Acts 2:1-4 ESV
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
a. The greatest Hinderance to a move of God in a corporate body is unbelief and disunity.
Encountering God corporately together.
1- Wait with Expectancy.
*Acts 1:3-8 ESV
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.4 And while staying[a] with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” *
Psalm 38:15 ESV
But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
Expectancy is being confident in His Promise and the Promise Giver, but trusts Him for the timing.
a. We are not told how long we will wait.
b. There is a work that God wants to accomplish in us during the season of waiting.
c. God’s timing is Perfect.
a. Ten. Gods perfect number and His perfect order. Gods authority and provision.
2 Chron 20:12 ESV
12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
2.They were all together.
a. Wholly, Entirely, and Completely.
Amos 3:3 NKJV.
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
a. Together: union, united.
b. Agreement: to set an appointment, to be aligned, to put together, to assemble, to be in order.
God is more concerned with our alignment than He is with us all having the same opinion, feeling or position.
Phil 2:2 ESV
complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3- They were in One Place.
One Place: the same, He, She, and It.
a. The place of Humility.
Psalm 127:1 ESV
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
i. Before we can be filled, we must recognize our emptiness.
ii. We don’t have the resources in ourselves to do what we should or could do.
iii. We rely on the work of God.
iv. Our need for Him is great.
b. The place of Expectancy
i. He comes suddenly.
ii. His move has a sound.
iii. It comes from heaven.
iv. His move is Mighty.
Discussion Questions:
How does disunity and unbelief affect a corporate body?
Why is the word wait more difficult for us than no? Or is it?
What does expectancy for God look like to you?
Describe a time in your life when you wanted something, but now looking back, God’s timing was perfect.
Read Amos 3:3. Describe the difference between agreement and alignment.
How has the world twisted the biblical understanding of agreement?
Read Psalm 127:1. What does it mean for the Lord to build His house?