The Book of Acts: Turn Your World Upside DownSample

Today’s Devotional:

Have you ever been lost before? The first time Julie and I went backpacking through Rome, we couldn’t afford a guide. So we found ourselves wandering around in a foreign country without knowing where to go, how to speak the language, or how to maximize our trip. But on our 25th wedding anniversary, I took Julie back to Rome and hired a private guide who grew up in the area. Our guide changed the trip from average to an adventure. He knew the history, the backstreets, the best pasta places, and even where to find the best gelato. We had the best time and learned so much—all because we had a guide.

In Acts chapter one, Jesus tells His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the gift that He's going to send them after His ascension—that gift was their guide (John 16:13), the Holy Spirit. When you think about the group He's talking to—they should have been the most prepared and equipped to do anything. After all, they just spent three years in a one-on-one leadership intensive with Jesus! They were the recipients of the best leadership material ever communicated. But Jesus basically said to them, “Listen, before you try to go do anything, wait for this gift I have for you. Don't try to do it on your own.”

If the disciples needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill their purpose—you and I need the Holy Spirit to fulfill ours. Many times, we try to be too self-sufficient, even in our Christian walk, and we don't realize how dependent we need to be on the Holy Spirit. We go through life trying to do it on our own, like I did on my first trip to Rome. We end up wandering around lost, without a guide, and missing out on so much. We need The Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and fill us with His presence and power.

A lot of Christians believe in the existence of the Holy Spirit but avoid an experience with Him. Some have heard of Him but don’t realize they can hear from Him. They are missing out on the daily adventure of having the Holy Spirit as their guide. The best way to live is not dependent on ourselves but dependent on the Holy Spirit. As believers, we should live in such a way that if the Holy Spirit doesn’t show up, we cannot do what God is calling us to do. We see examples of this Spiritual dependence and desperation all throughout the Bible—but especially in the Book of Acts.

Try starting each day saying, “Come, Holy Spirit, I need you today to fill me with your power and your presence.” When we stay in that place of an open-handed posture to receive and depend on the Holy Spirit, it keeps us walking in His supernatural power instead of living limited in our own abilities. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your daily guide, and watch as He takes your life from average to an adventure.

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Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Todd Mullins.

Questions to Consider:

• Are you settling for partial power or depending on the full power of the Holy Spirit?
• Do you feel in over your head? What examples from God’s Word encourage you to depend on the Holy Spirit rather than your own abilities?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, fill me with your power and presence today. Be my guide. Lead me and help me to depend on you. Help me to step into the adventure of surrendering to you daily. Amen.