At the start of this year, we have sensed that there are three things for us to seek in 2026 – anticipation of God, and a visitation and habitation of His Holy Spirit. Let’s unpack those three words.
Throughout our lives from early childhood to later years we all at times experience the sense of anticipation. Looking forward to family holidays, starting a new school, birthdays, starting a new job, getting married, and of course, as a child the excitement of Christmas.
In the late 40’s, early 50’s there wasn’t the razzmatazz of today’s Christmas with all its noise, glitter and credit cards. I well remember as a young child a pillow case with small gifts lovingly and sacrificially given and an orange. Listening to carols on the radio, having roast chicken for special Christmas lunch. Even in such simplicity we had excitement and anticipation.
The Bible has anticipation right through it. The Old Testament was anticipating the coming of the Messiah, Christ Jesus the Saviour of the world, and the New Testament culminates in Christ’s second coming and His eternal rule and reign.
Each year we celebrate again the coming of Christ Jesus the Saviour of the world followed by an anticipation for the New Year. For all of us there will be elements of excitement, hope, fear, anxiety, and expectation in our anticipation.
For followers of Jesus, our anticipation is fuelled by faith in a faithful Triune God who has promised in His word, never to leave us or forsake us. ‘Faith that comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses’. (Hebrews 11, Amplified Bible).
The World Prayer centre have led a weekly Revival Prayer hour with friends from across the UK and other nations, in anticipation of a spiritual awakening, and a visitation by the Holy Spirit in and through the Body of Christ on earth, bringing the Kingdom of God into every sphere of our nation – Family, Church, Education, Government. Media and communication, the Arts and Business.
This spiritual awakening occurs as the Holy Sprit comes in the form of a visitation on an individual. There are many examples in the bible – David the shepherd who became King, Mary the Mother of Jesus, Saul who became the Apostle Paul and many that have taken place up to today.
A visitation by the Holy Spirit can also come upon a community and even a nation. A visitation upon the Moravians in the 17th century started a 100 year prayer meeting that sent missionaries with the gospel too many nations. We can think about revivals in Ireland, the Hebrides’ and Wales that transformed whole communities, brought integrity, honesty and dignity to every sphere of society. The Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
We rejoice and thank God for these visitations, but is there a longing in our hearts for an increasing sense of His presence in us? What a miracle of God’s grace that through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, through our repenting and turning from our sins, the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – lives in us, abides in us, and dwells in us. We become the the place for His habitation.
Whether you have been a follower of Jesus a few days or many years, or whether you are searching for real change, hope, forgiveness, truth, let us together ask God for faith and anticipation to believe for a visitation from Him that will transform our lives as He by His Spirit takes up habitation. As He dwells in us, transforming us day by day into the likeness of Jesus. WOW!! What will that do to us, our family, our church, our community, yes, and even our nation.
So, we urge you this year, to join us praying for anticipation, visitation and habitation in our lives.
Ian Cole is the founder of the World Prayer Centre.
