Receive Power | Kristi's Morning Devotional

During the 70’s Dave and I were moving from New Mexico back to our home in Arizona. We had everything we owned in a U-Haul truck which Dave was driving. I was in the car with our four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.

What a long and boring stretch of road. Unknown to us, U-Haul had placed a governor on the engine. Dave’s top speed was 60 mph. Anytime he got behind someone and needed to pass he was unable to accelerate. I cannot begin to tell you how frustrated he was when we arrived at our destination.

My Christian life was like that for years. No power to accelerate!

…I lived with the motto “just struggle by as best you can and when you get to heaven it will all be worth it”. I was a frustrated Christian.

I knew I was a child of God; I knew I was part of the church. But without knowing that God had given me His righteousness, made me a joint-heir with Christ and had placed the power of the Holy Spirit to dwell within me I was just “an old chunk of coal” hoping to someday become a diamond.

Jesus lived a life filled with power and He gave that same power to His disciples.

While Jesus was here on earth the disciples experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit being with them. Before He left this earth, Jesus gave His disciples a command to go and wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. There the Holy Spirit would fill them with power.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helperto be with you forever.The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The people of the world cannot accept him because they don’t see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.” John 16:16-17 ERV

“And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” Acts 2:4 NLV

The Holy Spirit went from being with the disciples to living in them.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NLT

The Holy Spirit came and filled the disciples with power. The “spiritual” governor on their engine had been removed!

The Holy Spirit desires to fill our lives with the same power that He gave those believers in Jerusalem. He will live in us and strengthen us. When He empowers us our lives change. The “governor” of fear and doubt is removed and we are free to experience the victory that is ours in Christ.

The last few mornings I have gotten up with one thought in mind – I wanted to go back to bed. I just haven’t slept well and felt my energy stores were low. I got up thinking “I’ll get a nap in later today” but later came and went and the time for napping went with it.

Yesterday, after my shower I did go in and lay down. I took my laptop and brought up a teaching by Josh Morris on the Kingdom of God. I listened to it three times. My body needed the rest and my heart needed the message.

I’m sure we’ve all seen the low power icon on our laptops, phones or tablets. “Power supply at 10%. Plug into power source.” And if we don’t heed the warning, we will get another one in a few minutes telling us we only have 7% of my power and if we ignore that warning the whole thing shuts down.

That’s how I was feeling. My power was in short supply, I was running low and about to shut down. I’ve been there many times and that weariness is my warning that I’m operating on stored power and need to reconnect to the power supply. I know I have written about this before but I needed to hear it again.

Jesus knew what it was like to need recharging. He would get up early in the morning and go to a quiet place to pray. He would draw power in prayer. Jesus knew his disciples would need that same power. Right before He ascended back to heaven He gave his disciples this command. Jesus gave them what He saw as their primary mission.

“One time when Jesus was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here until you receive what the Father promised to send. Remember, I told you about it before. ⁵John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.” Acts 1:4,5,8 ERV

Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is the same. We should give testimony of what God has done in our lives. Starting first with those closest to us and spreading out from there. Our family, our friends, neighbors, work mates…

Jesus knew they needed to be connected to the power supply, the Holy Spirit. It was essential. Jesus didn’t do any miracles or ministry until He had the Holy Spirit empowering Him and He doesn’t want us to attempt anything on our own either.

We need to be connected.

Thank you Father for reminding me that my power drains but I have the promise of Your power source with unlimited supply. I desire to stay plugged in to You today!

Tag: Receive Power

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