1st prayer meeting of ’26 in Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church

“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence,”  Acts 1:4-5.

These are among the final words of Christ to His people before He ascended to heaven.

They carry the same authority today as they did when first they fell from for His lips.

On this the first prayer meeting of 2026, may we take heed to them and submit to them.

I. WAITING ON GOD IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF TRUE RELIGION.

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint,” Isa 40:31.

1. Here is the first required act of the new age! That indicates its importance. Note, it was ‘commanded’ by Christ.

2. It remains the great need of God’s people.  The Greek word translated ‘wait’ appears only here but is linked to the word ‘about’ in Matthew 3:4. “And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”

It is referring to the leather belt that John had fastened around his waist. This is very illustrative of waiting in prayer. It means we seek to fasten ourselves to Christ! That which passes for prayer in many Christian assembles, far from being ‘leathern girdles’, would not make a decent pair of elastic braces!

Remember Mary Magdalene and the other Mary at the tomb:- “And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him,” Matthew 28:9.

May we act like that tonight.

II. THE WAITING IS A TIME OF PREPARATION.

1. It does not denote reluctance on the part of God to hear and answer prayer. The waiting is caused by our unprepared spiritual state. We need to be brought down low to His feet.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up,” James 4:6, 10.

If after three years accompanying Christ and hearing Him and seeing His miracles, the disciples still needed humbling, how much more do we not need to be brought down to the Saviour’s feet in humility.

2. I believe that the natural state of our hearts is depicted in James 4:7-9. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” We are commanded to submit ourselves to Christ and oppose  the devil and his temptations; seek to draw near to Christ and be cleansed and purified in heart and hands and cease from being ‘double minded’, wavering and trying to face two ways! 

These things require us to afflict ourselves, weep and cease from careless and carnal ways, that is, act in judgment against our sinful ways and habits. It is what Paul says we should do.  “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live,” Romans 8:13.

III. WHEN WE WAIT IN THIS MANNER, WE WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT LONG.

“Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence,” verse 5.

1. The wait is well rewarded! ‘Immersed, brought into a wonderful fulness of union with Christ.’ I always remember Dr Paisley stressing to me that “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” Romans 11:29. 

Those who experience the ‘fulness’ of the Holy Ghost retain that blessing. Psalm 51:10 shows how, despite backsliding, David was wonderfully revived and renewed. His prayer was on a level only those who have experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit can attain!

IV. WHAT THEY WERE TO WAIT FOR

“Wait for the promise of the Father.” This blessing is promised to us by the Father.

It is part of the ‘harvest’ of Calvary’s sacrifice!

“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear,” Acts 2:32-33.

Dear Christian, this mighty blessing has been purchased for us and is ours for the asking.