LOOKING FORWARD TO PENTECOST

This morning I watched Doug Addison’s latest webcast. He talked about how God was releasing us from bondages in the past season. Some of us had experienced hopes deferred and some were stuck in the past season for a long while. God is healing us and bringing us out of Egypt into the promised land. 

Deuteronomy 11:10-11 says this: ‘For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven.’ Early this year we had been talking about Deuteronomy 11:11 before this pandemic hit us.

At this point in time, nothing seemed to have changed in the natural realm. We are currently under pseudo ‘house arrest’. Our movements are restricted and we are under scrutiny from the law. There are so many dos and don’ts nowadays. We don’t want to flout the rules but this isn’t our modus operandi. We are under grace, not under law and that is why we feel super uncomfortable.

Yet the Lord seemed to be saying the same thing consistently throughout. He is talking about the ‘after this’. He is still telling me that He is bringing us to the promised land and for us to remember Him. God has already seen the end of this outbreak because His plan for us in 2020 cannot be thwarted. That is why He has brought to remembrance about the word He has given us early this year.

I believe that God is trying to tell me that we are truly coming to an end of the pandemic. If not, He would not be reminding me of the plans He had for us in 2020. Such messages were quickly forgotten when the pandemic hit. We were suddenly thrown into the storm. There was such a whirlwind that obstructed our view of the future. For a moment, it did seem that we probably would not be able to get back on track with His plan.

Earlier I was declaring that this virus would end suddenly around Passover. Passover came but nothing seemed to have changed. Not only that things seemed to get worse and not ease up. Especially for Singapore. Our cases of infection amongst the foreign workers were increasing exponentially rather than dropping. That was why the circuit breaker had to be extended for another four weeks. Other countries already passed the peak in terms of the infected cases and the curve was tapering. They were beginning to open up.

Yet God is still encouraging me that He is in control and the end is really near. My part is to release the word about the end of this virus and His part is to act. Yes. This too will pass. Singapore will gradually open up and there will be some normalcy in our lives. Especially after yesterday, which was the date of the fall of Jericho, things will get better in the natural realm. The school holidays will start on 5 May and school will reopen on 1 Jun. Yes we declare that there shall be no further extension of the circuit breaker beyond that date!

Interestingly our circuit breaker started on Passover (8 Apr) and it will end the day after Pentecost (31 May). This is no coincidence for the Lord works on the Jewish calendar. There are so many significant things happening during this time. The deliverance from bondage, transfer of wealth, parting of the Red Sea, total destruction of the Egyptian armies, crossing of Jordan, march around Jericho, walls of Jericho falling, Resurrection Sunday and Pentecost. These events seemed to be culminating in Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room.

Pastor Prince also talked about this during last Sunday’s sermon. This upper room is not the same room where Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and celebrated the Passover. The “third story” — this corresponds with the third-floor chamber in the Temple of Solomon where the gold and treasures are stored. This upper room is the same place where the disciples gathered on the day of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit was given and 3,000 people were saved (see Acts 1:13). So this upper room is not just a place of silver and gold, but it is the place of the Holy Spirit. 

God, is it true that we are seeing the end of this outbreak? Is it true that we are moving up to the third floor of the chamber? The broad place, the place of gold and treasures? The place of Holy Spirit moving mightily, the power of God manifested. In early Apr I was just talking about us being on the second floor of the chamber. It was a place of rest but the enemy was trying to get us into unrest. Little did I know that God was moving us to the third floor by this Pentecost. The place of the upper room. The outpouring of His mighty spirit. 

Anyway our response should be to patient and expectant of what the Lord is about to do. See with eyes of faith. His word never fails. His will always prevails. People asked me why was this happening and why hadn't the Lord acted yet. My answer is still the same. He is birthing destiny in us and even if He tarries we should continue to keep our eyes on Him and not on the outward circumstances. Besides we really do not have much of a choice but to look to Him for help. We have all done what we thought we could. Pray, declare, bind the virus in Jesus’ name. So now we just enter into His rest and watch Him work! Yes, also to continue to pray in the Spirit.