January 2 – 9, 2026

HOLY SPIRIT POWER

Acts 1:3-7 “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive… On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ …they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.’”

Isn’t it interesting that after Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples want to know, “Now are You going to overthrow the Romans? Now are You going to put us in power with You?” They were looking to Jesus to do what Jews always expected their long-awaited Messiah to do.

But Jesus doesn’t answer their political power question. Instead He is more interested in empowering them with the Holy Spirit. He gives them an answer about the source of true power: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). God fills His people with power without having to put them in power! 

The Book of Acts begins with the disciples receiving what Jesus received in order to do what Jesus did. The power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life on earth gave Him authority to demonstrate God’s power by healing the sick, casting out demons, and freeing those in bondage to disease and suffering. The same power and same authority in Jesus were now available to the disciples. And it is available to us today.

Power means ability or capacity, meaning we are now to live super-naturally natural lives in the ability and capacity of the Holy Spirit, not our own. If you’ve been trying to do things on your own and have failed, is it time to activate Holy Spirit power in your life and go forth and heal the sick in power, preach the good news in power, raise the dead in power? Not your own power, but GOD-given power and authority! And see supernatural results!

 

This is an excerpt from a 90-day devotional written by Emil and Karen. To order the full devotional, click on the TO ORDER DEVOTIONAL page.