"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting." - Acts 2:2

       If there is anything that I have come to know and understand concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it is that we as God's people have the privilege of creating an atmosphere that carries the very currents of heaven.  We can invoke the power of God to come into manifestation so that heaven begins to move with spontaneous action.  Of course, it takes all the ingredients to be in place before there can be a perfect storm, but the fact that it can happen should greatly motivate all of us.

       When everything in the Spirit is prepared, and the readiness of heart is set on seeing God be God, then the atmospheric pressure rises to new heights.  Levels of faith start climbing and it becomes detectable.  It's as if a spiritual climate change has occurred within everyone present. Hearts sincere and unsullied begin pulling on the power of God as vapors of praise ascend upward. Clouds of glory begin to form and a threshold is reached where the wind and rain of heaven starts to fall.

       This is what happens when the Holy Spirit is welcomed and honored in a place of worship. It is what happened on the Day of Pentecost when suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  It is also what happened in Caesarea, when Peter was sent to Cornelius' house.  The Bible says, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word" (Acts 10:44). 

       Sometimes folks just read statements such as this and never really grasp the full import of what happened.  Up until this point, the gospel was contained within the Jewish community. God had to visit Peter with a spiritual vision to help him understand that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was for all who would believe.  When he arrived at Cornelius' house, there were many of Cornelius' kinsmen and friends waiting to hear what Peter had to speak from heaven.   As he began to teach the message of Christ, suddenly the atmosphere changed.  The level of expectancy reached critical mass, and the weight of glory filled the room.  Without warning, the lightnings of God struck that place and a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit came down upon them all. 

       What I like most of all is that the Holy Spirit fell spontaneously with such power that they suddenly began to speak in tongues and magnify God. No one prayed for them.  No one laid hands on anyone like in Samaria (Acts 8:14-17).  It all happened even while Peter was speaking.  That's what I call a divine interruption - a heavenly invasion!  Not only did the atmosphere change, but everyone present was impacted by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  Later, when Peter was explaining to his Jewish constituents what had happened, he plainly said, "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:17).  In order words, the gentiles had their own Day of Pentecost right there in Caesarea, and it changed the whole dynamics to the spreading of the gospel.

       In Revelation nineteen, it state that the "testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).  We know that one of the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit is described as the "gift" of prophecy, but here we find a different operation of prophecy.  This has to do with an atmosphere rather than just a vehicle or instrument of utterance.  Paul states it this way, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God...my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:1-5).  When a spirit of prophecy begins to manifest, you better make sure you are ready for anything!  What's happening is the gates of heaven are beginning to open up and things in the atmosphere are forming a confluence of power beyond any proportion of man's doing.  All the elements of a perfect storm are beginning to converge, and you talk about the suddenlies!  Let me tell you, a perfect storm is the "worse-case" scenario for the enemy!  That's when the church is the church!  It's also when the burden-removing, yoke-destroying presence of God comes to undo that which Satan has wrought and begins to affect a healing and a cure for all who we receive!

Father, I am so ready for a fresh move of your Spirit in my life and in my church.  I come before you with a heart full of faith, asking you to pour out your Spirit on our churches, our government, our leaders, our country so that we can have days of heaven here on earth.  We need the rain.  Holy Spirit come and rain upon us now, in Jesus' name, I pray. Amen!

I welcome the Holy Spirit into my life to do whatever he wants to do.  I choose today to make myself a vessel that he can flow through.  I am ready to move as he moves.  I am hungry for more and I will do whatever he needs me to do to see that the atmosphere around me is conducive for a heavenly downpour.  Saturate me now, Holy Spirit.  I will be filled and flooded with all that heaven has for me today!

A perfect storm is a situation where the confluence of specific elements is created in such a way that what may seem like a minor condition is suddenly magnified to proportions beyond our control.  We can have such an event within our churches if we will but believe and expect it to happen. But be assured of this one thing, if just one element is removed from the mix, the very atmosphere of heaven can dissipate before our very eyes, which is exactly what happens when fear, doubt, or even the arm of flesh stifles the flow of the Holy Spirit and grieves his operation.  We must keep faith at an all time high and our hearts and hand pure before God in every respect. 

The climate within our world is changing. There is a storm of a different nature looming on the horizon. One that is very destructive and very devastating.  Some things we cannot change because of the approaching hour of tribulation, but one thing we can do, we can change the spiritual climate so that God can stretch forth his mighty hand to reach the harvest.  We need the rain to bring us into the harvest of all harvests - the precious fruit of the earth that the Father so patiently waits for!  May we find ourselves continually praying without ceasing, "Oh God, send the rain!"

In His Grace,

Pastor David

Faith Harvest Church 

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