Missed last week’s post “Who is the Holy Spirit“? Let me encourage you to read it first, as It lays the foundation for this series on Life in the Spirit.
Think of a time when you’ve received a gift from somebody, one that someone truly put heart and intention behind. Perhaps it was something they knew you needed or would bring you real joy. Now, imagine if instead of using that gift as intended, you found an entirely different, far less fitting use for it.
This came to mind recently when we upgraded our daughter Layla’s bicycle. She had outgrown her smaller bike, and as parents, we wanted to see her excitement as she enjoyed her new one. When she first got it, she couldn’t wait to explore, learning how the gears worked and racing through the garden. It was the perfect gift for this season of her life, allowing her to grow and have new adventures. Now, imagine if instead of riding the bike, Layla wheeled it into her bedroom and used it to hang her necklaces. It might look nice against her wall, but it would entirely miss the purpose and joy we intended for her.
The same goes for a restaurant voucher, gifted to create a memory over a meal with loved ones, but instead, someone uses it to start their next bonfire. The beauty of the gift, the reason it was given, gets lost.
In much the same way, we often misunderstand the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can be grateful for His presence in our lives, but unless we truly grasp His purpose, His mission for us, our experience with Him remains incomplete.
We can truly experience the presence of the Holy Spirit and use His gifts as they were intended when we clearly understand His mission for our lives and the world. The baptism and gifts of the Spirit empower us to live out everything God has called us to. His mission provides the framework we need to fully embrace all that the Holy Spirit offers, which allows us to walk in His purpose with biblical understanding and joy.
So, what’s the mission?
The Gift and Its Greater Purpose
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” Acts 1:4-7:
Acts 1 is considered to be part of the Great Commission. The risen Jesus has appeared to His followers and is sharing His final words with them.
Jesus has just shared something incredible, the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit. But How do the disciples respond? Their focus shifts: “Jesus, that’s wonderful about the promise, but when will you restore the Kingdom to Israel? When will you end Roman rule and establish us as a powerful nation once and for all?”
Jesus’s answer is direct. He essentially says, “You don’t need to know that, and you won’t.” Reading between the lines, He’s reminding them to stay focused on the most important thing. “I’ve just spoken to you about the Father’s promise to wait for. Don’t get distracted; keep your attention on what truly matters!”
Friends, may I encourage you to invest your time and energy in what truly counts. Too often, we get preoccupied with issues that don’t align with God’s purpose for our lives. Let’s choose to focus on what God has called us to! It’s easy to get distracted by predictions, debates, or controversies. But His message is clear: our energy is better spent reaching people for Christ, fueled by the Spirit, than chasing after mysteries we aren’t meant to solve.
The Mission at Its Core: Being His Witnesses
Jesus laid it out plainly: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
This is the core of the Holy Spirit’s mission in our lives. We’re empowered to represent Jesus in the true definition of what a Christian is – a little Christ. Our lives are meant to show the world who Jesus is. His love, His truth, His grace.
Our lives should be a picture everyday of Christ. People should be able to see our lives and go ahh that is what it means to follow Jesus. If Jesus walked on earth, that is what He would be like. Jesus is no longer here in person and so the mission of the Spirit is to help us supernaturally represent Christ to a world in desperate need of knowing Him!
That is why we need to be baptized in the Spirit. We need His supernatural power to do this. You can’t do this by trying harder. You can’t do this in your own strength. With the Spirit, you can!
The Mission Field
The mission begins where we are right now. Jesus called us to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. For us, that means:
- Our “Jerusalem”: The people around us every day – our families, friends, colleagues, community. Imagine if each of us committed to sharing Christ with just one person this year. One more next year. Think of how our neighborhoods could be transformed.
- Our “Judea and Samaria”: Beyond our immediate circle, this mission extends to our city, region, and country. Imagine churches planted, resources flowing to those in need, and lives transformed. Imagine our schools and workplaces as places where the Spirit is active.
- To the Ends of the Earth: Jesus’ mission extends globally. Some of us are called to go, others to send, but we’re all part of His great commission.
Take a moment to dream of what’s possible when we take this mission seriously, when we allow the Spirit’s power to flow through us into every interaction, every relationship, and every community. What is God putting on your heart?
Friends, let’s seek the Spirit’s filling with expectancy. Let’s soak, drench, and be regularly filled with His presence. Through His baptism, we experience the joy, power, and resolve to be true witnesses for Christ.
I encourage you to read through Acts with us in this series, one chapter a day. Let it stir in you a fresh desire to be part of God’s mission on earth. Together, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to empower us for the journey ahead!
