Devotion - Wednesday May 27 - Jesus Promises Power

Text: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:6-8

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. - Acts 2:1-4

Devotion: Have you ever considered the uselessness of a glove as it sits on a counter. The life of a Christian without the Holy Spirit is much like a glove without a hand.  There is no power.  The glove has no life by itself but the hand in the glove is what gives the glove the power to accomplish a task.  Much like this the Christian, without the power of the Holy Spirit, is not able to accomplish anything of eternal value.  I cannot draw a person into a relationship with Jesus on my own.  I cannot overcome sin in my life on my own. I cannot convince another that the path they are taking in disobedience to God’s plan is not the way they should go.  On the day of Pentecost, God the Holy Spirit fell upon His people.  Believers began witnessing to others in known languages.  They had power and boldness they had lacked.  The result?  Over 3,000 were saved.  We don’t have the power to change the world but God does. He has been using insignificant people who are surrendered to Him for centuries.  

Read and pray through Acts 1:6-8 and Acts 2:1-4.

Questions:

• When the disciples begin to ask Jesus about restoring the kingdom to Israel, how does he redirect their thinking?
• What promise does he give them?
• How does he expand the disciples thinking about what is next?
• Ponder the supernatural power described in Acts 2.  Do you truly understand that the same Holy Spirit lives in us?