The Holy Spirit’s Presence, Power, and Invitation

Sep 20, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Open Hands, Surrendered Heart

The act of holding empty hands upward is both a release and a readiness. Anxiety, shame, and frustration often cling to our grip like static, but surrender begins when palms face heavenward. This posture isn’t passive—it’s an active exchange, trading what weighs us down for the weight of glory God offers. Just as a child releases a broken toy to receive something better, we let go to receive love that drowns out fear. The Spirit meets us not in clenched fists but in open-handed trust. [34:01]

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, CSB)

Reflection: What specific burden have you been gripping tightly this week? How might opening your hands in prayer shift your focus from control to trust?

Day 2: Highlander Power in a Corolla Life

God’s power often feels foreign, like driving a rugged SUV when you’re used to a compact car. The disciples waited, unsure how to handle the Spirit’s wildfire, just as we fumble with holy strength beyond our comprehension. Yet this power isn’t earned—it’s inherited. The same force that resurrected Christ dwells in believers, not for showmanship but for steady faithfulness. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s plugging into a current that outlasts our limitations. [40:46]

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:18-19, CSB)

Reflection: Where do you feel “underpowered” today? How might acknowledging the Spirit’s presence shift your approach to that struggle?

Day 3: Waiting in the Upper Room of Life

The disciples huddled in a cramped space, torn between trauma and hope. Pentecost didn’t come quickly—it demanded days of awkward waiting, prayers muttered through doubt. Modern believers, too, pace in rooms of unresolved relationships, silent grief, or stalled dreams. Yet the upper room wasn’t a prison; it was a womb. Growth happens in the in-between, where sweat and sacredness mix. The Spirit arrives not when we’ve solved our anxiety but while we’re still breathing through it. [48:57]

“They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (Acts 1:14, CSB)

Reflection: What “upper room” are you waiting in right now? How can you practice expectancy there instead of resignation?

Day 4: From Ear-Cutter to Life-Speaker

Peter’s journey from impulsive swordsman to preacher of thousands proves the Spirit rewires our worst moments. His sermon at Pentecost didn’t sidestep failure—it weaponized it. The man who once sliced off ears now offered healing through words he couldn’t have conjured alone. Our blunders become backdrops for grace when surrendered. The Spirit doesn’t airbrush our past; he amplifies redemption in the present. [01:01:16]

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, CSB)

Reflection: What past mistake feels too sharp for God to use? How might the Spirit repurpose that story for someone else’s healing?

Day 5: Communion Crumbs and Everyday Fire

The sermon closes with torn bread, a tangible echo of Pentecost’s flames. Communion isn’t a finale but a reminder: the same Spirit that fell on Jerusalem meets us in coffee sips and commutes. Mundane moments hold divine potential when we’re attentive. Fire doesn’t always roar—sometimes it flickers in shared meals, quiet prayers, or hands gripping a steering wheel. Presence isn’t a spectacle; it’s a daily inhaling of grace. [01:11:35]

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe.” (Acts 2:42-43, CSB)

Reflection: Where have you overlooked “ordinary” moments as hiding places for God’s presence this week? How might you approach tomorrow with more intentional awe?

Sermon Summary

Acts 1 and 2 hold out a gift that is not something believers have to earn, buy, or work themselves into. Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem because the Father is sending the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God with them. The Holy Spirit means that God does not leave people alone in the hard stuff, even when life feels tough as nails and God feels a million miles away. The Spirit prays and groans for hurting people when they do not even have words left to pray.

Jesus also redirects the disciples when they want a timeline for everything being made right. The Father holds the dates and times, while the disciples receive a calling for the here and now: “You will receive power” and become witnesses. The contrast is not between people who never feel anxious and people who do. The contrast is between trying to carry every fear, every relationship, every bit of suffering, and trusting that the Father has it covered.

Pentecost shows that the Spirit’s arrival is wild, disruptive, and not built around human comfort. Wind fills the house, fire settles on each person, and ordinary people begin speaking languages they did not know. The Holy Spirit does not check in for permission or clear every detail ahead of time, but God always gives an invitation. The upper room holds a posture of expectancy: God, something is going to happen, and the people are open to it.

Peter shows what Spirit-empowered life can look like. Peter is not suddenly impressive because he figured everything out or cleaned himself up. The rough-around-the-edges fisherman who once cut off somebody’s ear stands up and points thousands of people to Jesus. The Spirit takes what is ordinary, messy, and insufficient in human power and uses it to proclaim that Jesus lived, died, rose again, and is Lord and Messiah.

The Holy Spirit still points people to Jesus in both miraculous and terribly mundane ways. The Spirit may move through gifts that feel wild, but the Spirit also moves when widows and orphans are fed, when somebody gets sat with in pain, when chairs get moved, and when love, grace, goodness, and the fruit of the Spirit show up in ordinary life. The invitation is not perfection. The invitation is willingness: “God, I’m here. God, I’m open.”

The Spirit’s presence calls people to make space to be with God, surrender what was never theirs to carry, and trust God’s power instead of powering up in anxiety, anger, and self-reliance. Communion then remembers that Jesus is near, that his death and resurrection are real, and that his Spirit still dwells with those who have said yes to him.

Key Takeaways

1. God is nearer than feelings suggest. The Holy Spirit is not a passing emotional high or a reward for having a good week. The Spirit is God’s seal and promise that Christ remains near when suffering makes prayer feel impossible. The groaning of the Spirit means that pain is never carried alone before God. [46:18]
2. The Father holds what cannot be controlled. Anxiety often comes from trying to manage timelines, outcomes, fears, and burdens that were never meant to sit on human shoulders. Jesus does not shame the disciples for wanting things made right, but he redirects them toward trust and present faithfulness. God’s power becomes easier to receive when self-reliance loosens its grip. [51:00]
3. God’s power disrupts comfortable routines. Pentecost does not arrive as a tidy, predictable church service. Wind, fire, unfamiliar languages, and confused crowds reveal that God is not limited by what feels normal or manageable. The Spirit may make people uncomfortable, but God remains more committed to their good than they are. [55:48]
4. The Spirit turns ordinary people outward. Peter’s story shows that a person’s mess, anger, or unimpressive background does not cancel God’s ability to work through them. The Spirit gives power not for personal hype, but for pointing people toward Jesus. Witness can happen through bold words, but it can also happen through simple acts of presence, mercy, and care. [62:07]
5. Openness is a dangerous, life-changing prayer. “God, I’m here. God, I’m open” gives God room to lead without demanding a full explanation first. This posture does not guarantee comfort or control, but it creates space for God’s presence, power, and direction. The Spirit continually invites willing people to receive what God gives and release what they were never meant to hold.

## [64:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:02] - Making Space for God’s Presence
[36:21] - The Holy Spirit as God’s Power
[39:11] - The Gap Between Knowing and Experiencing Power
[42:49] - Jesus Promises the Gift of the Spirit
[45:34] - The Spirit Is Present in Suffering
[48:57] - Power to Be Witnesses
[52:41] - Pentecost: Wind, Fire, and Languages
[55:15] - God’s Wild and Personal Invitation
[57:52] - Peter Stands Up and Proclaims Jesus
[60:17] - The Spirit Works Through Messy People
[62:07] - Witnessing in Miraculous and Mundane Ways
[64:05] - God, I’m Here and I’m Open
[66:23] - Making Space and Surrendering Control
[71:11] - Communion and Christ’s Nearness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 1:4-8
“While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘Which,’ he said, ‘you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.’” [42:54]

“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” [49:33]

Acts 2:1-4
“When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.” [52:54]

“Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.” [53:00]

Acts 2:14, 36-39
“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: ‘Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words.’” [58:16]

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” [59:11]

“When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, 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, as many as the Lord our God will call.’” [59:41]

Romans 8:26
“In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.” [46:22]

Observation questions

What were the disciples told to do before they received the Holy Spirit, and what were they apparently waiting for in Jerusalem? [47:42]
What question did the disciples ask Jesus about restoring Israel, and how did Jesus redirect their attention?
What physical signs filled the house at Pentecost, and what did each believer begin doing as the Spirit enabled them? [53:00]
What does Peter proclaim about Jesus in Acts 2, and what response does he call for from the crowd? [59:32]

Interpretation questions

Jesus does not give the disciples the timeline they want, but he does give them a present calling. What does this show about the difference between trying to control the future and faithfully following Jesus today? [51:00]
Romans 8:26 says the Spirit helps believers when they do not know what to pray. What might it look like for someone to trust God’s nearness even when they have no clear words, answers, or emotional strength left? [46:36]
Pentecost was loud, disruptive, and confusing to the people watching. Why might God’s work sometimes interrupt what feels safe, familiar, or manageable? [55:48]
Peter had been impulsive and deeply flawed, yet God used him to point thousands of people to Jesus. What does Peter’s story suggest about who can be used by the Holy Spirit? [01:01:28]

Application questions

What is one burden you have been carrying as though everything depends on you—an anxious timeline, a relationship, financial pressure, grief, anger, or something else? What could it look like to place that burden in the Father’s hands this week? [01:09:06]
When God feels far away, what helps you remember that the Holy Spirit is still near? Is there a simple practice—quiet, Scripture, a walk, prayer, worship, or sitting still—that could help you make space to notice God’s presence? [01:08:06]
“God, I’m here. God, I’m open” is a simple but dangerous prayer. What makes that prayer difficult to pray honestly right now? What might God be inviting you to loosen your grip on? [01:04:52]
Where are you tempted to “power up” through anxiety, anger, overwork, or self-reliance instead of trusting the Spirit’s power? What could surrender look like in one specific situation this week? [01:08:51]
Who around you may need a witness to Jesus through a simple, ordinary act of care—being present, listening, helping, encouraging, serving, or reminding them they are not alone? [01:10:24]
Peter’s message centered on Jesus as Lord and Messiah, not on Peter being impressive. In your everyday conversations and actions, what would it look like to point attention toward Jesus rather than toward yourself? [01:02:07]

Sermon Clips

32s

#HolySpiritIsNear

“Sometimes it can feel like God is far away, particularly in difficult moments. But the Holy Spirit, as it says in Ephesians, being the seal in our lives means that even when God feels far away, we have the promise that he's nearer than ever. The presence of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Holy Spirit is even when it feels like God is a million miles away, we have the promise that the Holy Spirit of God is with us.”

27s

#SpiritIntercedes

“And it says in the book of Romans, in Romans chapter eight, that when we don't know how to pray, when we're stuck, when we're lost, when we don't even know how to give words to God because we're going through it, the Holy Spirit prays and groans on our behalf. That's language of not some cold and distant supervisor, but someone who loves you so much that when you hurt, they hurt.”

37s

#TrustTheInvitation

“That makes me uncomfortable. But it also makes me feel really safe Because even if I'm a little disrupted by it or a little uncomfortable with it, he knows what's best. He loves me. He's more committed to my good than I even am. he might not ask me for permission, but he's always giving me an invitation. I wanna say that again because I think it's very important for this text. He might not ask me for permission to do what he wants to do, but he is giving me an invitation.”

34s

#EmpoweredByTheSpirit

“Peter here is not just spouting stuff off. He's not operating in his own power. The Holy Spirit has come upon him, and he is walking in the authority and the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit took this rough around the edges fisherman from Galilee who has severe anger problems, and he allowed him to preach this amazing sermon that leads 3,000 people to God that day.”

46s

#PracticeHisPresence

“And we need to know that God is that close because life can be tough as nails sometimes. And I don't believe we will ever tap into the power of the Holy Spirit unless we are aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And, you know, there will be times we feel it. There will be times that we don't. There will be times we really notice it. There will be times that we don't. But we hold fast to the promise that he is there because he promised he would never leave us or forsake us and practice becoming aware of his presence. We don't just magically turn it on and off like a light switch, but we can practice experiencing his presence.”

31s

#GiftOfTheHolySpirit

“And it's not in some weird, cheesy, Americanized for 10 payments of $9.95, you'll get the spirit of God kind of thing. It's as a follower of Jesus, we have been freely given the gift of the Holy Spirit, experiencing his power and his presence is something that is always available to us. And I believe that we need to embrace practices and learn what it means to engage with him.”

44s

#WitnessForJesus

“Within just a couple of months after Jesus says, you will receive power and become my witnesses, the spirit drops, they receive power, and they become witnesses to share the good news of Jesus with others. That's the other thing the Holy Spirit does, and that's the other thing the Holy Spirit invites us to, to point people to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is always pointing people to Jesus. Jesus is the entryway. Jesus is the main point. Jesus is the very image of the invisible God, it says in Philippians. And when the spirit descends upon us, he empowers us in ways that we cannot even begin to understand to point people to Jesus.”

52s

#WillingToBeUsed

“And I believe the key to it all is having the posture that these people have in Acts chapter one and two. Are they perfect people? No. Do they get it right all the time? No. Do they follow the spirit of God perfectly? But God isn't asking for your perfection, he's just asking for your willingness to be gathered together and say, okay, God, see what we're gonna do. Okay, God, let the beat drop and let's see how this dance shakes out. That's the posture. And so I believe that we are meant to experience the presence of God and the power of God, and we are to be witnesses that proclaim the goodness of God. And I think it all starts with this posture.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Riverside Community Church of God This sermon · AI assistant

How does the Holy Spirit transform anxious waiting into witness?

What practices cultivate awareness of the Spirit’s presence?

How can ordinary acts proclaim Jesus through spiritual power?