Prophetic
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Warriors
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Warriors
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May – June 2005 When Pentecost had Fully Come Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in one place. Pentecost, also called in the Old Covenant the Feast of Harvest, the First Fruits of Harvest, and Day of the First Fruits, but called “fiftieth” (which is what Pentecost means) in the Greek signifying that this special day begins on the 49th and ends on 50th day after Passover. In Hebrew it is called Shavuot. (Shaw voo oat) which means “weeks,” symbolizing the end of the 7-week spiritual journey between Passover (leaving Egypt) and the Israelites arrival at the foot of Mt. Sinai where the Law would be given to Moses by God. Most Christians believe they have already celebrated Pentecost in May. However, there is a “discrepancy” regarding when Pentecost takes place. Millions of Christians believe they have already celebrated Pentecost because they count 49 days after Resurrection Day Sunday. But, the Jewish calendar, the one Jesus lived by, not the Greek Calendar that the world now lives by, shows that Passover started April 24th and ended May 1st about a month after the Greek calendar Resurrection Day. So, the Jewish celebration of Shavuot is scheduled for June 13th and 14th from sundown to sundown. A long while ago, I decided that I would rather be on Jesus’ calendar than on the world’s calendar. This year, I believe the Lord would have me share what He has revealed to me about celebrating Shavuot in His timing. Even though most of the rest of Christendom thinks Pentecost has come and gone I will celebrate this special time with Jesus on the dates He has chosen: June 13th and 14th. I believe that believers are right now in the middle of a 7 – week spiritual journey waiting for Pentecost to fully come. Whether or not a believer realizes it or not, they are spiritually on God’s time and his calendar. For those of us that recognize Jesus’ calendar, these weeks are a celebration of freedom from the bondage of sin and it is time of remembering and reflecting upon the Word of God and our relationship with Jesus, our Messiah. It is a celebration that culminates in a dramatic harvest of God’s presence in our lives through the outpouring of the person of the Holy Spirit…it is a time of personal revival. More globally and prophetically, I believe the entire church is in a time looking for Pentecost to FULLY COME in power once again. The power of the personal revelation of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us needs to be released for our generation just like it was released in the upper room in the book of Acts. We desperately need a renewal of the power that comes from the fullness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We, the church, have been on the world’s calendar far too long and our Lord Jesus is starting to reveal the truth of the misunderstandings of scripture that being on the wrong calendar has caused among many of His children. Very soon Pentecost will fully come again, even more powerfully than the first time, because His children will gather together in His timing with a fuller understanding of celebrating the death and Resurrection at Passover and more understanding of the out pouring of the Holy Spirit on Shavuot (Pentecost). We will indeed partake of the former and the latter rain as promised in Joel Chapter 2 and our threshing floors will be brimming with the resulting harvest and we will share the new wine and oil. How exciting this revelation is! The Lord says in Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what the will of God— what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Gaining the understanding of His calendar is one of the ways we step away from being conformed to this world and take a step toward the transformation that comes when our minds are renewed and set upon God’s way of doing things. We also take a giant step toward personal revival, when we, like the first church are so filled with God’s love and power so that thousands of people hear the word of God in their own language (meaning in a way they will understand) and they will be saved. Mark your calendar with me for June 13th – the Sabbath starts at 6:00 pm. Sit down alone or with your family and read what happened in Acts chapters 1 – 3. And then pray that you will be personally revived and filled afresh with the person of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to give you ways of sharing the Gospel that people will understand and be saved. Hebrew tradition is to stay up all night reading Torah (God’s Word) and then in the morning to celebrate the harvest of what you have learned with worship and prayer. In the ancient times the priests would wave sheaves of the first fruits of grain at the altar during the Morning Prayer time on Shavuot. It was what the priests were doing when the 120 faithful in the upper room were filled with power and tongues of fire rested on their heads. Who knows but that you will find yourself overcome with the presence of God just like those 120 faithful as you celebrate God’s word in worship and prayer? Who knows how many people are waiting for you to be empowered to witness so that they can be saved? I believe it’s time for Pentecost to fully come once again. Lord, as your children receive this revelation, let this be the year! Awake sleepers for the time of the appearing of the Lord is at hand! Lament sinners and repent for the time of the appearing of the Lord is at hand! Rejoice faithful remnant for the time of the appearing of the Lord is at hand! In His love and service, Cheryl |
Cheryl Birch Ministries, Inc.
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