After Jesus had spoken to them for 40 days, they were to part company. I can just imagine that now Jesus did not need to speak in parables. His ressurrection and appearence to them, opened their spirits to a new dimension. When we consider how Jesus is revealed to John, in Revelation 1, so Jesus is revealed to the disciples in a new way. Their spirits must have been alive and attentive . How much we need to be ALIVE AND ATTENTIVE. But how? No manner of preaching will do this, but an ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST in a new dimension to what we are accustomed is what we need. Jesus came to them in a RESURRECTED BODY, and He will come to us in His ASCENDED GLORY. How much a visitation is that?

When we see Jesus about to ASCEND in Luke 24 and Acts 1, we see one command stand out: TARRY! Remember that Leonard Ravenhill wrote a book called “Why Revival Tarries.” The whole concept of TARRYING has been lost.

Can I be truly honest with you? I may offend, but it is not my intention. I believe we are LOSING THE WHOLE SENSE OF THE WORD OF TARRYING. There is a culture forming, of trying to make CHRISTIANITY INSTANTANEOUS. I am disquieted in my spirit concerning the many times we resort to altar calls instead of inviting the saints to tarry! Tarrying is something we do not like to do…it means to my understanding: waiting with EAGER EXPECTATION OF A INEVITABLE ENCOUNTER WITH SO WAITED FOR!!!

Many offer the idea of the INSTANTANEOUS VISITATION OF THE LORD! I can believe for it, but the tarrying aspect brings transforming and transitioning of our whole being so that we are in a position of heart and spirit to receive what God wants to bring.

Can I be so bold as to say, that the DEPTH OF THE SPIRIT AFFORDED IS IN ACCORDANCE TO THE DEPTH OF OUR TARRYING!? As we have lost the ability to wait to acquire something desired, we look for a shortcut of credit to acquire even when we have no money to buy…we do not tarry. If we do not save to buy, however long it takes, we do not value in the same way. What is easily received is easily despised!

I sense that this attitude is in our churches at times. We present a challenge and it seems we look for a instantaneous response on behalf of the people, and God too. But I do not see it so much in scripture regarding the move of God being prayed for. We do see it when it comes to healing, but even so, when we seek for the Spirit I see some preparation.

I remember coming into the Baptism of the Spirit, the second blessing, in the same way, a tarrying of many nights of prayer, where we were encouraged to focus our desire on the Lord, He was our only DESIRE. I can remember the night the Spirit came and how wonderful it was, but it did not come without digging in the soul for all that which was not of the Lord was thrown out, and how eagerly we went on desiring even more.

I feel that this “culture” is going to short circuit the pursuit for revival for the nations. We need to tarry because our minds are so easily distracted and our hearts so unreliable in their affections!

When you consider that the disciples waited 10 days for the Spirit, how much they prayed and searched the Lord. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come…yes, timing was precise! God is working out things externally, beyond us, abstract to us, perfecting His Perfect Plan, so when He does visit, and when He saturates, the Day has fully come…and the people around us are ready. Jerusalem was full of people, and God decided to visit then. How much more in the Day of His Coming, will those who “visit” be impacted.

When we tarry the work of conviction of sin is thorough, and the forsaking of the same is also thorough. So is sanctification thorough. Too much instantaneous culture in our worship will abort the deep work of conviction, and our conscience be immune to the consequences of sin. How we cheapen sin today!

Remember is sin, not sins. Because sin is falling short of the standard God destined for us.

So if you are a minister reading this, throw off the temptation for quick altar calls, and quick results. Desire the deep and lengthy work of the Spirit, that brings even the deeper conviction, the ugly grief, and cries into our midst, the horror of what sin does to us. So that in tarrying we come to the realization that salvation is so much more than a one time response to an altar call, but the work of conviction that goes with it, the lengthy grieving for sin, and the desire to be transformed. This does not happen in one meeting but it comes with learning how to tarry…how to wait eagerly for Him who was promised!!!

When you consider the Hebrides Revival of 1948-52, you see the conviction of sin take all night, many days, many hours. The initial tarrying in the Barn of Barvas taking 5 months. Once the revival had come, there was more tarrying so that the work of purification and commitment be consistent. So an island was filled with the presence of glory. Noone could escape the intensity of conviction.

Friends, this is what is needed. Sometimes its good to switch off the TV, the radio, even the net. Because what is FAST PACE CAN SLOW OUR INCLINATION TO TARRY.

Tarry…its an old word…but how lovely it is! Let us throw off the modernisms that can take us into error so easily.

I think I made my point. LOL.

Shalom my friends..

Russell

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