“He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” Acts 1:3–5
Have you ever been to a party and observed a guest who was just bursting with energy, happiness, and joy?
The person couldn’t stop laughing, telling jokes, and having a good time. Oftentimes someone will say, “I want what he’s got”—meaning, “I wish I could be as joy-filled as that guy.”
Do you ever read the accounts of Jesus in the Gospels and think, I want what he’s got!? Do you ever wish you could heal people or speak with authority or pray as he did? The Bible says that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15; 4:1). The power that Jesus had was from the Spirit of God in him.
Isn’t it amazing that the text for today says that, as believers in Jesus, we are filled (i.e., “baptized”) with that same power? In some ways, the whole book of Acts is about how those who follow Jesus, when they are filled with God’s Spirit and follow his lead, can do amazing things that give glory to God and build his church.
The truth is, if you have trusted in Jesus for salvation by giving your life to him, you do have what he’s got.
Read
- What do you love about getting presents from your friends or family?
- We generally know in our heads that God is a loving Father who enjoys giving good gifts. Do you know this in your heart? If you do, what lets you understand this? If not, what might be keeping you from knowing it down deep?
Prayer
All parents love to see their children’s faces light up on Christmas morning or birthdays when presents are unwrapped. In the same way, God loves to give his Spirit to his children. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to those who come to him as Savior and Lord, confessing their need and repenting of their sin. All you need to do is ask, and God will fill you with his Spirit, giving you new desires to serve and follow him, along with power to live a life that glorifies him through word and deed.
Ask God to give you more of his Spirit. He loves to do it when we ask in him.
This devotion is adapted from the Acts Study Guide: Chapters 1–5 resource.
