Acts 2:1–4 ESV
2 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.
God wants to visit the people of GH and take us past Personal Encounter to Corporate Visitation.
Ephesians 2:19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,[a] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by[b] the Spirit.
We’re not just sinners saved by grace we’re members of the household of God.
Genesis28:12-13
12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder[b] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it[c] and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.
Genesis 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
When we practice heaven’s activity, we experience heaven’s reality.
Gen 35:1-3
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Gen 35:7
7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,[a] because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.
My faith level helps or hinders how God can move in your life!
PHIL 1:19
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
We determine how much of God’s will is released by our unity, prayer, and faith.
Preparing for Corporate Visitation
1. Remove Foreign Gods
• God- anything you exalt ,worship.
• Let go of anything you’ve elevated above Jesus.
2. Purify Yourselves
• Leave behind the mindsets and habits that create distance.
• Deal with doubt:
o “Can He really save them?” season of the longshot
o “Can He really use me?”
3. Change Your Garments
• The source of identity.
• Put on who God says you are.
Acts 4:29-31
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Discussion Questions:
What does it mean to move from a “Personal Encounter” to a “Corporate Visitation”?
According to Genesis 28 and 35, what conditions made Jacob’s experience with God so powerful? What do altar building, removing foreign gods, and changing garments represent for us today? What needs to be “put away” or “changed” in your life or in our group to better host God’s presence?
How do unity, prayer, and faith impact the atmosphere for God to move? (See Acts 4:29–31 & Phil. 1:19) Can you share a time when a group prayer or unified faith made a noticeable difference?
Ephesians 2 says we are being “built together into a dwelling place for God.” What does that practically look like in a church or small group setting? What keeps people from fully engaging in this kind of spiritual “household”?
Jacob said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” Have you ever had a moment when you realized God was present but didn’t recognize it at first? How can we better cultivate awareness of God’s presence in our gatherings?