SPIRITUAL ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Only seconds before our Lord ascended, He gave His disciples specific last instructions. He "commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father," (Acts 1:4).

He did not say "Go!" He said "wait!"
He did not say "Testify!" He said "wait!"
He did not say "Organize." He said, "wait!"
He did not say "Strategize." He said, "wait!"
He did not say, "Rest and Relax." He said, "wait!"
He did not say, "Go fishing!" He said, "wait!"
He did not say, "Go shopping!" He said, "wait!"

Waiting for "The Promise of the Father" was no doubt challenging. But the Disciples took Christ at His word. They knew He meant what He said. They knew He was reliable.

So they waited for "The Promise of the Father,"--the outpouring and infilling of the Holy Spirit! The fulfillment of this promise would complete God's redemptive and sanctifying plan. Now "whosoever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved!" Peter testified that when the Holy Spirit came on that first Pentecost, He "purified their hearts by faith!" Now the world could experience God's promise of grace, and mercy, and complete spiritual restoration!

I. THE ESSENCE (OR ESSENTIAL CHARACTER) OF THE PROMISE.
When we speak of the Holy Spirit we are not speaking of an emotional feeling. People today do the craziest things on a whim, then attribute their actions to the Holy Spirit. We would do well to remind ourselves of the essential character of the Holy Spirit as He is revealed to us in New Testament!

He is the Spirit of Life! Romans 8:2
He is the Spirit of Adoption! Romans 8:15
He is the Spirit of the Living God! 2 Corinthians 3:3
He is the Spirit of Liberty! 2 Corinthians 3:17
He is the Spirit of Wisdom! Ephesians 1:17
He is the Eternal Spirit Hebrews 9:14
He is the Spirit of Grace Hebrews 10:29
He is the Spirit of Truth 1 John 4:6
He is the Spirit of Comfort John 14:16
He is the Spirit of Holiness Romans 1:4

II. THE EVIDENCE OF THE PROMISE
The evidence of that the Promise had been given to the Disciples was not "the sound of rushing mighty wind," "flaming tongues of fire resting above their heads" or even "speaking in languages." Peter declares that the evidence that they had received the Promise was first and foremost Purity!

The tragedy of our times is that too many have put such emphasis upon the "accidents" of Pentecost, that they have neglected or even rejected the essence of Pentecost--namely purity of heart!

But the disciples were not only "purified," they were "empowered" for witness and for service. IT WAS THAT POWER THAT ENABLED THEM TO "TURN THEIR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN (actually they turned it right-side up!). IT WAS THAT POWER THAT ENABLED THEM TO PROCLAIM THE TRUTH WITHOUT FEAR OR COMPROMISE. IT WAS THAT POWER THAT ATTRACTED THE LOST AND CONVERTED THEM TO CHRIST.

It is our conviction that only THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER filling the PEOPLE OF GOD will turn the tide of immorality that is now drowning our nation.

III. THE WAIT FOR THE PROMISE!
I can hear God's people affirming "Yes the Promise of the Father is the Spirit of Holiness!" And "Yes, unless we have this Promise of the Father today, our nation, our churches, our homes, and even our own souls will fall to the onslaught of the devil."

But our problem is this, too many of us today are suffering from SPIRITUAL ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER! (SADD) We will not wait! We will not stay in the place of prayer! We will not surrender all! We will not set aside entertainment, eating, and delights of the flesh, so that we can devote ourselves to being filled with THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER!

I "googled" "The Promise of the Father," and I was surprised that one of my first hits was from the New York Times! A Bishop in the Methodist Church had preached a sermon on "The Promise of the Father," and was quoted in the paper saying, "The disciples were not to wait for this promise of the Father in the theater, in the billiard room, in the ten-pin alley, in the places of public amusement!" November 19, 1877. I can't imagine the editors of the New York Times publishing such truth today!

It is another evidence of the depths to which we have fallen. Oh that God would give us such a hunger and thirst for righteousness and for the Spirit of Holiness, that we would purposefully, specifically, and without reservation wait for the Promise of the Father!