And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NASB)
I know a professional golfer who won a PGA Tour event a few years ago. Imagine the raw exhilaration and joy. After the final press conference, he was hungry and had dinner before he left. He then looked back in the empty press tent and realized it was all over. A few years from that point, they would have forgotten who won. He surmised, “There has to be something more than this.”
We who follow Jesus know that there is more. We have the indescribable gift God gave us—none other than the Holy Spirit. Once we have that “more,” we need not ask for anymore, and we should never settle for less.
Jesus was very specific in his teaching regarding the Holy Spirit. Moments before he left this world and soon after his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” (Acts 1:8, NASB).
Jesus was not only specific, but he knew exactly when this change would happen. Precisely 50 days later, the events of the Day of Pentecost are described in Acts 2. This is a marvelous chapter to read regarding the power and significance of that gift. The Host Spirit was not only given the early church two thousand years ago; he is our gift and power today.
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When my grandmother said, “Bless your heart,” what she meant is that you are too dumb to talk to right now!
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Peter preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, and three thousand people were saved in one day! This Peter is the same who had denied even knowing Jesus just over a month before this sermon. A young girl scared him then; now, he would preach to thousands and eventually die for sis savior. What changed? The Holy Spirit was the “more” he received.
The pastor of our local church just finished a sermon series on the Holy Spirit entitled There Is More. He said, “If you think you can live this life in this demonic world on your own power, then I would say, ‘Bless your heart.’” He went on the say that this phrase is not intended to be a sweet statement. He concluded, “When you hear ‘bless your heart’, know that you have been Southern cussed.” When my grandmother said, “Bless your heart,” what she meant is that you are too dumb to talk to right now!
We need to understand this special gift of more. The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit so that we might have his power. I need his power to even write this devotional, and we all need his power to understand what is says. Most definitely, we need the Holy Spirit’s power to live the victorious life. And we already have what we need. So, go live the abundant life with the power Jesus intended. Never settle for less.
Closing prayer – Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this indescribable gift of your Holy Spirit that you have given us to lead the way.