Day 13: Together, Filled with the Spirit
Acts 2:17 says that “In the last days, God will pour out His Spirit on all people.” And at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell, everything changed!
The Holy Spirit broke every barrier of hatred, prejudice, and anger. There is no more Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female – all are one in Christ Jesus.
The Spirit’s outpouring of divine love shattered every divide within families, in schools, and at work.
Pentecost was more than just an outpouring of power. It was an outpouring of love.
Romans 5:5 says: “… God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit …”
It is this divine love that compels us to go beyond ourselves, reaching the marginalised and the broken just as Jesus did.
A love that compels us to keep believing for miracles – healing the sick and freeing the oppressed, just as our Lord Jesus did.
A love that rises above pain and resentment to forgive even our enemies, just as our Jesus did.
Pentecost was more than just an outpouring of power. It was an outpouring of love.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with God’s divine love.
William Seymour, the leader of the Azusa Street Revival, said: “The Pentecostal power, when you sum it all up, is just more of God’s love.”
So how do we bear witness to Christ? How do we lead our generation to Jesus?
Jesus puts it simply: “A new command I give you: Love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)
Won’t you decide today to surrender to the Holy Spirit, surrender to His divine love?
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger. Repent of loud quarrelling and gossip, and stop being mean-spirited in your words and actions. You can start from your home!
Just as the apostle Paul says in the book Ephesians: “Be filled with the Holy Spirit … be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” (Ephesians 5:18, 4:32)
The more we focus on God’s love, the more the supernatural power of the Spirit would be released in our lives and ministries.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with God’s divine love.
In the 1950s, David Wilkerson felt called to reach New York gang members. When he met Nicky Cruz, the leader of the violent Mau Maus gang, Nicky threatened him, “You come near me and I will kill you!” Wilkerson replied, “Yeah, you could do that. You could cut me up into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street, and every piece will still love you.”
This fearless, persistent, unconditional love shocked Nicky, and over time, he surrendered his life to Jesus. Nicky became an evangelist and brought many, many hardcore gangsters to Jesus. Hallelujah!
Friends, it is divine love that makes us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) in every situation. It is divine love that compels us to keep believing when it’s against all odds. It’s divine love that compels us to contend for miracles.
May the Holy Spirit fill you with God’s love!
Let us pray.
Father, fill us with Your Spirit.
Help us to love as our Lord Jesus loves. We surrender our anger and our unforgiveness. Transform us, and let Your love flow through us into the world, drawing our generation to Jesus by Your unstoppable love.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!