Times of refreshing comes from the Lord. It is connected to our position on what sin is. There is a standard to which we must live. We have to care about Jesus (Acts 3:21-22). Times of refreshing are connected to our willingness to obey God. Obedience is the most important factor. It is a sign of our humbling before God. We need to pay attention to the words that we say. We cannot manipulate God.
If we stand too close to our problem, we can’t see it. We don’t get all the information before we make the conclusion. We have to change our thinking. How we think determines our position. Perspective tells us what is important. We major on the minors and the minors mess up.
It all started in the upper room but before this, the disciples had to follow instructions. In Acts 2:1, the promise was only released when their opinions ceased. Obedience keeps us in position until God comes through for us. In the Kingdom, our own opinion does not matter to God. The disciples were in one accord at Pentecost but they were not like this at the beginning. It was a journey to being in one accord. In Matthew 16:18-23, there was disunity among the disciples. The only proof that we have changed is when we receive the Word.
Leadership is a fathering position. In the upper room, the disciples had to deal with their interpersonal problems. We have to repent. It is time to find ourselves in a place of forgiveness. We were brought into the Kingdom for a particular purpose. Are we plugged into the refreshing? The only thing that impresses God is our obedience. How willing are we to obey, to obey the instruction to repent?
The numbers 14 and 15 means harvest (Revelations 14:14-15). God can’t bring people into the church when we are not refreshed. God has put a demand on us. God is raising a young breed of warriors. Our horn is a sign of our power and our authority.
God cares more about our obedience than our sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Actions are to follow what we hear. Witchcraft comes from rebellion against spiritual authority. We have to revisit our position on following our leaders. Stubbornness is the opposite of humility. The thing we refuse to obey God on, can turn around and do harm to us.
Life in the Kingdom of God is built on obedience. We can’t claim to be a son of God if we do not obey His instructions. Obedience to God is a more powerful claim to sonship than a blood relationship (Romans 8:14, Luke 8:19-21). God is not impressed by our title. God is looking for our obedience. We must be able to discern instructions even when it is not told directly.
You can’t have obedience without willingness. Everything that God has for us is locked in by a set of instructions. All of our blessings are airborne, in heavenly places. We should have the spirit of intelligence (Isaiah 11, Acts 12).
Our door has to be opened unto God in order for there to be a shift. Obedience demands that we make a sacrifice.
