“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about” (Acts 1:4).

After His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples to go into the world and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus knew they couldn’t accomplish the mission on their own. There were mountains of opposition to scale: a new message to proclaim, new grounds to break, new cultures to confront, new communities to establish, new mentalities to nurse, the old adversary to overcome, and their own lives to protect. All those needed a power beyond themselves. Jesus Himself had been that power while He was with them on the earth (Jn. 17:12). But now He was leaving them, so they needed the ministry of the Holy Spirit (14:15-27; 15:26-27; 16: 17-15). Therefore, Jesus told them to leave Jerusalem, but to “wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about” (Acts 1:4). Simple instructions, but how easy was it for the disciples to obey?

Waiting is one of the most difficult disciplines in life. It is uncomfortable to wait for anything, but it’s a necessary prerequisite for God’s blessings. Many saints have failed this test at one point or another. Like King Saul, they were impatient, and consequently lost their blessings. They relied on themselves during those moments their patience was tried. But if we are to obey God, we cannot do so in our own strength. That’s why we have to wait for His move in every situation.

Waiting requires patience and endurance. It allows us to focus on the Lord who has called us into faithful service and to reflect on the mission at hand with sober judgment. Waiting gives us the space and right perspective to commit completely before beginning a task. As Boyd Bailey correctly notes, “The flesh wants to influence the masses prematurely, but the Spirit is patient to pay the price of wise waiting, before proceeding.” When we wait upon the Lord, we overcome the flesh in the power of His Spirit. It allows us to obey God, no matter how difficult things may be.

Waiting allows God to work integrity in us so that we can obey without compromising. It strengthens our faith, and empowers us to do God’s will. That’s what happened when the disciples waited for the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1:4). They preached the gospel powerfully and many came to the Lord (vv. 14-41); they stood against persecution (4:23-31), shared what they had (vv. 32-35), served jail time for their belief (vs. 5), and lived like Christ (11:26).

So, if you are finding it difficult to obey the Lord, try waiting. By His grace, you will exchange your weakness for His strength (2 Cor.12:9), and you can move in the power of the Holy Spirit to soar above every storm in your life (Is. 40:31), and through the mundane things of Christian living (Phil. 2:13).

Shalom