DAY TWENTY THREE - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE CREATION
“Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”
2 Peter 1: 21
Reading: 1 Peter 1: 11; Acts 1: 16; Acts 4: 25; Acts 28: 25
The Holy Spirit guided all of the authors of Scripture so that what they wrote was not only their own words but also the words of God himself. “No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). But he is not the author of Scripture alone, he is also the power of God.
Jesus himself ministered by the power of the Spirit. After Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the wilderness, he “returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee” (Luke 4:14), and immediately he not only “taught in their synagogues” (Luke 4:15) where his word possessed “authority” (v. 32), but he also began performing many miracles such as casting out demons (Luke 4:33-36) and healing “any who were sick with various diseases” (Luke 4:40).
Jesus later promised his disciples the same power, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8). Later, when the disciples were “filled with the Holy Spirit” they “speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). And Paul’s preaching to the Thessalonians resulted in many conversions when his preaching came to them “not only in word, but also with power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thess. 1:5). The power of the Holy Spirit was also evident in giving miracles that attested to the truthfulness of the Gospel message and its divine origin.
Why should the same power not be available to us today?
Prayer
Lord God, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit I pray, so that I can be effective in my witness of You.
For the family
Explain
Read the story about how Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit, led into the wilderness and then returned in the power of the Spirit to do miracles and healings.
Engage
Explain that because we are “in Christ” we too can ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to do the work of God. Pray together as a family asking to be immersed in the power of the Holy Spirit.
