ACTS | Ps Nick Hind

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting in the Locked Room

The disciples huddled behind closed doors, hands still smelling of fish from breakfast. Jesus had told them to wait – not strategize, not preach, not conquer Rome. Just wait. Their sandals tapped impatiently on stone floors as days stretched like drying papyrus. Yet in the waiting, God was preparing Pentecost’s fire. [02:14]

Jesus knew power comes through surrender, not striving. The Holy Spirit fills empty vessels, not overstuffed schedules. When we wait, we declare God’s timing surpasses our urgency.

Where are you rushing ahead instead of waiting on God’s power? What practical step could you take this week to create space for holy anticipation?

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 1:4-5, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one area where you’ve substituted human striving for Spirit-led waiting.
Challenge: Set a phone timer for 2:14 PM today – when it rings, pause for 60 seconds of silent expectation.

Day 2: Filled to Overflow

Andrew’s call began with a splash – John’s water baptism symbolizing repentance. But Jesus promised immersion in living fire. The disciples’ first assignment wasn’t preaching but receiving – letting God fill them until love spilled into streets and synagogues. [19:22]

The Holy Spirit doesn’t top up our existing resources – He replaces well-water with living water. Like Andrew’s simple testimony to Peter, overflow happens when we stop calculating capacity and start trusting God’s infinite supply.

When did you last feel spiritually “full”? What would change if you approached today as a Spirit-saturated vessel rather than an empty jug?

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
(Titus 3:5-6, NIV)

Prayer: Confess any self-reliance and ask for fresh filling.
Challenge: Drink three glasses of water today – with each sip, pray “Flood me, Holy Spirit.”

Day 3: The Andrew Assignment

Andrew’s sandals slapped the dirt road as he sprinted to find Simon. No polished sermon, just breathless testimony: “We’ve found the Messiah!” One ordinary man’s obedience ignited Peter’s world-changing ministry. [38:09]

Witnessing isn’t about eloquence but overflow. Andrew didn’t convert Peter – he simply introduced him to Jesus. Our role is the splash that starts the ripple, not the wave that finishes the journey.

Who’s “Simon” in your life – the person you’re uniquely positioned to introduce to Christ through simple, consistent love?

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”
(John 1:40-42, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for the “Andrew” who brought you to Jesus.
Challenge: Text one person today with this phrase: “I saw something that reminded me of you – can I share?”

Day 4: Messy Miracle Multiplication

Fish multiplied as disciples distributed baskets. Believers multiplied as ordinary people shared their stories. The Jerusalem church grew from 120 to 3,000 through spilled wine, healed beggars, and fishermen turned truth-tellers. [22:47]

God’s kingdom advances through our availability, not ability. Every “messy miracle” in Acts began with someone saying yes to imperfect obedience – like Philip handing his fish lunch to Andrew.

What kingdom multiplication could God spark through your simple “yes” today?

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
(Acts 2:44-47, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one practical way to invest in someone’s spiritual growth this week.
Challenge: Bake cookies/buy coffee for someone while saying, “God reminded me of you today.”

Day 5: Unfinished Story, Unstoppable Power

Paul’s rented Rome apartment became a revival hub. Chains couldn’t silence his testimony; prison guards became converts. The book of Acts ends mid-sentence because your story continues the paragraph. [24:28]

The same Spirit that empowered fishermen and transformed persecutors now lives in you. Your workplace, family group chat, and grocery line are modern “Jerusalem” – your mission field.

What unfinished chapter might God want to write through your surrendered life today?

“Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Acts 28:31, NIV)

Prayer: Ask for boldness to share your Jesus-story in one natural conversation today.
Challenge: Write “Acts 29:1” on your hand – when someone asks, explain it’s your life verse.

Sermon Summary

We gather as a Spirit powered family called to wait, to be filled, and then to move. We admit our impatience and the cultural pull to avoid waiting, yet Scripture invites us into patient expectancy so the Holy Spirit can do more than inform us. Waiting prepares clean vessels, and Jesus promises not merely a rite but an immersion that transforms inwardly and overflows outwardly. That filling comes not for our comfort but for witness. The Spirit equips ordinary people to testify with authority, and that testimony carries supernatural power beyond rhetoric. We trace the movement in Acts from people being added to becoming devoted disciples, to organized community, to multiplication, and finally to global spread. The gospel bears fruit by being given away, and growth proceeds as followers move from receiving to sharing. The smallest acts of introduction matter. Simple, persistent witness like Andrew bringing one person to Jesus ignites multiplication. We see that transformation deepens as we explain, invite, and embody what we claim to believe. The church thrives not when it polishes its preferences but when it leans into its calling to be a messy miracle that welcomes the Spirit and risks relational outreach. We therefore embrace continual dependence on the Holy Spirit, cultivate stories that carry power, and commit to relational invitations that allow others to encounter Jesus. Our faith matures as we practice giving the gospel, and the mission continues unfinished until the ends of the earth. So we will wait expectantly, be filled repeatedly, and then go with boldness to introduce Jesus to the people in our worlds.

Key Takeaways

1. Wait to be filled with Spirit Waiting does not delay our mission; it prepares us to fulfill it. We should cultivate expectant patience that refuses quick fixes and superficial activity. Waiting invites the Spirit to settle inside our ordinary schedules so our witness becomes an overflow, not a performance. [13:30]
2. Baptism shifts ritual into transformation Baptism in the Spirit moves us from external observance to interior renewal. True conversion reorders desires and priorities so that outward practices flow from a changed heart. We should look for signs of inward realignment, not simply repeated religious actions. [17:56]
3. Power makes testimony persuasive The gospel carries inherent supernatural power that accompanies honest testimony. When we share what Jesus has done, the words themselves can break hardness and change hearts. We should trust the Spirit to use our simple stories more than our polished arguments. [33:51]
4. Sharing deepens our own faith We rarely fully understand what we have until we invite others into it. Teaching, explaining, and walking with someone else refines our grasp and enlarges our faith. We should seek opportunities to bring one person closer to Jesus and learn as we lead. [27:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:03] - The Gift of Waiting
[02:14] - Prayer for the Holy Spirit
[13:00] - Reading Acts chapter one
[19:22] - Baptized and Filled
[21:02] - From Addition to Multiplication
[36:12] - Andrew, the Model Witness
[42:36] - Invitation to Pray and Respond

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 1:4-8 (ESV)
“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

Observation Questions

What specific instruction did Jesus give the disciples about waiting in Jerusalem, and what did He contrast John’s baptism with? ([13:30])
How does the progression in Acts shift from people being “added” to becoming “disciples” and eventually “multiplying” the church? ([21:02])
What example does Andrew’s story provide about introducing others to Jesus, even in simple ways? ([36:12])
According to Colossians 1:6 (referenced in the sermon), what is the evidence that the gospel has truly taken root in someone’s life?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasized waiting as a prerequisite for receiving power, even though the disciples were eager to act? How does impatience hinder spiritual preparation? ([13:30])
The sermon contrasts John’s baptism (external ritual) with baptism in the Holy Spirit (internal transformation). How does this distinction shape our understanding of true conversion? ([17:56])
Andrew’s simple act of bringing his brother Peter to Jesus sparked a chain reaction. Why might God prioritize relational, “ordinary” introductions over polished methods of sharing faith? ([36:12])
The sermon says, “We rarely fully understand what we have until we invite others into it.” Why does explaining faith to others deepen our own grasp of it?

Application Questions

What distractions or “quick fixes” do you need to set aside to create space for waiting on the Holy Spirit’s filling this week? How could this intentional waiting change your daily rhythms? ([13:30])
Baptism in the Spirit reorders desires inwardly. What outward habit or routine in your life might need to shift to reflect this inward transformation? ([17:56])
Think of one person in your world (a colleague, neighbor, or family member) who needs an introduction to Jesus. What specific, simple step could you take this week to share your story or invite them into a conversation? ([36:12])
The sermon mentions that “sharing deepens our own faith.” When have you experienced this truth? What fears or hesitations might you need to surrender to start sharing more openly?
The church is called a “messy miracle.” Where have you seen beauty in the messiness of Christian community? How can you lean into that calling rather than striving for perfection?
What “small act of introduction” (like Andrew’s) have you been avoiding because it feels insignificant? How could you act on it in the next seven days?

Sermon Clips

28s

#FilledToOverflow

“``Wait to be filled. What wait, not just wait for some information. Wait for them because they're still saying, yeah, but Jesus, when are you gonna do it? And he's like, no. No. No. No. You're gonna do it. Wait and be filled. The terminology that, you know, is attached to this, you know, the original language means things more like be being filled, ongoing, continually. This is continual filling. This filling to overflowing. And it means that what you share is not just a story, but an experience.”

34s

#ShareToUnderstand

“``To really get something means to share. I I've found in my life that the things I understand the best are the things that I have attempted to share with somebody else. That I've I haven't fully got it until I've tried to give it. That there that there's still bits that I'm I'm missing until I've tried to maybe describe it to somebody else, demonstrate it to somebody else, invite somebody else into something, show them what it looks like, just to bring somebody else into the picture is one of the greatest ways to actually continue to get it myself.”

29s

#ShareTheExperience

“``Is it when you when you share Jesus with people, you're you're not just wrote reciting some thoughts. You're not just sharing a quote or two. You're not just reposting. You're sharing an experience. You know, like, it's not about talking people into Jesus. It's it's inviting them in. It's inviting them into an encounter with him and what he has done in your life. That's the thing no one can argue with, your story, Your story.”

32s

#PowerInTheName

“``Right? Sometimes we feel like as soon as we use the word Jesus, then we have to suddenly in the name Jesus, we suddenly gotta start describing and coming with all these witty things to say and be able to draw pictures. And sometimes that's helpful. But did you know there's power in the name of Jesus? Like demons tremble at that name. That that that name that name shifts atmospheres. You don't have to be that smart. You don't have to be that articulate. You don't have to be that wise or that experienced.”

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