Ignite Vision in a Long Season of Waiting
March in upstate NY has a cruel way of trying to convince its residents that spring is a mirage. Many of us start to seriously consider one-way tickets to sunnier destinations. Creative ability to come up with One. More. Indoor. Activity. to entertain our children has flown south. We’ve watched every fixer upper show on HGTV and binged watched every season of our favorite Netflix shows. Twice.
We are just done. D.O.N.E.
We are bummed out, burnt out and bored.
Bored with your Jesus Journey?
Without vision the people perish. Proverbs 29:18a
Ever feel like it’s been a “long winter” in your Jesus journey? Lost your passion in the vision? Feel like you are spiritually perishing? You’ve sung all the songs. Volunteered at all the events. Gone to all the groups. Heard all the messages. Did all the duties. No matter how hard you try “to feel the fire” you know you are bummed out, burnt out and bored.
We need a spark to IGNITE our passion and renew our vision!
What Does It Take To Get The Spark Back? (It’s simpler than it feels.)
In Acts 1 Jesus has come back to His disciples after His resurrection. Jesus reappears to them and is talking to them about the promises of God. Imagine the intensity the disciples listened with as they heard the resurrected Jesus talk about this amazing Kingdom that was coming and how they would help build it! That’s a vision!
Jesus told them:
The promise God made to you will happen. Wait for it.
I won’t tell you when it will happen. (That’s always a challenge we love to hear.)
You will have the power of the Holy Spirit. (Cool, but they had never experienced the Holy Spirit. They had no idea what to expect.).
You have a huge destiny.
Go to Jerusalem. Stay there and don’t leave until it’s time. (How long is that?)
Poof. Jesus disappears.
Jesus reveals a great vision with a completely confusing plan and what appears to be an uninspiring call to action.
Sounds like a “stuck in a small-town with big dreams” problem!
The disciples obey. Gathered in Jerusalem in a small upper room for 10 days they sit and pray!
I think being locked in a room with my best friends waiting for a vision to be fulfilled sounds fun. But maybe not for 10 days. #arewehavingfunyet
I wonder if the disciples got bored? Agitated? Forgot the vision? Felt like they might perish in a promise without an exciting plan?
Then, on the tenth day. ….
“Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.” Acts 2:1-4
The long prayer meeting turned into a loud popping Holy Spirit party!
The disciples didn’t perish. The vision found it’s path.
God’s promise fulfilled.
The Holy Spirit was experienced. (They figured out who He was real quick!)
Lives were changed.
Actually, 3,000 lives were changed that day.
Their faith was ON FIRE!
Unite to IGNITE
One of the greatest miracles that happened in that upper room was that they all gathered TOGETHER.
Do you know hard it is to get people together without conflict, trouble, issues or differences dividing us? It takes a miracle! These people got together to bring the vision together.
“The whole congregation of believers was united as one---one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their possessions!” Acts 2:43,44
Maybe I should try putting my kids in a room for 10 days together. We could use this kind of miracle in our home! How about yours?
From this season of waiting, longing, confusion, seeking, asking, potential boredom and unknowns came a vision that propelled people into their destiny and unimaginable miracles! They united to make sure the vision IGNITED!
What did they have that we don’t?
NOTHING.
They had:
A promise. They had a promise that they believed.
A room. They had a space they gathered in.
A Prayer. They had a relentless prayer.
A group of people. They had dream builders and vision keepers with them.
A powerful Holy Spirit. They had the Holy Spirit to IGNITE the vision and fire up the passion.
Long Seasons of waiting for the promise of spring, or the promise of your Saviour, can feel isolating and dull our vision. There is power in unity to ignite a spark in your spirit that might feel like a burned out ember.
Sharing life together brings us life.
Feelings of despair or darkness can turn into party-popping-promise-keeping-faith-filled-fired-up world changing fun!
How to Start a Fire in YOU
Gather a group of friends who share the same vision as you. Your “upper room” could be a coffee shop. A living room. A deck. A car. A church building.
Remember the promises.
Pray the promises.
Believe the Holy Spirit will fill you with power to wait for the fulfillment of the promise.
Wait for the season to change. Together.
HAVE FUN while you wait. (You haven’t been quarantined to your “upper” room!)
GO start a faith fire in your community! TOGETHER!
What are you waiting for?
Fire Starters
Ask people to tell you their life story. Listen. Let their story ignite compassion in your heart.
Buy the person behind you in the checkout line a candy bar or a cup of coffee. Watch their smile ignite your heart. Small sparks start big fires.
Gather friends together weekly to share dreams. Pick one action step a week you will hold each other accountable to complete. Ignite the dreams of others while they ignite yours.
Write the promises God has made to you out on 3x5 cards. (any promise in the Bible is for you!) Put them where you can see them daily. Ignite your spirit.
Pray with others. Ignite unity and chase away doubt.
