In her sermon entitled, "The Spirit is Coming", Pastor Milissa explored how God's disciples waited between Jesus' ascension into heaven and the promised gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Rather than waiting with impatience, fear, or confusion, they waited with worship, praise, and joy. This wasn't passive waiting - it was Spirit-enabled, Word-illuminated, active preparation for what God was about to do.
We invite you to spend the next five days reflecting and praying through this devotional based on that message.
We invite you to spend the next five days reflecting and praying through this devotional based on that message.
Day 1: The Gift of Waiting
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Psalm 62:5-8; Luke 24:44-49
Reflect: Waiting is not passive - it's preparation. When Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem, He wasn't asking them to kill time; He was inviting them into transformation. The disciples had just witnessed the resurrected Christ, yet they still needed something more: the Holy Spirit's power. In our instant-access culture, we've lost the art of holy waiting. What if your season of waiting isn't a delay but a divine appointment? God often does His deepest work in us while we're waiting on Him. Today, resist the urge to rush ahead. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to use this time to prepare your heart for what He has next. Good things take time. God's good things take God's good time.
Pause and talk with the Lord. What are you waiting for right now? How might God be preparing you in this season? Spend some time waiting with Him in these questions.
Respond: Thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Psalm 62:5-8; Luke 24:44-49
Reflect: Waiting is not passive - it's preparation. When Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem, He wasn't asking them to kill time; He was inviting them into transformation. The disciples had just witnessed the resurrected Christ, yet they still needed something more: the Holy Spirit's power. In our instant-access culture, we've lost the art of holy waiting. What if your season of waiting isn't a delay but a divine appointment? God often does His deepest work in us while we're waiting on Him. Today, resist the urge to rush ahead. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to use this time to prepare your heart for what He has next. Good things take time. God's good things take God's good time.
Pause and talk with the Lord. What are you waiting for right now? How might God be preparing you in this season? Spend some time waiting with Him in these questions.
Respond: Thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 2: Opening Our Minds to Truth
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Luke 24:44-45; John 20:21-22
Reflect: "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." The disciples knew their Scriptures intimately, yet they couldn't grasp their full meaning until Jesus breathed His Spirit on them. Knowledge alone doesn't transform us - we need the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's Word. Perhaps you've read the Bible but found it confusing or irrelevant. The difference isn't intellectual capacity; it's spiritual receptivity. When Jesus breathed on His disciples, He gave them more than information - He gave them revelation. Today, as you read Scripture, pray a simple prayer: "Holy Spirit, open my mind to understand what You want to say to me." Be willing to lay down your preconceptions and let God's Word reshape your thinking.
Pause and listen for His voice. While the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit, Acts 1 says that they were "constantly devoting themselves to prayer," which would have included praying the Psalms. Today, pray Psalm 1 and leave space for the Holy Spirit to speak through it, paying attention to all of your thoughts and feelings and talking with the Lord about them.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Luke 24:44-45; John 20:21-22
Reflect: "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." The disciples knew their Scriptures intimately, yet they couldn't grasp their full meaning until Jesus breathed His Spirit on them. Knowledge alone doesn't transform us - we need the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's Word. Perhaps you've read the Bible but found it confusing or irrelevant. The difference isn't intellectual capacity; it's spiritual receptivity. When Jesus breathed on His disciples, He gave them more than information - He gave them revelation. Today, as you read Scripture, pray a simple prayer: "Holy Spirit, open my mind to understand what You want to say to me." Be willing to lay down your preconceptions and let God's Word reshape your thinking.
Pause and listen for His voice. While the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit, Acts 1 says that they were "constantly devoting themselves to prayer," which would have included praying the Psalms. Today, pray Psalm 1 and leave space for the Holy Spirit to speak through it, paying attention to all of your thoughts and feelings and talking with the Lord about them.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 3: Peace Replaces Fear
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: John 14:26-27; 20:19-22; Acts 1:3-8
Reflect: After abandoning Jesus in His darkest hour, the disciples had every reason to live in shame and fear. Yet when Jesus appeared, His first words were "Peace be with you." The early deposit of the Holy Spirit didn't just comfort them - it transformed their waiting from anxious to joyful. They returned to Jerusalem "with great joy," continually praising God. What fear or shame is keeping you from fully embracing what God has for you? The Holy Spirit's presence brings the peace that transcends understanding. You don't have to have it all figured out; Jesus meets you where you are and breathes His peace over your chaos. Let the Spirit dispel your fear with His perfect love today.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him to show you how living with the "Peace of Christ" could transform what you are currently walking through.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: John 14:26-27; 20:19-22; Acts 1:3-8
Reflect: After abandoning Jesus in His darkest hour, the disciples had every reason to live in shame and fear. Yet when Jesus appeared, His first words were "Peace be with you." The early deposit of the Holy Spirit didn't just comfort them - it transformed their waiting from anxious to joyful. They returned to Jerusalem "with great joy," continually praising God. What fear or shame is keeping you from fully embracing what God has for you? The Holy Spirit's presence brings the peace that transcends understanding. You don't have to have it all figured out; Jesus meets you where you are and breathes His peace over your chaos. Let the Spirit dispel your fear with His perfect love today.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him to show you how living with the "Peace of Christ" could transform what you are currently walking through.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 4: The Promise of Power
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Joel 2:28-29
Reflect: "I will pour out my Spirit on all people." God's promise through Joel wasn't just for a select few—it was for everyone. Sons and daughters. Young and old. Servants and leaders. The Holy Spirit is the great equalizer, available to all who follow Jesus. The disciples waited with joy because they believed this ancient promise was about to become their present reality. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been given the Holy Spirit. You don't need to earn it or achieve a certain spiritual level. You only need to make room for what is already yours by faith. Today, don't wait for some future moment to experience God's power. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you right now.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him show you what living by His power might look like, and how you may be limiting the Holy Spirit's freedom in your life.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Joel 2:28-29
Reflect: "I will pour out my Spirit on all people." God's promise through Joel wasn't just for a select few—it was for everyone. Sons and daughters. Young and old. Servants and leaders. The Holy Spirit is the great equalizer, available to all who follow Jesus. The disciples waited with joy because they believed this ancient promise was about to become their present reality. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been given the Holy Spirit. You don't need to earn it or achieve a certain spiritual level. You only need to make room for what is already yours by faith. Today, don't wait for some future moment to experience God's power. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you right now.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him show you what living by His power might look like, and how you may be limiting the Holy Spirit's freedom in your life.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 5: From Waiting to Worship
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Luke 24:45-53; Acts 1:12-14
Reflect: The disciples' waiting was marked by worship, praise, and joy—not anxiety, complaint, or despair. They gathered continually at the temple, preparing their hearts for what was coming. Active waiting means positioning ourselves to receive what God wants to give. It means immersing ourselves in Scripture, gathering with other believers, and maintaining a posture of expectant worship. The Holy Spirit wants to make you a place where God delights to dwell. Let worship, not worry, characterize your waiting. God wants to do something amazing in and through you; worship in the midst of waiting is the preparation, and He will be faithful to deliver on His promise.
Pause and talk with the Lord. What has He been inviting you into over this last week? If you are asking for a fresh infilling of His Spirit, ask Jesus to examine your heart. What needs to be laid down? What worldly paradigms need to be replaced with heavenly ones?
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Luke 24:45-53; Acts 1:12-14
Reflect: The disciples' waiting was marked by worship, praise, and joy—not anxiety, complaint, or despair. They gathered continually at the temple, preparing their hearts for what was coming. Active waiting means positioning ourselves to receive what God wants to give. It means immersing ourselves in Scripture, gathering with other believers, and maintaining a posture of expectant worship. The Holy Spirit wants to make you a place where God delights to dwell. Let worship, not worry, characterize your waiting. God wants to do something amazing in and through you; worship in the midst of waiting is the preparation, and He will be faithful to deliver on His promise.
Pause and talk with the Lord. What has He been inviting you into over this last week? If you are asking for a fresh infilling of His Spirit, ask Jesus to examine your heart. What needs to be laid down? What worldly paradigms need to be replaced with heavenly ones?
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
We hope you will join us on May 24th at 6:30pm for a Pentecost Sunday Worship and Prayer Night where we will have extended worship and prayer, asking God for a fresh infilling of His Spirit to do what He wants to do in and through us. And filled with His Spirit, we are going to intercede for our friends, family, city, region, and world - praying God’s kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.