Reach4Life- Journey 4: ChangeSample

DAY SEVEN: BECOMING EMPOWERED

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” – Acts 2:4, NIV

LISTEN

If someone plays an electric guitar unplugged, you’ll hardly hear it. However, plug it into a big amp and turn up the volume – and it can entertain a stadium filled with people!

God wants to plug our small lives into the power of his Spirit!

When this happens our impact in our world will be so much greater than if we tried to do it in our own strength. Our clever­ness and determination are not enough to make a difference; we need Spirit-given guidance, boldness and energy to succeed.

LOOK

Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4

LEARN

· God promises us a gift – the Holy Spirit (1:4, 5)

· When we are saved, we are born of the Spirit (John 3:5)

· God also wants to fill us with the Spirit (Acts 2:4)

· so that we will experience his presence, power (1:2-4),

· and boldness to be his witnesses (1:8).

Empowered by the Spirit, we will minister more effectively so that lives will be changed.

We can start by focusing on people we already know (v8), but then we must be willing to reach out to unknown people, cultures and places.

How does he fill us?

Jesus tells us that we need to come thirsting for him, asking in simple trust to be filled with his Spirit (see John 7:37-39). As wonderful as mountain top encounters with God can be, God wants us to keep on being filled every day (Ephesians 5:18).

This is only possible when we give the Spirit total control of our lives every day, both when we feel close to God, and when he feels far away.

LIVE

· Can you think of times when you sensed the Spirit’s presence, or him using you perhaps?

· Find some time to be alone somewhere today to thirstily ask Jesus for, and receive, the Spirit’s infilling.

LINK

For more on Becoming Empowered, read:

1 Corinthians 12:7-11