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It was between the years of 30 A.D. And 34 A.D. Of the Roman occupation of Israel. The Jewish people saw
their nation in the most serious trauma. They had watched what promised to be one of her most influential leaders, crucified
on the eve of Passover in 33 A.D. In a political move that shocked thousands throughout Israel, the temple leaders had turned
over the one that many had hoped would finally be the revolutionary deliver of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth. The beloved Nazarene
had been executed by the Roman empire to the horror of many. But now reports were flying fast and furious throughout Jerusalem
that this man had come back to life. With thousands giving personal accounts to verify His being alive. In fact, in one encounter
over 500 people were shocked when He paid them a visit. A movement that had turned into a catastrophic nightmare only days
before, had suddenly been given a resurrection shot of life. Now the witnesses at the behest of Jesus were told to seek and
wait in prayer. And so they began to meet for the reflection upon the scriptures and for fasting and prayer. With great anticipation
day after day they came together to seek the Lord. The numbers began to dwindle as the days wore on and then in the upper
room of a small home a reduced group of patient Galileans, numbering 120, continued to wait steadfastly for the promise of
the Holy Spirit. And then it began, suddenly the presence of the Lord manifested in a way that had never been seen before
as these men and women began to worship, while being filled with the presence of the Lord. Not only was the Lord making Himself
known among them, He was inside them filling them to overflowing. Their strong expressions of emotion toward the Lord were
so loud that immediately it drew the attention of passers by and the crowds began to assemble to see what the commotion was
all about. Many cried out to the Lord in languages that they could not possibly know, while the international community stood
in wonder. Now the followers of Jesus who once fled for their lives, hiding from both Jewish and Roman authorities were in
the center of town proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. They announced the forgiveness of sin and proclaimed
Jesus Christ the true messiah, the deliverer of human hearts. One of the group, a former fisherman and follower of Christ,
not known for his bravery or public speaking, spoke boldly with passion about the man they had come to know. The presence
of the Lord exploded over Jerusalem. Three thousand received Christ as Lord in that one moment and a few days later another
5,000 were born again. Every day people were being transformed as the Spirit of God was poured out with the Good News. Immediately
the religious leaders aggressively took matters into their own hands as they authorized regiments to prosecute an internal
war on what they considered the scourge of this new prayer movement which proclaimed their former nemesis as Lord. Years earlier,
the Shammah Pharisees, a radical religious group had gained political influence over the temple to the chagrin of the more
passive Hillel Pharisees. It was a temple that during the peak holiday season employed over 50,000 people throughout and around
Jerusalem. Now the Shammah Pharisees saw their influence being threatened by this new prayer movement. A vicious persecution
broke out against the church. Believers were beaten, tortured, incarcerated, and executed. The very same leaders who opposed
the ministry of Jesus could not comprehend the nature of the threat to their power. This was the ministry of the Holy Spirit
from God in Heaven. The more intense the persecution, the more the people prayed, and the more the power of God was in display.
For the next eleven years the good news could not be stopped. Then something happened which no one anticipated. Reports were
now filling the land that Gentiles were now confessing that the God of Israel was the true and living God, as the reports
of Christ's resurrection and subsequent forgiveness filled their hearts. Now the Lord was drawing other nationalities
into the body of Christ. What the prophets could never of imagined began to unfold right before their eyes, as the promise
of Abraham became real. Revival spread throughout the Middle East, with hundreds of thousands coming to Christ as the Good
News was proclaimed. Under way was the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. His seed was for all nations and a movement
that would change the course of history and the lives of untold billions. His name is Jesus, He's alive. Today His gospel
is literally reaching around the world and touching the lives of hundreds of millions, because of God's faithfulness through
praying believers. This battle between good and evil is playing out in every heart and home and is for the high stakes of
the lives of people. So let us bend the knee and surrender to the presence of love Himself, becoming the cracks that He forced
through. His promise is written in His own blood that if we set everything aside in pursuit of Him, He will be found.
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