50 Days Prayers and Devotions

One of the most significant time periods in the Bible; 50 Days is the time from the Cross to Pentecost.

During these 50 days, events happened that would transform the world, ensure the redemption of God’s people, while guaranteeing the destruction of Satan and his evil host of angels.

During the first 40 days of this time period, Jesus taught His disciples while they reflected back on His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus clarified many of His teachings that were often confusing to the disciples. Jesus then “…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

The disciples heeded His command. During the following ten days:

“The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship. They drew nearer and nearer to God, and as they did this they realized what a privilege had been theirs in being permitted to associate so closely with Christ. Sadness filled their hearts as they thought of how many times they had grieved Him by their slowness of comprehension, their failure to understand the lessons that, for their good, He was trying to teach them.

“These days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. The disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy unction that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely. They were weighted with the burden of the salvation of souls. They realized that the gospel was to be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ had promised.” (Acts of the Apostles, p37)

Immediately following the 10 days of prayer and soul searching, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was poured out in great power on each of them (Acts 2). During the following days, weeks, months and years, tens of thousands were won to Christ through the disciples’ Spirit anointed preaching. A similar, yet even more powerful latter rain of the Spirit, will empower God’s last-day people to call men and women out of spiritual Babylon’s false teachings, preparing them for Christ’s second coming.

About Dennis Smith:

Pastor Dennis Smith received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University. While at Colorado State he became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. After working in engineering for a short time, he felt the call to full-time ministry. Smith has served the church as active laymen, and in pastoral and departmental positions for over 50 years. He graduated from Andrews University Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity degree.

In September of 1999, the Lord led Pastor Smith to begin studying the biblical teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As a result of this study he was convicted to specifically pray for this biblical experience. Soon after he prayed for God to grant this infilling experience of the Spirit, a new spiritual life began to take hold. Almost immediately Dennis felt led to write about the things he was learning and experiencing. This book, and the many previous books, are the result of that experience.