that if we are going to take the gospel message to the world, that we are filled with the Holy Spirit also to receive power, to be effective witnesses, to proclaim the message of Christ soon return and to prepare the world for Jesus coming? SPEAKER C Well, Jesus said in Acts, chapter one, verse eight, that you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, right? And you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and until the utmost parts of the earth. So Jesus is saying, until you receive power, you cannot go to the world. And so we need to have the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the mission of taking the everlasting gospel to the world. Jesus also gave a serious warning, even professed Christians. He said in the book Matthew, chapter seven, verse 21 to 23, he says, not everyone that says unto me, lord, Lord, shall enter in the kingdom of heaven. But he that does the will of my Father, which is in heaven, he says, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? In thy name have we cast out devils, in thy name, done many wonderful works, and then I will profess unto them, I never knew you depart from me, ye that work iniquity these are. SPEAKER B Very powerful texts, aren't they? They do arrest your attention because we're not talking about people who are unbelievers here. These are people who called Jesus Lord and in his name worked miracles, cast our devils and prophesied. So that's really a text that all of us as Christians need to take to heart to make sure that we are not deceived. And it's interesting in Matthew 24, again, just coming back to that, Jesus mentioned four times through that sermon that he presents to his disciples do not be deceived. Make sure that no one deceives you. It seems like deception will be a common thing at the end time. So we need the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of truth, to guide and lead us into all truth. SPEAKER C That's right. And the Bible text, as you look at it, says, I never knew you. So it's like there's professing Christians who might be doing lots of works, but they don't know Jesus. Wow. SPEAKER B How is that possible? SPEAKER C Yeah, it's amazing. SPEAKER B We should unpack that at some stage, hopefully when we get a little bit of time to do that. SPEAKER C And also Paul warns us of the perils of the last days. In Two Timothy, chapter three, verse five, he says the apostle Paul warns he says this Know also that in the last days, perilous time shall come. In Two Timothy, chapter three, verse one, he goes on to warn that many will have a form of Godliness, but will be denying the power. And he says from that such turn away. So people were having a form of Godliness? SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C But they were denied the power where Godliness comes from which it comes from God himself. SPEAKER B That's right. Well, Jesus said there in Matthew sorry. In Acts chapter one, verse eight, you shall receive power. So it must be that they do not have the Holy Spirit. That form of Godliness must be a type of formalism or a tradition that they may keep, but they don't have the Holy Spirit. So therefore they only have the form but not the power. SPEAKER C That's right. And straight after Matthew, chapter 24, jesus gives three parables about what it will be like in the last days. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C After he gives in Matthew 24 all the signs of the last days, he then tells us this is what it'll be like. In one of the parallel, he talks about the ten Virgins. SPEAKER B That's correct. SPEAKER C Five foolish and the five wise. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And we're going to unpack that later in one of our devotionals. We're going to get more in depth into that. But the basic problem was with the foolish virgins is they didn't have enough oil, which represents the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And he says to them as well, I don't know you. So he connects being filled with the Holy Spirit as knowing Jesus. So we need to take these things seriously. Also, every Christian must take Jesus and Paul's warning seriously. So simply professing to be a Christian will not prepare one for Christ's return. In the last days, Jesus himself gave us an important key to being ready when he prayed in John 17, verse three, he says, and this is a life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. You see, knowing Jesus and having an intimate relation with Jesus Christ is the only way to have eternal life and be ready for his return. We need to know jesus and have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. SPEAKER B It's interesting that Jesus actually gives a definition. So if you want to have eternal life, the formula is quite simple. You need to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B And how's christ. How? How are we to know Christ? Are we coming to that? SPEAKER C We are. And that's the purpose of this 50 days devotional, and it's written for all Christians of all faiths, is to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and be ready for his return. SPEAKER B Amen. SPEAKER C So what we need to do is take time to have a daily devotional with the Lord through His Word and prayer. And this is essential for one's spiritual growth and to be ready for Christ's return. SPEAKER B So those are the two aspects. Obviously the Word of God plays a pivotal role and then prayer is obviously the other part of it. Those are the two key aspects to receiving the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Absolutely. SPEAKER B Prepare for Jesus coming. SPEAKER C If you get to know someone, you've got to spend time with someone. Sure, you're married and I'm married, and so we need to spend time with our wives. That's how we build an intimate relationships, by spending time with the person that we love. SPEAKER B So the Word of God will speak to our hearts and our minds and we will speak back to God through prayer. And at times God will obviously speak through the promptings of the Holy Spirit as well and impress certain elements of the Word of God to us. Beautiful. SPEAKER C Love that colin So taking time to have a daily devotion with the Lord through His Word and prayer is essential for one's spiritual growth and to be ready for Christ's return. So example the Apostle Paul wrote in Timothy, but continue thou on the things which thou hast learned and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise until salvation through faith, which is in Jesus Christ. So here Paul is telling Timothy that through the Scriptures that will make you wise until salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. SPEAKER B I'm just wondering if we just pause there for a moment, Colin, because there are some people that will underemphasize the Scriptures and overemphasize the Holy Spirit. How do you see the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures working together? SPEAKER C Well, we're going to get into that more, especially in John chapter 16. And as you study the Word of God and you look everything about the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will never contradict the Word of God, right? That'd be like the Holy Spirit or this Jesus contradicting his father. Everything Jesus said was what his father would have said. Like Jesus said, he says, you've seen me, you've seen the Father. The words I speak are not of my own words, but from the Father. So Jesus spoke the words of the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus and the Father will all speak from the same right. SPEAKER B Okay, that makes sense. There'll be harmony and unity. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B Okay. So in regards to the Scriptures, I think there's that text there in two Timothy, chapter three, and verse 16, which is the next one after you read, that will make us wise unto salvation which says, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. So Paul here emphasizes the importance of the Scripture as well for all those elements of our, I guess our Christian walk. SPEAKER C Exactly. So understanding God's word is essential for the Christian to be instructed in the way and the will of God in order to live a Godly life. So the disciple John also tells us that our prosperity and health are closely linked to our soul prosperity. You're reading that in third John, chapter two. SPEAKER B I've got that. Here, Colin. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth. SPEAKER C Isn't that a wonderful text? God wants us great text. God wants us to be healthy and to prosper. And he goes on to see one's relation with God is conditional on taking time with God every day. When one's relation with God is strong, the joy in the Lord will be experienced, which will enable enduring faith through the challenges and trials of life while maintaining peace in the heart. We have a lot of problems in life and there's a lot of obstacles and problems in life. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C But the promise in God's word is that we can have peace through all the storms in our life. SPEAKER B Yeah, the joy of the Lord is important, isn't it? And that's one of the fruits of the Spirit love, I think. Then joy is the second one. And that reminds me of text there in Romans where it says that the kingdom of God is not in fruit and drink, but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. So very important part because if we have joy in our hearts, regardless of what we go through, that joy in the presence of God carries us through that's right. SPEAKER C In Nehemiah, chapter eight, verse ten, it says, the joy of the Lord is your strength, beautiful. And also in Isaiah, chapter 26, verse three, it says, thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee. So the secret is trusting in God and being in a relationship with God. And through that you'll have perfect peace. SPEAKER B And it does take trust and confidence, doesn't it, to make yourself vulnerable if you were to make a surrender to God or you expose every aspect of your life. Not that God doesn't know. He knows us very well, of course. But to make that complete surrender, you need that complete trust, to trust God in every aspect, to lead you, to guide you, to direct your paths. Wonderful promise. SPEAKER C And also Philippians, chapter four, verse six and seven, it says, be careful for nothing. In other words, it says, don't worry about anything. Yes, but in everything, by prayer and supplication there it is again. By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. SPEAKER B And how often do we need that peace? When you're in the hustle and bustle and it gets really busy, that the peace of God that passes understanding is actually able to keep our hearts and our minds. And this happens through Christ. SPEAKER C And it's very easy for even a Christian to let the cares of the life intrude into one's daily devotional time with God. SPEAKER B Tell me about it. SPEAKER C There's so many distractions today with computers and Internet and Facebook and Instagram, and you've got work and technology, there's so many things and television, and now you have Fox and all these television and movies streamlined. You have so you have so many things vying for your attention and there always seems to be so much to do. The proverbial rat race gets most everyone caught in its snare. So many Christians are either too busy or too tired to take the time they know they should in order to have the close relation with God they desire. So the goal of this 50 day devotional is to help the Christian break that cycle. SPEAKER B Amen. Yeah. So you shall receive power. That's the goal of that as well, to break that cycle, to get us to have our priorities set in order that Christ will be first and he will be the one that we want to have a close, intimate relationship with, that he will be in us and be our hope of glory. SPEAKER C Exactly. I remember as a Christian, my first twelve years as a Christian, I was very lukewarm. I didn't spend much time in God's word or in prayer. It was very intermittent on a needs basis. When you saw the need and the needs. Exactly. When I saw the so when I then committed to spending a daily time with Jesus in prayer and in a devotional and in God's Word, especially when I spent that time and started praying and asking for the promise of the Holy Spirit, everything changed. When I spent that time, all the promise of God started happening in my life. And we're going to look at that. SPEAKER B Wonderful. So we're all on a journey here together. We all want more of the Holy Spirit, we all want to be closer to the Lord. So not only for the listeners out there, but also for us who are presenting the programs and going through the book, it'll be a wonderful opportunity for growth and connection with God in a deeper sense than we've ever experienced in the past. SPEAKER C So what we're going to do now is we're going to focus on what's called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And many of us come with presuppositions, what that means, yes, from our experience and from watching others and seeing other things, but we want to really look and focus on the baptism Holy Spirit that Jesus was speaking about after his resurrection. So after his resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples teaching them, and he told them that they were to wait in prayer to receive the baptism Holy Spirit before they went forth to proclaim the Gospel to the world. So they prayed for ten days for the fulfillment of Jesus promise. SPEAKER B Shows the importance of prayer. SPEAKER C Exactly. They spent ten days in prayer and those 50 days brought about an amazing changes in disciples lives and ministering. And you can read that in the Book of Acts, chapter one, verse four to five and to eight. SPEAKER B Right, I have it here, Colin. And verse four of Acts chapter one says, and being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. Verse five. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. And then verse eight, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. SPEAKER C So isn't that amazing? Here's Jesus, he's just given them the Gospel commission. Go to the world with the good news of the Gospel, what Jesus has done for us, paying the penalty on the cross for our sins, to forgive our sins and also and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But then he says, here's your mission. But then he says, wait until you receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though they had just spent three and a half years with Jesus every day, though with Jesus for three and a half years and had seen and participated in the ministry of miracles, they were still not ready to witness for him. SPEAKER B So yeah, they have a three and a half year apprenticeship, which I don't know how long is apprenticeship taken? SPEAKER C What's, about three and a half years? SPEAKER B That's right. So they had a three and a half years apprenticeship with Jesus, but they needed more than that. So the skills that they saw, they saw the example of Christ, but they also needed the same power that Christ had. So without that power their witness would have been ineffective. SPEAKER C That's right. They were told to wait to receive the power in Acts chapter one, verse eight. And after they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit or the infilling of the Holy Spirit or anointing the Holy Spirit which took place on the day of Pentecost, they would be empowered as never before to witness for Christ. And you can read that in Acts chapter two, verse one to four. What was the result of them receiving that power? Now remember, they prayed for ten days. Ten days they spent in the upper room, the disciples and the women and all the disciples of Jesus. 120 of them spent in the upper room. And so what happened in Acts chapter two, verse one to four? SPEAKER B Right. Well, verse one says and when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place. So obviously the disharmony that disciples had before striving for the preeminence, wanting to sit at the left and the right, the arguments and infighting that seems to have all gone because of the prayer and surrendering themselves to the Lord. Then, verse two. And suddenly there came a sound of heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind. And it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues as of fire. And it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Wow, what an experience. That is quite dramatic, isn't it? So there was sound and there was also visual so they could hear that sound full of the house. And then the Holy Spirit was presented to them in tongues of fire and. SPEAKER C In other translation it uses in other tongues or languages. And as we read on we can see that the early disciples started preaching the Gospel and there was all people from different parts of the world who spoke different languages and it says they could understand the Gospel in their own language. SPEAKER B Incredible. Yeah. So if we look at what happened after the flood at the Tower of Babel, at the Tower of Babel, god confounded all the languages, they all spoke one language, the people were of one accord. And then for the sake of not having them congregate together and perform unrighteous acts to preserve a knowledge of God, god dispersed them through these different languages. But now for the sake of the Gospel some thousand plus years later, god now gives them a special ability and almost in a sense undoes what was done at the Tower of Babel so that everybody in their own language could hear the Gospel, receive the Gospel and also receive the Holy Spirit. So obviously that gift was very important for the proclamation of the words of truth. SPEAKER C Exactly. And what's amazing, peter then stands up because a lot of people thought they were drunk and started mocking them. And Peter stands up with eleven with his voice and he says to the men of Judea and all that dwell in Jerusalem, be known unto this, hearken to my words, for these are not drunken as you suppose seeing it's, but only the third hour of the day. I think it was like 09:00 in the morning. SPEAKER B Right. SPEAKER C But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. So Joel made this prophecy many hundreds of years before that. This is what would happen. And if you keep reading on in verse 17, and it should come to pass in the last day, said God, I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesize, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on My servants and on My handmade I will pour out in those days of My spirit, and thou shalt prophesize. And I'll show you wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood, fire and vapor and smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. So here's Peter telling him this prophecy of Joel is being fulfilled, and then he goes in and preaches his first sermon. An amazing sermon. SPEAKER B Incredible sermon. Yeah. The thing has always surprised me there is that it says that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. So God is not holding his spirit back from anybody. But the thing is, we got to prepare our hearts. When the farmer goes and plants the seed in the soil, there's normally a little bit of preparation that goes on in the land. So we, through prayer and through faith in the word of God, can also prepare ourselves to be vessels to receive the Holy Spirit, because we do believe know we are living in the times of the former rain, but we know that the refreshing of the Lord, the lateral rain, is to come as well. And when God says he will pour it on all flesh, the Holy Spirit may be falling around us, but if we're not spiritually in tune with God, we may although he's pouring it out on us, we may not be able to receive it. SPEAKER C And this baptism of the Holy Spirit that happened at Pentecost is called the early reign of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B It's called the early reign. Right. SPEAKER C And so the purpose of the early reign of the Holy Spirit, if you look at it, agriculture. So in agriculture in ancient Israel, what would happen is that you would prepare the soil, and the soil represents our hearts in a spiritual term. So you prepare the soil, you would then plant the seed, and the seed represents the Gospel. So you would plant the seed, and then the early rain would come and cause the seed to germinate and grow. SPEAKER B It start growing. Okay, that makes sense. SPEAKER C So causing it to grow would be like well, to be born again, the seed would germinate you're born again, but also the Holy Spirit would cause that plant to grow. And then just before the harvest, the latter rain would come and complete the crop prepared for the harvest. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C So the harvest represents when the angel Jesus sends the angels at the second coming, and so it's sending the harvest. So just before Jesus comes, the latter rain will be poured out to prepare. SPEAKER B The right, right, that makes sense. Look, I just recently I'm not a green thumb as such, but I just recently planted some lawn and I cheated a little bit. I took some roll on lawn, some buffalo lawn, and I prepared the place, dug out the old lawn, put the new lawn on, and the person who sold the lawn to me said, listen, you've got to water this every day, twice a day, especially when it's warm, three times a day, perhaps for the first 30 days. After that, you can treat it like you do your lawn. Anyway. So what I've done now for the first 30 days, I've religiously watered the lawn so that it could actually grow and settle and get the roots out. Now after that, I'm treating it like the rest of the lawn. I'm now relying on the rain to do the rest. So I can sort of relate to that early rain, latter rain scenario there. Yeah, very good. SPEAKER C And Jesus also used the parable, didn't he, of the sower went out to sow the seed, and he sowed the seed and it went on to stony ground and it went on to in thorns and all these different various wells. Sown and you saw the results of it, not the soil that wasn't prepared, that it didn't bear fruit. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And we'll unpack that parable because that. SPEAKER B But the good soil was the one that actually had the seed germinate and keep on growing. SPEAKER C And what happened, it bore much fruit. SPEAKER B Very important part of it, isn't it? SPEAKER C So we see that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is also called the infilling the Spirit, and it's so vital to our personal spiritual growth and our witness to others. And so this devotional section of this devotional is a vital truth. And you'll be encouraged to ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit every day in a prayer focus. We want to encourage those people who are listening to spend time in God's word, to spend time in prayer and ask for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This early reign of the Holy Spirit that Jesus says will change your character into the image of Jesus. In two Corinthians, chapter three, verse 18, it says that as we behold Jesus, we are changed into his image from glory to glory by the Holy Spirit. And so what God's word is saying here, or what Paul is saying is as we behold Jesus, as we spend time with Jesus. In his word and prayer, and we behold and spend time with Him that the Holy Spirit will change us from glory to glory. Now god's glory is his character. You know the story in Moses where Moses says, Show me your glory? That's right, that's right. In Exodus chapter, I think it's 31, we'll look that up, but he says, Show me your glory. And God says, yeah I'll show my glory in my name and his glory was he's merciful? He's good. SPEAKER B Yeah. Gracious, long suffering, abundant in mercy and truth. That's right. So he made all his goodness pass before Moses when he asked to see. SPEAKER C His glory, and he said his name as well. So his name is connected with his glory. And then straight after that, god gave Moses the Ten Commandments, which are transcript of God's character straight after that. And so as we spend more time with Jesus in His Word and in prayer, the Holy Spirit will transform us into the character of God from glory to glory, which means it's a process from glory, from one character to another. We're going to grow in this process just like a plant grows. SPEAKER B Like a plant? Yeah, I like that analogy of the plant, because a little plant, when it starts germinating and growing and it shoots out the little leaves, first of all, the maturity of that plant is very different to one that's been growing for two months or three months or more, but it is perfect at that little stage, isn't it? And so we know that the righteousness of Christ covers us while we continue to grow. And as we grow and mature, we become stronger and we can reflect the glory of God more fully. And that's a wonderful thing to think. As good as it was today with the Lord tomorrow and next week and next month, we can continue to grow and even be in a closer relationship with the Lord and reflect more and more of his glory. SPEAKER C So why the 50 days? This 50 day devotional is written to present the truce. The Bible said that the Christian must understand in order to avoid Satan's deceptions, to be ready to receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit and be ready for Christ's return. So why 50 days? Well, it was 50 days from the Passion weekend to Pentecost, right? SPEAKER B Yes. Okay. SPEAKER C And so world changing events took place during that short time. And as you study the biblical truths presented in this devotional for 50 days, god, I believe, will bring amazing changes in your life, which will prepare you to avoid Satan's deceptions and experience the latter rain to the fullest and be ready for Christ's soon return. SPEAKER B Amen. That's a wonderful promise to think that as we work through these devotionals, that we can actually have the Holy Spirit mature us and prepare us for Jesus coming. SPEAKER C And that's why we need a daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. We need a daily infilling of the Holy Spirit. Not only though to change our characters or transform us image of Jesus, but just like Jesus says to give us power to witness, we can't witness effectively if we don't have the power of the Holy Spirit. So in order to get the most spiritual benefit during these 50 days, devotional that we can do over 50 days, or you can do it over 50 weeks, you can meet together. It's recommended that you find a partner to share the reading every day and pray together. SPEAKER B So we recommend that for all our listeners as well that they can think of someone, whether it be person that's nearby that they can go and visit or if they're a little bit further away, maybe they can ring them up and make a phone call and talk to them on the phone. SPEAKER C Absolutely. There's so many different ways you can do this. You can do it in a small group and do it over 50 weeks. You can find a prayer partner and do it over 50 days. And we also want to encourage people out there also to prayerfully. Consider five people to pray for every day during the 50 days. So ask God, god, give me five people that I can pray for that don't know you, so that you can start praying for those people that God will send his Holy Spirit to start opening up their hearts so they will hear the gospel. SPEAKER B As I've been thinking about this program and just getting my mind around it and preparing for it, I've already started making contact with some people, some family members who aren't believers, some family members who used to be believers. They're all good people, but people I want to pray for, but I want to know, I want them to know that I'm praying for them. And then also I have sent some information through them saying, listen, what's important in your life at the moment? What would you like me to pray for? SPEAKER A Now? SPEAKER B I've got a cousin back in South Africa actually, who he is quite a prominent person in his church. It's a Sunday keeping church and he has just been appointed to the highest council within their church organization. And he's just given me a list. I sent a text through to him yesterday. I hadn't spoken to him for quite a few months and he came back within a matter of five minutes. These are all the things that requirement, these are the outreaches we're working on, these are the safety issues we're concerned about. And would you please play to give me wisdom and patience and guidance as I participate in this committee that he's been appointed to. SPEAKER C So that's right. So as we're praying for people, we want to also reach out to people and ask them what would you like prayer for? And to build a closer relationship with them. So during this 50 days you'll be having exciting personal journey with the Lord. And we want to develop and we want you out there to develop a closer relationship and fellowship with your devotional prayer partner or your small group that you do this with. You also find that those who are called and prayed for during those 40 days will greatly appreciate your sincere concern for them. So we want you to reach out to those people you're praying for and let them know, hey, we're praying for you. I'm praying for you. What is it you want me to pray for? Just like you're doing with your friend in South Africa. SPEAKER B Look, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens because those prayers will not be ineffective. God is going to hear and answer prayers, I have no doubt about it. So I'm looking forward to this journey of personal growth. I think it will be exciting and also looking forward to actually, as we work through these programs, reporting back on some of the answered prayers and the blessings that we've all received by going through this process. SPEAKER C Yeah, exactly. And also, a church can use the 50 days devotional for studies during their weekly prayer meetings. A lot of churches meet together weekly for prayer, so you can use them in your weekly prayer meeting. You could use the devotional in your small home groups, or you can use it for 50 consecutive morning and nightly revival meetings. You could even use it if you want to do revival in your churches. And I believe that every Christian pastor and church wants to see revival take place in their lives, church and community. SPEAKER B Sure. SPEAKER C I believe that. I mean, we really want to have a revival, and even we know in God's word, we know there will be a revival of true Godliness amongst God's people before Jesus returns. SPEAKER B That's true. That's right. SPEAKER C And so we want to encourage that. A well known revivalist. Reuben Tory of the late 18 hundreds and early 19 hundreds gave the following prescription for revival. He said there were three basic requirements for revival. Number one, he said, let a few Christians get thoroughly right with God. If this is not done, the rest will come to nothing. SPEAKER B Okay, that's very important. Look, that's my prayer for myself as well. Is there anything in my heart, anything that's separating me from the Lord? We pray that this program, as we work through it, will be able to thoroughly write with the Lord. SPEAKER C I believe it says in Psalms 139, search my heart, O God, right. To see if there's unclean in me. SPEAKER B Search me, see if there is any wicked way in me. That's right. SPEAKER C Search me out. I mean, that's a scary prayer, but I've been doing that. Search my heart, God, to see if there's anything wicked me. When you ask that prayer, you're giving permission for God to search your heart and to reveal to you through the Holy Spirit what are the things areas in your life that God wants to take care of and the Holy Spirit will reveal them. See, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. SPEAKER B Yes, it does. There might be some unknown chapters to ourselves in our psyche that we're not even aware of that may come out as a result of this. SPEAKER C I started doing this and I must admit it was a bit scary doing this because you're giving God permission to search your heart and reveal things in your life. And there's some things in our lives that we don't want to let go of. There's things in our life cherish sins that we love and enjoy. And so I've been praying for this lately and I've noticed and God uses mysterious ways to reach me, he uses my wife sometimes. SPEAKER B My wife is used quite often by the Lord as well, I can tell you. Yes. SPEAKER C Just know I was praying this and my wife came and sat down to me and said colin, I need to speak to you about something. And she was a bit worried, she thought I might react and I said no, please darling, just tell me. And she revealed something that she'd seen in my life that I wasn't even aware of. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C So I asked God to search my heart off heart, but I wasn't even aware that I had this problem and my wife pointed out it to me. And there's two ways I can do it, I can react and get all defensive or I can take it on board. And I went to the Lord in prayer and said, lord, I believe these things are true, please remove them from me. And so it brings you to a position of prayer to go to God and say, lord, forgive me for these things. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C So my wife reminded me of some things that she'd seen in me recently and that helped me to go to the Lord and humbly ask for forgiveness and to be aware of this more. SPEAKER B Yeah, I think that's in a very important aspect because I mean the Bible encouraged us to confess our sins and it says that God is faithful and just and he will forgive us our sins, but it doesn't just leave us there. It also says that he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So it's wonderful that God will forgive us. So the penalty of sin he takes care of, but then also the power of sin to continue to rule over us, he takes care of as well because he cleanses us from all unrighteousness. SPEAKER C It's a marvelous promise found in one John, chapter one, verse nine. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And the condition is there the word if. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C It does start with the word if is conditional. Just like in Two Chronicles, chapter seven I think it is, where he says if my people pray, I will heal them and take care of this. And here is Jesus saying if you confess your sins god is faithful to forgive your sins. God will do his part if we confess our sins. And not only that, he says, like you said, he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that's the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin, lead us to Jesus for forgiveness of sin, and then cleanse us from all unrighteous. A process of removing sin in our lives so that we can become more like Jesus. The second thing that Ruben Torrey says is number two, he says, let them bind themselves together to pray for revival until God opens the windows of heaven and comes down. So here he is recommending that God's people and people in churches come together and pray for revival and pray until God opens the windows of heaven and comes down. Just like Elijah. SPEAKER B Yes, I was just thinking about Elijah. He persisted and prayed, didn't he? But there's so many times when we read about Elijah praying, I'm thinking in particular of the one where he had to pray for rain. This is after the Mount Carmel experience. So he's still at Mount Carmel now. It hadn't rained for three and a half years on the land. And then he goes to pray and he sends his servant down, say, Listen, can you see a cloud with rain? And he comes back and he had to pray seven times and he humbled himself, but he persisted in that prayer. And here with this second point you brought out, it says there that we are to persist in prayer and ask God to give us the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C We've got to persist. And just like Elijah, we've got to keep on asking and asking until God opens the windows of Him and comes down. SPEAKER B Beautiful. SPEAKER C And he promises he will, but we don't give up. Number three, Reuben Torres says, let them put themselves at the disposal of God for his use as he sees fit in winning others to Christ. What does that mean? Let's unpack that. Let them put themselves at the disposal of God. How do we put ourselves at the disposal of God? SPEAKER B Well, look, I can't see any other way but to give yourself fully to the Lord, to surrender and to let the Holy Spirit use you. It's not for us to use the Holy Spirit. So we become vessels in the hands of the Lord. We're instruments that he'll use, and then it's not really us and what we can do, but it's what the Holy Spirit can do through us. I think that's the important part. And it might not sound like a big difference, but it's a very powerful difference. One is we're in control. And I know typically when I've been in control, quite often I just mess things up. But I know if the Lord's in control, we can have that confidence that he will do the work in and through us as long as we are willing. SPEAKER C It's like the Bible says the clay doesn't tell the potter what to make out of it, does it? SPEAKER B Yeah, well, that's dead right? SPEAKER C It's a great illustration where it's the potter who makes the clay into the way he molds it into the way he wants. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C And so we're to ask God, use me, Lord, however you want me to. Lead how you want me to. I'm the clay, you're the potter. And so you're right. We surrender to God and we ask God, Lord, use me and fit me to winning others to Jesus Christ. However, that way you want me to do. We'll have different ways for different people. God uses people in different ways to reach people for Jesus Christ. SPEAKER B Beautiful. SPEAKER C So this devotional can become an effective means to lead Christians into the three requirements or steps. Ruben Torrey listed for revival. Also, the revival experience will play a major role in preparing all who participate to receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit and be ready for Christ's return. So we want to be ready for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. We want to be ready for Jesus soon return, because in John first John, chapter three, verse two, the Bible basically tells us that those who are ready to meet Jesus will be just like Jesus. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C So just sort of let that sink in a minute. Those who are ready to meet Jesus will be just like Jesus because they'll see Jesus as he is. And just think about it. In Revelations 18, verse one, it talks about, right, about the latter reign of the Holy Spirit, about how God's glory is going to light up the earth. SPEAKER B Earth, that's right. SPEAKER C Remember, what is God's glory. SPEAKER B It's his character. It's his goodness. SPEAKER C It's his mercy. His grace. So God's glory is going to be seen through his people, and God's glory is going to light up this earth through his people. And so to receive the latter reign, though, remember, we have to grow in the earlier reign in the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B From glory to glory to glory to glory. SPEAKER C Then the final sort of ceiling that happens with the latter reign of the Holy Spirit is that God's people will be jesus will be seen through them through 100%. They would have grown in the likeness of Jesus. They will be relying on Jesus so much that they would rather die. SPEAKER B You mentioned the sealing there. It's quite interesting. I think it's Ephesians, chapter one, where it talks that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. So the former rain seals us and then the latter rain also seals us again. So there's a sealing process there at the beginning and also a sealing process at the end. That's beautiful. SPEAKER C Well, it's going to get pretty hairy in the last days. When you read the last days of the seven last plagues that are going to be poured out in the wicked and you read about that, there's going to be the mark of the Beast crisis. There's going to be all these crisis happening and God's people are going to be persecuted. You can read that in Revelations chapter 13. It says they weren't about to buy or sell. And it says unless they receive the mark of the Beast, some of them are going to be put in jail. If you can't buy and sell, that means they're going to take away your goods, taking away your homes. SPEAKER B And so we need an embargo, economic embargo against the people who do not receive the mark of the Beast. SPEAKER C And eventually when the embargo doesn't work on God's people, there's going to be death decree upon God's people. So we need to be strong in the Lord and God is preparing us for that event which we believe is coming soon as we see all the signs happening around the world. SPEAKER B Yes, absolutely. SPEAKER C So we want to grow in that early reign of the Holy Spirit, to be ready for that latter reign of the Holy Spirit, and so that we can be sealed and be ready for the time of trouble and for the seven last plagues and so that we can ready for Jesus soon return. SPEAKER B It reminds me, there seems to be a fair bit of urgency in regards to that ceiling. As you look at the end of times there in Revelation chapter seven, it actually talks there about the ceiling there, and I'm just paging to that now. It says there that after these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel descending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. So here we are told that they are about to let go of the winds, the winds of strife. But angel comes, says, no, don't do it yet. Not everybody's been sealed. So that sealing process almost seems like it happens under a crisis. And there's some people who are God's people but have not yet received that seal. So God is delaying everything as long as possible so that they get that seal to go through that difficult time that lies ahead. SPEAKER C Absolutely. And as you picture it, you see these four angels holding back. What are they holding back? SPEAKER B Says the winds of strife. SPEAKER C The winds of strife. So they're holding back these winds of strife that are going to be released on the earth. So God in his mercy is actually delaying. He actually says, I'm holding it back. And this other angel comes out from the east. Interesting that this angel comes out from the east. SPEAKER B Yes, that's an interesting point. SPEAKER C We can cover that. In Ezekiel 47, there's this picture of a temple. Ezekiel hasn't Ezekiel 47, where out of this temple there was a trickle of water that comes out of the east side of the temple. SPEAKER B Yes, I know the description there. Beautiful. SPEAKER C So this trickle of water comes and it says it goes out as a trick of water and then comes up to your ankles, the knees and the waist. SPEAKER B And the waist, that's right. SPEAKER C And it brings healing wherever it goes. SPEAKER B It flows right to the sea and it provides healing. SPEAKER C That's right, healing to the sea. Well, what does the sea represent in the Bible? SPEAKER B Nations, multitudes, languages, people. Yes. SPEAKER C So you see, when God's people are filled with the Holy Spirit and they're sealed, all right, jesus even says in, I think it's John chapter seven, that rivers of living water will flow from within them. And he says it's talking about the Holy Spirit. So when we're filled with the Holy Spirit, rivers of living water will flow over within us and will bring healing to the nations as we preach the gospel to the world. And so God is waiting, not waiting for more earthquakes. He's not waiting what is actually waiting for? I believe God is waiting for his people to be sealed according to Revelation, chapter seven, he says, wait, these angels wait until God's people have received the seal of God. And we're going to look more into what that seal is. SPEAKER B I'm looking forward to it. SPEAKER C Which is the sealing. We know that. And who is doing the sealing and what the seal of God is. We're going to look more into that as we go through these devotions. SPEAKER B Yeah, but the other thing that stands out there says that if these winds are let loose, they will harm the earth, the sea and the trees. But before that happens, God wants his servants to be sealed in their foreheads. Now, of course, we go to Revelation chapter 14. It talks about these group who were sealed, and it says they have the Father's name written in their foreheads. Now, what does the word name in the Bible signify? SPEAKER C Well, do you remember again, going back to Moses when he said to God, show me glory? God says, I'll let my name be proclaimed before you? SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C So God's glory and his name are connected together. A name represents who you are. It says who you are. You should like your character. Many names mean something. And so you see, even in Revelations 14, it says they have the Father's name written on their foreheads. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER C So they have God's character and his name written on their foreheads. So God's last day people and part of the ceiling is having the Father's name on their foreheads, as you read in Revelations 14 says there's no guile in their mouth. They have the sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. And then it even goes on to talk about in Revelations 14, those who are sealed. It says they keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus in Revelations 14. So we're going to look more about what God's name is, his character and the sealing into those things. SPEAKER B Yeah, it'd be nice to unpack that as we go through this program. But the talking about there the earth, the sea and the trees. You've already told us what sea represents. So that's obviously densely populated areas. And if you tie it into Revelation 13, because we'd now in Revelation seven, the sea is where the first beast rises up that has a huge influence on the world. And then we have the other beast coming out of the earth and he also has a significant impact and he's the one that sets up an image to the beast. And then the mark of the beast is enforced, which is the mark of the first beast. So it says that the earth and the sea will be harmed. But trees, trees are interesting. Typically trees represent God's people, don't they? They planted by waters and they'll grow up as trees, the Bible says. So here we see that there are going to be some people who say, lord, Lord, who will not have the seal. And so therefore, when the earth and the sea will be harmed, when the winds are let loose, some of the trees will be harmed as well because they didn't receive the seal. But those who receive the seal will be protected during this time. SPEAKER C That's right. The whole issue is over worship. And you read in Revelation, chapter 13, verse four, and they worshiped the dragon which gave power in the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying who was like the beast, who was able to make world the beast. And we can unpack that at another time. But right at the end you're right that God is actually in his mercy and his grace, because God is a God of mercy and grace is holding back, not wanting to anyone be lost. He's actually waiting for his people to be sealed before he lets those winds of strife go. That eventually that was talking about the seven last plagues that will destroy this earth and a great earthquake will destroy this earth. And I think it's interesting too that when you think about it, when Jesus returns, he's coming with all his glory. Yes, and he's coming with all the angels of heaven and all their glory. And God's word says that everyone has a guardian angel. And so picture billions of angels, potentially millions or billions, it just says a number innumerable of angels and all their glory. Well, do you remember what happened when one angel appeared to the Roman soldiers on the day of resurrection? SPEAKER B They fell as dead men. SPEAKER C It says from the brightness of one angel they fell as dead men. Do you remember in the angel went and destroyed 185,180, 5000 Assyrians? Yeah. SPEAKER B The king of Jehosph. Time for King Jehoshaphat. Was it? Is that the one? SPEAKER C Well, from memory it was Syria. SPEAKER B Syria. SPEAKER C In Syria? And so this angel, one angel destroyed over 150,000 soldiers. One angel. SPEAKER B Wow. SPEAKER C One angel. Now can you imagine billions of angels coming in all their glory? Jesus coming as his glory, as king of kings. It says that the earth and the wicked are destroyed by the brightness of his coming. Now I want you to think about this. Jesus is coming with all his glory and all his angels. And so how can we stand and not be destroyed by the brightness of his coming? SPEAKER B Yes. Who shall be able to stand? SPEAKER C In Revelations chapter six, it says those who are sealed will be able to stand because they have grown in the likeness of Jesus. They have God's character or his glory written on their foreheads, their minds and their hearts. And so what happens is glory meets glory and that's why they're not destroyed. SPEAKER B Yeah, that is incredible, isn't it? So yeah, that's you tying in the end of Revelation, chapter six, that last verse on that chapter where it asks the question who shall be able to stand? Maybe we should read that. And then it starts and it introduces those who are being sealed. And it says there we may as well read from verse 15. It says and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanders and the mighty men every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains because Christ has come, obviously and said to the rocks and the mountains, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come. And who is able to stand? So that's a great question to ask. Who is able to stand? And you answer the question in chapter seven of Revelation in verse one, two and three. Those who receive the seal of the living God. SPEAKER C That's right. So we want to receive the seal of living God. That's a no brainer. We want to receive the seal of God. And so we're going to unpack over the 50 days. Devotion is how to prepare for the latter rain, which the latter rain is connected with the seal of God is how to prepare for the latter rain and Christ soon return so that we will able to be able to stand when Jesus returns and go back with Jesus to be with Him for eternity. SPEAKER B Sure amen. There's so much in those scriptures and I'm so looking forward to exploring the Bible, doing it prayerfully and asking God to lead us through his spirit. Now, one of the great things that's always stood out for. Me regarding the Holy Spirit when Jesus promised it, he said that I will ask the Father to send you another comforter. And he said that this comforter, which is the spirit of truth, was to lead God's people into all truth. And he said that the Holy Spirit will actually tell them things that he heard in heaven. He would not speak of Himself, but he would represent Christ to us. And then just based on what you said before, Colin, where we talk about Christ and I say hope of glory, having the character of God represented in his people, that is a wonderful thing to look forward to. Because, I mean, we all admire Jesus. As Christians, we want to be like Jesus and we want to grow and be like Him more and more each day. But to be like Jesus, quite often we look at Him, his perfect life, and we look at ours. It's faulty. We've fallen. We have desires which are contrary to His Word and his will. But somehow God is able to transform and change our lives and to call us to a full reconciliation to Himself. So we can love like Jesus loved. He loved the Father with all his heart, mind and soul, and also his neighbor. And he demonstrated that at the cross, he loved us so much that he's willing to deny Himself, go to the cross, pay the price for our sins, so that we could then live again, be forgiven for our sins, and have ourselves reconciled and reconnected with the Lord. SPEAKER C Well, that's the whole Gospel, isn't it's? The restoration of man from Eden lost to Eden restored. And the whole Gospel plan of salvation is the God's plan of restoring us back into the image of God that was lost at the Garden of Eden. SPEAKER B Beautiful thoughts, Colin. Look, we are starting to run out of time, but I'm really looking forward to so next time we meet, what we'll do is we'll start with devotion one, the first day's devotion, and we work through that. What have we got to look forward to in that daily devotion? SPEAKER C Our next devotional day one is the concept of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So we're going to look at the concept of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or infilling or anointing, you can use those words interchangeable. And we're going to look at the two works of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Great. I appreciate that very much, Colin. Thank you for joining us today. On, you shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and I'd like to thank our guest, Colin Hone. Thank you for taking us through that introduction to the book by Dennis Smith. 50 Days Prayer and Devotionals to prepare for the lateral reign and Christ return. Until next time. You've been listening to a production of. Three ABN Australia radio.