TARRY

Luke 24:45-49 (KJV)
“45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ...
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Having been raised Pentecostal tarrying in the altar and praying until your encounter came as others encouraged and coached you became culture inspired by Scriptures like this. We had three specific systematic encounters calling us to tarry, the new spiritual birth, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The coaching taught one encounter preceded another until you had encountered each one in its full expectation. Those who had bought the “T” shirt and wore it were the local members inducting you into the culture as they told their own experience in these encounters. This caused an excitement and desire for the encounters.
When we went to the altar we went there to stay until the encounter had come in full power, until the transformation manifested and was evident. This cultural induction has its benefits and in another way has had a stifling effect.
The benefit is evident in these three encounters; on the other hand, we have had no coaching beyond them taking us to fresh and new encounters. As a result, many have grown cold and have stopped coaching others. The excitement has become molded historical events.
The only way to cure this stifling is to return to the altar and once again “tarry” until there is a fresh and new encounter with God. God and His manifest presence must be cultivated and sought after; we can never exhaust the manifest presence of God. With each manifestation comes greater power and strength for the journey from earth to glory.