[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

The Frustration of Anticipation
http://www.newchurchorder.com/content/view/76/45/

In the last few months, we have been receiving calls, emails, letters and visits from ministers literally around the world expressing this same sentiment. We are anticipating something we cannot seem to articulate or explain. It’s as if the Holy Sprit has planted a seed in the womb of the Church and we have yet to birth what we know is a “New Thing”!



Is this what it felt like right before the Day of Pentecost? Is this what Peter felt like in the day’s preceding the Acts 2 sermon? Is this how Paul felt headed to Rome? Is this how William Seymour felt while simply operating a humble mission and prayer room at Azusa? Is this what men like William Booth, Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth felt like before they literally shook the earth with the Gospel? Hear me – this is not an attack from the Enemy. This is a Holy frustration from the Holy Spirit within you that is anticipating in advance something that has already been set in motion in the heavenlies!

Ecclesiastes 1:9 - 11 (KJV) 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Maybe if we'd get back to Acts like church, back closer to the Lord, back to a more Kingdom minded time we'd see what happened at Azusa happen again. Azusa was not a "New Thing" it was just a getting back to the "Main Thing".......

Acts 17:16 - 34 (KJV)
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Lord help me not to become caught up with just pursuing the next "New Thing"!!! But let me be rooted and ground in The Way, The Truth and The Life. Let my focus not be on the new for newness sake, but on the eternal for eternities sake.........