When God gave me the names of Jehovah for the month of November, He also gave me the blogs for December - the Feasts. He gave them in this order: Of Weeks, Pentecost, Threshing Floor, and Easter. There are times when God moves that I understand and there are other movements that I don't. I didn't understand 2 of these as feasts - Threshing Floor and Easter. But Of Weeks and Pentecost, I had studied.
While restudying the Feast of Pentecot, it was brought to my attention that it was associated with Shavuot. But, there had to be a reason why God gave it to me separately. I began to look at the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2: 1-4 (NIV) describes it like this: "2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." I began to realize that this feast was different. This feast is a spiritual one. I've shied away from fulfilling these writings due to not being sure what I was to write. But, now I see that what God has in store is more than that which is on the calendar.
We are headed into the New Year in a matter of days, less than 48 hours. What if what God has for us is a Feast of His Spirit and not a day to be commemorated on the calendar? When the Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples, they went and did their assignment. They went out to mankind and poured out the blessings of God. Malachi 3:10 (NIV) "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." Do you remember an earlier blog of mine wherein I reminded us that tithing is more than money - A Lesson in Giving? The Disciples gave their time to God as they sat in the upper room waiting for the more promised by God then gave of themselves (their talent) when empowered to speak in different languages.
I now understand that this is the Feast of Pentecost that God was speaking of when He gave me the assignment. The Feast being the welcoming of His Spirit into our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. But, to do so, we have to prepare ourselves first by giving the First Fruits. When we willing give unto God what is due to Him, we are saying that we are ready to receive of Him the blessings spoken in Malachi. When the disciples had given their first fruits unto God, He poured out a blessing that overflowed so much that it was heard on the streets in the tongues of those present. It poured out so much that about three thousand people were saved that day (Acts 2 NIV).
The question for us becomes have we prepared ourselves for the blessing? Before this new season of God enfolds, have we emptied ourselves of the trash of yesterday and dumped out what was never meant to be ours in the first place. Remember the Law of the Garbage Truck? Don't take on what isn't yours. That isn't what God is empowering you to do. He is empowering you to take on what is His so that it may overflow in your life and be the guide along the journey. Are you ready?
Be A Blessing and Not Just Blessed
- Nakya