1. Pentecost – the Birthday of the Church?
Just as life begins with a baby’s cry with the first breath of life – the Church was born on the Day of Pentecost with the cry from Heaven and the breath of the Holy Spirit. It has continued throughout history and was sustained by the breath of the Spirit through various challenges and crises.
However, the Holy Spirit is not given just to keep the Church alive, but to empower it for the fulfilling of God’s Mission. The group of 120 gathered in the upper room was birthed as a ‘living Body’ breathing Christ’s life and representing Him on earth.
Two key aspects which gives the Church the right to exist and to fulfill His Mission on earth:
1. Authority:
God is the One who has absolute Authority, which He delegates in various forms and degrees.
Therefore, Jesus after His resurrection affirmed to the Disciples His God-given Authority:
Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Matthew 28:18.
And through the Great Commission, Jesus delegates that authority to the Church over all nations and kingdoms. Peter affirmed this in his sermon on Pentecost:
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
Acts 2: 32-33
Therefore, the Church derives its authority from obedience to the Great Commission – And any Church that is not fulfilling the GC has no rightful authority to exist. Any organized Church may have the historical and legal right to function, yet, it is the Great Commission that gives it the right to exist. This is why Churches in countries that are legally banned or restricted by governments grow and multiply faster than others – because they function in the authority of obedience to the Great Commission.
The Greek word for authority (Exousia) is defined as the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege), and also as the power of rule or government.
Churches committed to the Great Commission walks in a higher level of authority than those who don’t.
This is the reason we engaged in Spiritual Warfare in the past two weeks on behalf of the Church.
2. Power
Secondly, the Church is given Power.
The Greek word ‘dunamis’ means to have “strength power, ability, or power residing in a person or thing”
It was this Empowerment that happened on the Day of Pentecost which gave the disciples the ability to demonstrate the Works of Jesus in signs, healings and miracles.
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all. Acts 4:33
And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people, Acts 5:12
This Pentecost, let us pray that the Church will re-discover its authority to exist on earth by fulfilling the Great Commission and be empowered by the Spirit to do so. A greater commitment to Missions will see a greater demonstration of God’s power in the Church.
Pray for:
- A greater revelation in the Church regarding the Authority which derives from obedience to the Great Commission.
- Pray for greater commitment and obedience to the Great Commission.
- That every Church will walk in both Authority and Power.
- The true Pentecostal emphasis will not be on the personal benefits of God’s Power but on obedience to God’s Mission.
Join the Global Pentecost Prayer Meeting of IPC. Click Here for information.
Praise Report – Senders Summit 2023.
“Finishing the Task Together”
We praise God for this successful Summit which brought together around 150 Missions Directors and Leaders from 71 Nations.
There was a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit during this event as the Pioneer Missionary Senders representing the Western Nations and the New Senders from the Global South nations spent time learning from each other how to partner together in fulfilling the Great Commission.
The main focus was on the ‘Best Practices in Missionary Sending’ and the Summit ended with a commitment signed by each participant to work together in ‘finishing the task.’
The Painting done by a Missionary depicting the Summit and the outcomes.
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for the follow up and implementation of the decisions and commitments made.