ACTS PT 2 | Powell Grisham

May 18, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Wind, Fire, and New Tongues

The disciples huddled in Jerusalem’s upper room when heaven’s roar shook the walls. A violent wind sound filled the house. Flames split like snakes’ tongues, resting on each head. Uneducated Galileans began speaking Persian, Egyptian, and Libyan dialects perfectly. The crowd stumbled over explanations, but God’s fingerprints marked the moment. [11:07]

This wasn’t random spectacle. Fire recalled Moses’ burning bush and Solomon’s temple dedication. Wind echoed Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones. Through tangible signs, God announced His permanent dwelling place: human hearts. The Spirit didn’t just visit—He moved in.

You’ve felt holy moments too—goosebumps during worship, sudden clarity in prayer, conviction during a friend’s story. The same Spirit who filled that room lives in you. Where have you dismissed His nudges as coincidence?

“Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
(Acts 2:2-4, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the Spirit to make you alert to His movements today—in creation, conversations, and quiet moments.

Challenge: Text one person about a time you sensed God’s presence unexpectedly.

Day 2: From Denier to Declarer

Peter stood before the Pentecost crowd, voice steady. Weeks earlier, he’d cursed to avoid association with Jesus. Now he quoted Joel and David, tracing Messiah’s story from crucifixion to resurrection. Religious leaders winced as he declared, “You killed the Author of life!” Three thousand hearts stirred under his Spirit-fueled words. [17:48]

The fisherman turned theologian didn’t muster courage alone. The Holy Spirit rewired his memory, connecting Torah passages to Jesus’ life. What Peter witnessed firsthand, the Spirit illuminated globally—through every translated syllable.

You’ve avoided spiritual conversations too, fearing awkwardness. But the Spirit knows your neighbor’s secret doubts and hidden hurts. What relationship have you avoided because you feel unqualified?

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem… Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs… you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.’”
(Acts 2:14,22-23, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one fear about sharing faith. Ask for boldness to speak Christ’s name specifically today.

Challenge: Write down three words that describe your faith story. Share one with a coworker or cashier.

Day 3: Hearts Cut, Lives Changed

The crowd’s mocking laughter died when Peter said “Messiah.” Jerusalem pilgrims clutched chests, feeling spiritual scalpels slice through excuses. “What do we do?” they begged. Peter prescribed repentance and baptism—not gradual behavior modification, but immediate identity transfer. Three thousand traded temple sacrifice routines for Spirit-led living. [25:41]

Conviction isn’t condemnation. The Spirit surgically removes sin’s cancer, not to shame but to heal. Baptism declared their old selves buried; the Spirit’s indwelling raised them to new life.

What sin have you tolerated as “manageable”? The Spirit waits to replace guilt with grace, addiction with authority. Which habit requires surrender today?

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
(Acts 2:37-38, ESV)

Prayer: Name one attitude or action that dulls your spiritual sensitivity. Ask for specific power to repent.

Challenge: Throw away or delete one item that represents your former life without Christ.

Day 4: The Gift You Didn’t Know You Needed

Before Pentecost, the disciples followed Jesus’ physical form. After, they carried His spiritual presence. The Holy Spirit—once limited to prophets and kings—now dwelled in fishermen, teens, and grandmothers. What seemed like a tragic loss (Jesus’ ascension) became their greatest gain: God within. [06:45]

We chase temporary comforts—water bottles, heated seats, apps. The Spirit offers eternal companionship. He doesn’t make life easier, but deeper—transforming drudgery into divine appointments.

Where have you sought satisfaction in gadgets or routines instead of His presence? What mundane task could become worship this week?

“And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
(Acts 2:38-39, ESV)

Prayer: Thank the Spirit for His constant presence—even when undetected. Ask to sense Him in ordinary moments.

Challenge: Place your water bottle or coffee cup where you’ll see it today. Let it remind you to drink spiritually from the Spirit.

Day 5: Turning Down the World’s Volume

The disciples didn’t receive the Spirit amidst chaos, but while waiting in stillness. Peter’s sermon cut through Jerusalem’s festival noise because he’d first quieted his heart. The Spirit speaks in whispers, not competing with Netflix binges or TikTok scrolls. [33:16]

We often treat prayer like a drive-thru intercom—talking at God while engines idle. Jesus modeled retreats to desolate places. The Spirit renews when we disconnect to reconnect.

What background noise—literal or emotional—drowns His voice? Which 15-minute time block will you silence devices to listen?

“And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains… but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”
(1 Kings 19:11-12, ESV)

Prayer: Delete one app that distracts you most. Ask the Spirit to fill that mental space with His truth.

Challenge: Set a phone timer for 5 minutes of complete silence today. Write down any promptings received.

Sermon Summary

Pentecost sets the scene as Luke shows 120 disciples waiting in Jerusalem for a gift they had heard about but never experienced. The gift turns out to be the Holy Spirit, not a luxury but the very power of God that changes how ordinary people live and speak. The day arrives with a “sound like” a violent wind and “what seemed to be” tongues of fire resting on each of them, language that admits mystery while making clear that God’s presence has arrived. Moses’ burning bush and Solomon’s temple fire echo in that moment, so the crowd can read the sign: God is here, not to consume, but to dwell.

The Spirit then acts. Uneducated Galileans begin speaking perfectly in the native languages of the nations gathered, and the content is unmistakable: “the wonders of God.” Some scoff and call it drunkenness, but Peter, now indwelt and emboldened, stands with the Eleven and answers the skeptic head-on. Joel’s promise, he says, is what everyone is seeing and hearing: in the last days God pours out his Spirit on all flesh. The cross, Peter insists, was “by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge,” and the indictment lands: “you… crucified” Jesus. But God overturns their verdict; “but God raised him from the dead,” just as David foresaw when he spoke of a descendant whose body would not see decay.

The gospel then presses for a verdict. God has made this Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Messiah. The crowd is “cut to the heart” and asks what to do. Peter gives a clear path: repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise reaches the children and “all who are far off,” and the church ignites as about 3,000 are added that day. The pattern is unmistakable: God sends the Spirit, the Spirit fills and empowers, the gospel is spoken plainly and courageously, and people respond.

The call now lands close to home. The church is not a building; the people who trust Jesus are the church, and the Spirit fuels their witness. The Spirit, like a perfect gentleman, will not shout over the world’s noise, so the invitation is practical: turn down the noise, turn up attention to him. Start the day with “Holy Spirit, I need you,” open Scripture and prayer with a request for understanding, and pre-decide to listen before entering the hard conversations. As that dial turns, the same Spirit who launched the church leads ordinary people into bold, clear life with Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. The Spirit turns need into power The gift is not a spiritual accessory; it is God’s own presence moving into ordinary lives to do what they cannot do. The Galileans do not gain skill through hustle; they are enabled. The shift from fear to faithful witness is not personality change but divine presence applied. The Spirit meets real-time need with real-time power. [13:11]
2. God’s plan outruns human sin “You crucified… but God raised” reframes guilt without denying it. Human choices carry weight, yet they cannot finally thwart God’s deliberate plan. Hope lives here: repentance does not edit the past, but it places the past inside God’s larger purpose and future. The cross becomes the doorway, not the dead end. [21:44]
3. Bold clarity flows from indwelling Peter moves from denying Jesus to proclaiming him because the Spirit now fills him. Courage here is not bluster; it is clarity anchored in Scripture and the risen Christ. When the moment presents itself, the Spirit supplies both words and witness. Obedience then sounds like plain speech that names Jesus. [17:20]
4. Repentance, baptism, and promise hold together Turning to Jesus reorients the mind and life, and baptism publicly seals that new allegiance. God answers that open confession with the promised gift: the Spirit given to near and far, to this generation and the next. Conversion is personal, but never private; the Spirit births people into a people. [26:08]
5. Turn down the noise to hear him The Spirit will not overpower the volume of the age, but he will meet the heart that attends to him. Beginning the day with “Holy Spirit, I need you,” opening Scripture with a request for light, and praying through the hard meetings tunes the soul. Quiet attention becomes the channel for guidance, patience, and timely words. [32:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Owala and unseen needs
[04:16] - The gift named: the Holy Spirit
[08:35] - Waiting in Jerusalem for the gift
[09:18] - Pentecost: nations gathered
[10:41] - Sound like wind, presence arrives
[11:49] - Tongues like fire on each
[13:11] - Filled and speaking in tongues
[17:20] - Peter’s Spirit-empowered address
[20:02] - Joel’s promise fulfilled
[21:44] - God raised Jesus from death
[24:41] - Jesus declared Lord and Messiah
[26:08] - Repent, be baptized, receive the Spirit
[28:46] - 3,000 added; church ignites
[32:55] - Turn down noise; walk by the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 2:1-4, 14-41 (ESV)
Joel 2:28-32 (ESV)
Psalm 16:10 (ESV)

Observation Questions

In Acts 2:1-4, what supernatural signs accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit, and how did the disciples respond?
How did Peter connect the events of Pentecost to Old Testament prophecies like Joel 2:28-32 and Psalm 16:10 in his sermon? [20:02]
What specific accusation did the crowd make about the disciples, and how did Peter address it? [18:23]
What three actions did Peter tell the crowd to take in response to his message (Acts 2:38)?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Luke described the Holy Spirit’s arrival using metaphors like “wind” and “fire” instead of literal terms? How might this connect to Old Testament themes of God’s presence (e.g., Moses’ burning bush)?
Peter emphasized that Jesus’ crucifixion was part of God’s “deliberate plan” (Acts 2:23). How does this truth reframe guilt and human responsibility while affirming God’s sovereignty? [21:44]
What does the crowd’s question—“What shall we do?”—reveal about the relationship between conviction of sin and the Holy Spirit’s work? [25:41]
Why is baptism linked to repentance and receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38? How do these actions work together in a person’s faith journey?

Application Questions

The Holy Spirit empowered ordinary people like Peter to speak boldly. Where in your life do you feel hesitant to share your faith, and how could you invite the Spirit’s help in those moments? [17:20]
Repentance involves turning away from sin and reorienting your life toward Jesus. What specific attitude, habit, or relationship might God be calling you to repent of this week?
Peter urged the crowd to “save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (Acts 2:40). What “noise” in your daily routine (e.g., distractions, busyness, fear) needs to be “turned down” to better hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance? [32:55]
The early church grew as people responded to the gospel with repentance, baptism, and community. How can you intentionally support someone exploring faith or newly committed to Jesus?
Starting the day with “Holy Spirit, I need you” was suggested as a practical step. What simple habit could you adopt this week to cultivate dependence on the Spirit’s presence? [34:22]

Sermon Clips

43s

#EarlyChurchRevival

“The early church launched from a group of people empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak a clear, courageous message right about who Jesus is. God had said, go and make disciples. And then when the holy spirit came upon them, they moved forward. With the opportunity that was there, with the gifts that was given, and with the nudge of the holy spirit that said, just go start speaking and watch what I do. To the tune of 3,000 people being added that day.”

27s

#RepentAndBelieve

“Peter wasn't willing to do that several weeks ago but as the Holy Spirit moved into Peter and as and as god presented the opportunity, he spoke with boldness. He spoke with clarity and he told them the first thing is you must repent which means he's saying, hey, you gotta change the whole way that you think. You've seen Jesus as his false teacher but Jesus is king, lord, savior, and messiah.”

26s

#RepentAndBaptize

“And I love how Peter answers. He was direct. He didn't say, well, hey, just don't do it again. He came at him straight with boldness and the steps that needed to be taken. He says in verse 36, Peter replied, repent and be baptized everyone of you. In the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit.”

32s

#PeterRestored

“This is a message that Peter stood up with courage and with clarity and and empowered by the Holy Spirit said to a group of people who were way more educated than him, way more influential than him, who were a group of people that a few weeks ago could've put him to death. Right? Peter who not too long after, well, right before Jesus was crucified, he said, he denied who Jesus was to a middle school girl. That's how afraid he was.”

30s

#DivinePlan

“He's reminding them, hey, you know these things. You've heard these things. This isn't brand new. In the culture, in the Jewish culture, you've heard talked about who Jesus or who who god is and that a messiah is coming. This man, Jesus, was handed over to you by god's deliberate plan and foreknowledge. Meaning, it wasn't a mistake. You didn't win. You didn't catch god by surprise. This was and is god's plan.”

31s

#GodUsesEveryone

“See, those who are from Galilee, they weren't educated. We think about Jesus' disciples, he didn't pick the cream of the crop. He kinda picked those that were left to let us see that he works through every one of us, not just those who are the highest socioeconomic, the most money, the most this, the most that. They knew that these disciples, these followers were uneducated. They couldn't even speak Hebrew that well in their own dialect. But in this moment, they are able to speak every known language perfectly.”

28s

#ResurrectionChangedEverything

“People thought we've got him. He's done. Nobody was lined up at the at the grave when he said, hey, I'm coming back in three days. Then he came back in three days and and what had happened during those three days is these disciples that were talking about, they had scattered. They were afraid. They were worried for their lives and they said this whole thing you said about us telling other people, we're not so sure we wanna do that. But then everything changed because they saw the resurrected Jesus.”

42s

#TuneIntoTheSpirit

“I would challenge each of us who've put our trust in Jesus, who the Holy Spirit resides within us to turn down the noise of the world around you. When you think of the Holy Spirit, he is like the perfect gentleman. He's not going to fight for position. He's not going to fight to overpower and overspeak. All the other noises that you have turned up but he sits and listens and he waits and the moment you turn down that noise and turn up and tune into your heavenly father through the holy spirit. The holy spirit will make himself known in us.”

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