Waiting Upon the Lord and Renewing Your Spiritual Strength

Message Overview

The service opens with congregational worship, prayer, scripture reading from Psalm 120, testimonies of God's faithful provision, and a video greeting from Pastor Ratna Maitra from New Jersey. Following the preliminary order of service, Sister Kalpana Johnson delivers the main message, translated into Telugu by Sister Ramya Pradeep.

Sister Kalpana bases her sermon on Isaiah 40:28-31, where the prophet Isaiah emphasizes the greatness, eternal power, and unsearchable understanding of God. Though human energy fades and young men falter, the everlasting God never grows weary. He promises to impart strength to the weak and power to the faint. Sister Kalpana highlights the metaphor of the eagle, noting how eagles fly at high altitudes, utilize rising wind currents rather than exhausting themselves by flapping, and go through a secluded process of plucking out old feathers to allow new ones to grow. Similarly, believers must spend personal time waiting in God's presence, stripping away worldly patterns and relying on the Holy Spirit's power to elevate them above earthly troubles.

Continuing into Romans 12:1-2, Sister Kalpana encourages the congregation to present their bodies as living sacrifices and resist conforming to the standards and fashions of the present world. True transformation comes through the renewing of the mind, enabling believers to discern and fulfill the acceptable and perfect will of God. She cautions against introducing worldly compromises into personal living and church practices, urging believers to maintain absolute spiritual purity.

To illustrate steadfastness and non-conformity, she points to the life of Daniel (Daniel 1:8-20; 9:21-23). Despite being taken captive to Babylon and stripped of his culture, Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king's food or wine. Because of his commitment to holy living and his dedicated prayer life, God granted Daniel and his companions extraordinary favor, health, and ten times more wisdom than all the magicians of Babylon. Furthermore, as Daniel waited on the Lord in persistent prayer for his nation, God sent the angel Gabriel to assure him that he was greatly beloved.

Finally, Sister Kalpana refers to Acts 1:4 and Acts 2:1-4, reminding the church that Jesus commanded His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. The 120 believers gathered in unity in the upper room, patiently waiting in prayer until the Holy Spirit descended with power like a rushing mighty wind. That patient waiting transformed a small group into an empowered movement that impacted the world. She concludes by encouraging the church to wait faithfully upon God, assured that He will renew their strength, restore lost years, and grant victory.