THURSDAY: EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT
KEY PASSAGE
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
DEVOTIONAL
Did you know that in the same moment you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and receive him as your Savior, you also receive the Holy Spirit? This is called immediate indwelling, when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you and marks you as a follower of Jesus.
It’s this simple: If you have Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. He is the Helper, Comforter, and Advocate; the Spirit of Truth, Promise, and Revelation. This is the same Spirit who filled the early Church and who fills us as followers of Jesus today, and the Spirit is not stagnant within us. The filling of the Holy Spirit moves us to DO something, and to do it boldly.
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” – James 2:26
Just like the Red Letter Way journey starts with BEING and moves into actionable steps, our relationship with the Spirit is the same. As the Spirit works in our lives over time in a multitude of ways, each completed work in us leads us to a bold, God-glorifying action.
CHALLENGE
How has the Holy Spirit been working in you? Is he helping, comforting, or advocating for you? Is he speaking truth into your life? Is he revealing knowledge or wisdom to you?
Write down the ways you notice the Holy Spirit working in your life.
You might notice the Holy Spirit prompting you to respond with action. Sharing your faith… Forgiving someone who wronged you… Confessing sinful behavior… Encouraging a friend… Purchasing someone’s meal… Helping a coworker with a project… Meeting your neighbor… Talking to that parent at the sporting event… Asking a classmate out for coffee…
Write down what you feel prompted to do.
What is your primary emotion in moving in an act of faith? Excitement… joy… fear… frustration… eagerness… procrastination… Be honest with God about how you feel.
Write down a completed version of this sentence: “Today, filled with the Spirit, I will boldly __________ .”