Reading: Acts 1
Welcome to the New Levels devotional which begins today with Acts 1.
The Book of Acts tells the story of the early church. It’s full of amazing miracles, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and tells of how in a few short years, the Church spread at astonishing speed around the known world.
So if you’re not already, get excited for an amazing 28 days of reading.
Chapter 1 starts with the resurrected Jesus on the scene, but he didn’t stay around for long. Before verse 9 he’s ascended to Heaven leaving a time of waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, during which they decide how to replace Judas.
Between his resurrection, and his ascension to heaven, there were just 40 days.
In this time Jesus was preparing the disciples to go to new levels with the power they would receive from the promised Holy Spirit. The disciples had heard the promise of the Holy Spirit loud and clear, but what they saw in front of them was Jesus leaving on a cloud.
They entered into a period of uncertainty.
You can imagine the questions: What would the Holy Spirit be like? How would he come? What would he look like? They hadn’t experienced the Holy Spirit before like they were about to, and they wouldn’t have known what to expect.
Then there was the timing.
Jesus said the Holy Spirit would come in a ‘few days’ which is hardly what you’d call a precise schedule! Nevertheless, they were told to wait, and wait is what they did, because to go to new levels, they needed new power!
They couldn’t go where they were going in their own strength.
In this time they had to dig deep and remember the promises Jesus had made, and trust that he knew best. Nine days later the Holy Spirit came and moved through them in ways none of them could have expected in their wildest dreams.
You’ll have to come back tomorrow to see what happens next, but the principle I draw from this passage, is that new levels, requires new power.
Contributed by Ps Dan