Raised to Life Series (Week 2)

Devotional

Day 1: Power in a Grandmother’s Prayer

A blind grandmother in El Salvador pressed through a crowd of teenagers. She asked for prayer, believing Jesus could heal her. Young hands laid on her shoulders as they prayed simple words. Suddenly, she shouted, “Gracias, Jesús!”—her eyes opened by the Holy Spirit’s power. [45:14]

The Holy Spirit still works through ordinary believers. He doesn’t need perfect prayers or seminary degrees. He responds to faith that says, “Jesus can do this.” When we step out, even nervously, His power flows through our obedience.

Where do you feel unqualified to pray for others? This week, ask the Holy Spirit for boldness to pray for one person’s need. Who in your life needs healing—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that you can boldly bring to Jesus?

“Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.”
(Acts 3:6–7, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight someone He wants to heal through your prayers today.
Challenge: Text or call one person this afternoon and offer to pray for their specific need.

Day 2: Waiting in the Upper Room

Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. They huddled together, praying and wondering what “dunamis power” meant. For ten days, they waited—no schedule, no miracles, just persistent seeking. Then fire fell. [51:42]

Waiting isn’t passive. It’s active trust. The disciples obeyed Jesus’ command even when it didn’t make sense. The Holy Spirit often moves after we’ve lingered in His presence, surrendering our timelines.

Are you rushing ahead of God’s timing? Pause for 10 minutes today. Sit quietly, repeat, “Holy Spirit, I’m ready to receive.” What practical step can you take this week to create space to wait on Him?

“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.’”
(Acts 1:4, ESV)

Prayer: Confess any impatience in your spiritual journey. Ask for grace to wait expectantly.
Challenge: Set a timer for 10 minutes today. Sit in silence, hands open, and listen for the Holy Spirit.

Day 3: Dynamite in Your Heart

Nitroglycerin jolts blocked arteries open. The Holy Spirit works like dynamite—His “dunamis” power blasts through fear, sin, and apathy. A missionary once trembled to preach but became bold through the Spirit’s filling. [40:15]

The Holy Spirit isn’t a gentle breeze but a transforming force. He explodes barriers keeping you from God’s purpose. You don’t need more willpower—you need His power living inside you.

What area of your life feels stuck or blocked? Pray, “Holy Spirit, explode every barrier here.” What habit or fear have you tried to fix alone that you need to surrender to His power?

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
(2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for giving you dynamite power through the Spirit. Ask Him to ignite it today.
Challenge: Write down one obstacle in your life. Burn or tear the paper as a prayer for breakthrough.

Day 4: Breaking Bread with Joy

The early church ate together, prayed together, and shared everything. They weren’t perfect—just hungry for God. When they gathered, the Holy Spirit moved so powerfully that 3,000 believed in one day. [50:32]

Community fuels the Spirit’s work. Isolation drains power. Like embers dying alone but blazing together, we need others to stay aflame. Your presence in church matters more than you realize.

When did you last prioritize gathering with believers? Reach out to a church member you haven’t seen lately. How can you intentionally encourage someone in your spiritual family this week?

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
(Acts 2:42, 44, ESV)

Prayer: Pray for one person in your church by name. Ask God to strengthen their faith today.
Challenge: Invite a church member to share a meal or coffee with you this week.

Day 5: When the Spirit Whispers

A young mother in labor saw a vision of an angel covering her—a promise she’d survive. Later, during a life-threatening birth, she clung to that image. The Holy Spirit speaks through dreams, Scripture, or sudden peace. [01:01:42]

God’s voice isn’t reserved for pastors. The Holy Spirit guides all who listen. He won’t contradict the Bible but will surprise you with personalized comfort and direction.

When have you sensed the Holy Spirit’s nudge? Keep a journal this week of promptings or verses that stand out. What step of obedience have you hesitated to take that He’s whispering about now?

“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”
(Acts 16:6–7, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to speak clearly to you today—through Scripture, a person, or His quiet voice.
Challenge: Write down one prompting you sense from God. Share it with a trusted believer for confirmation.

Sermon Summary

The Holy Spirit appears as an immediate, personal power meant to change ordinary lives. The Greek word dunamis describes this gift as miraculous, active strength that the Spirit brings to open hearts, heal hurts, and embolden followers for everyday faith. The Spirit refuses to be a vague force or an exclusive privilege; the Spirit pours out love, courage, and truth into ordinary moments—late-night parenting, neighbor care, workplace kindness—and equips people to act with divine strength. The Spirit’s work shows up in dramatic conversions and healings, and in the slow reshaping of character that frees people from destructive patterns.

The book of Acts frames the Spirit’s arrival as corporate and expectant: waiting, praying, gathering, and seeking produce an overflow that moves people outward in witness and service. The Spirit gives courage to speak, but also gives a deeper compassion that reorients relationships; power and love go together. Discernment matters: the Spirit will not contradict Scripture, often communicates through inner witness, visions, or dreams, and invites testing through prayer, counsel, and communal discernment. Practical steps follow: read Acts to learn the Spirit’s patterns, gather with the community for mutual strengthening, and ask for the Spirit’s presence in specific daily situations.

Testimonies underline accessibility: a childhood experience of speaking in another language, a healing during mission outreach, and growth from timidity to boldness illustrate how the Spirit transforms both dramatic moments and long seasons. The Spirit functions as advocate, counselor, and dynamite—exploding spiritual blockages and opening pathways to life. The call remains simple and urgent: pursue the Spirit, stay connected in community, and expect power for ordinary obedient acts of love and witness.

Key Takeaways

1. Dunamis: supernatural power from God The Spirit’s power goes beyond human energy or authority; dunamis operates as a miraculous, practical ability that transforms inner barriers and produces visible fruit. Expect this power to confront sickness, fear, and limitation with both tenderness and force, making ordinary people effective in extraordinary ways. Learn to ask for this gift intentionally and watch it redirect daily weaknesses into channels of ministry. [30:45]
2. Holy Spirit transforms everyday life The Spirit does not reserve miracles for dramatic moments alone but meets the mundane—parenting at 2 AM, caregiving, workplace kindness—and supplies wisdom, patience, and strength. This transformation often unfolds as a steady reformation of habits and desires, not only a single event, so persistence in prayer matters. Let ordinary routines become proving grounds for supernatural grace. [22:31]
3. Courage to proclaim and serve Receiving the Spirit generates boldness to share truth and to serve across cultural and social boundaries; courage shows up in small acts of kindness as much as in public witness. This boldness roots itself in overflowing love rather than performance, so action flows from compassion rather than obligation. Expect opportunities to represent Christ where life actually happens. [41:21]
4. Discernment: hearing God's voice The Spirit speaks through varied means—inner conviction, dreams, visions, and the Scriptures—and always aligns with God’s revealed word. Testing revelations with prayer, counsel, and Scriptural clarity prevents error and refines sensitivity to God’s guidance. Cultivate quiet waiting and communal confirmation as safeguards for trustworthy direction. [60:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:22] - Opening announcements
[19:35] - Tithes, offerings, and prayer
[21:31] - Raised to power: main theme
[27:59] - Types of power explained
[30:45] - Dunamis: miraculous power defined
[38:21] - Personal testimony of encounter
[41:21] - Courage and everyday witness
[50:32] - Gather, pray, and wait (Acts)
[60:23] - Hearing God's voice and discernment
[65:32] - Invitation for prayer and closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
“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

According to Acts 1:8, what is the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit’s power?
The sermon shared a story of a grandmother healed through prayer by teenagers. What does this reveal about how the Holy Spirit works? [45:14]
What practical examples were given in the sermon about the Holy Spirit’s power in everyday moments like parenting or caregiving? [22:31]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between the Holy Spirit’s power and love?

Interpretation Questions

Why might the Holy Spirit’s power (dunamis) be described as both “miraculous” and “practical” in the sermon? How do these aspects work together?
Acts 1:8 connects the Holy Spirit’s power to being witnesses “to the end of the earth.” How does this mission apply to ordinary believers in their daily lives?
The sermon emphasizes that the Holy Spirit’s guidance “will not contradict Scripture.” Why is this principle critical for discernment? [01:01:42]
How does gathering in community (like the early church in Acts) help believers experience the Holy Spirit’s power?

Application Questions

When have you felt the Holy Spirit’s strength in a mundane or exhausting moment (e.g., parenting, work stress, caregiving)? What did that look like?
The Holy Spirit’s power fuels courage to love others boldly. Is there a relationship or situation where you need to act with compassion instead of fear? How could you invite the Spirit into that? [41:21]
The sermon encourages testing guidance through prayer and community. Who are trusted believers you could seek out to help discern God’s voice in a current decision?
What “spiritual blockages” (like fear, doubt, or old habits) do you want the Holy Spirit’s dunamis to break open in your life? How can you actively ask for this? [40:15]
The early church waited and prayed together for the Spirit’s outpouring. What step could you take this week to prioritize prayer—individually or with others—to seek the Spirit’s presence?

Sermon Clips

27s

#SpiritForEveryday

“And there's always incredible stories like people being healed and people being saved. We know so many former Muslims that came to know Jesus. I mean, that's awesome. Right? But also, he wants to give us power for our everyday life. Okay? How many of us know I had a super cranky toddler for the last week, and I have no idea what's going on with her. I need the holy spirit's power. Last night when I was up at 2AM with her, was like, this is why you don't have toddlers in your forties.”

31s

#WhoIsTheHolySpirit

“What is this kind of power? So we hear about earthly power and actually in in the Bible and in Greek, there was five known kinds of power, and we're just gonna talk briefly about that. But what is this kind of power that the Holy Spirit offers? And I think that it gets so confusing because I think that even some Christians think like, is the Holy Spirit like a force like on Star Wars? Is there something is the Holy spirit like an invisible imaginary friend? Is the holy spirit like, who is this holy spirit? We're gonna talk more about him later, but also,”

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