Pr Jerin T Mathew explains how the Holy Spirit’s power isn’t just history, but the key to
living a supernatural life meant for every believer today.
Church, it is so good to be with you today. I want to start by asking a question. When
you think of the book of Acts, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s the incredible
stories—the day of Pentecost, fire from heaven, Peter preaching and three thousand
people getting saved. We think of signs, wonders, and a church that turned the world
upside down. But I fear that for many of us, the book of Acts has become just that—a
history book. We admire it, we read it, but we don’t expect to live it.
The disciples were huddled in the Upper Room, full of fear and uncertainty. They had
been with Jesus, they had seen his miracles, they had witnessed his resurrection. But
they were still hiding. They had the historical facts, but they didn’t have the fire. What
changed? Jesus gave them a promise in Acts 1:8, He said, “But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Greek word for power here is dunamis. It’s where we get our word ‘dynamite’. This
isn’t just a little bit of extra strength. This is world-altering, chain-breaking,
mountain-moving power! And this power, church, is not a museum piece. It is a
promise for you and for me, right here in Wellington, in 2025. The baptism of the Holy
Spirit was not the endpoint for the disciples; it was the launching pad. It was the
moment they moved from being followers of Jesus to being conduits of His
supernatural power.
So many believers today are living pre-Pentecost lives. We love Jesus, we believe the
Bible, but we are living from our own strength. We face sickness, and we rely only on
the doctor’s report. We face financial lack, and we rely only on the bank statement.
We see a broken world, and we try to fix it with good ideas and human effort. God has
a better way! He has a supernatural way. He wants to fill you with His Spirit so you can
speak with boldness, pray with authority, and live with a power that does not come
from yourself.
Living a Spirit-empowered life means you are no longer content to be a spectator. You
begin to expect the supernatural. When you pray for the sick, you expect them to be
healed, according to Mark 16. When you share the gospel, you expect the Holy Spirit
to convict hearts. When you face an impossible situation, you have an unshakeable
confidence not in your ability, but in the dunamis power of God working in and
through you.
The gifts of the Spirit—words of knowledge, prophecy, gifts of healing, speaking in
tongues—these were not just for the Corinthian church. They are tools for the church
today! They are weapons for our warfare and gifts to build up the body of Christ. Are
we seeking them? Are we making room for the Holy Spirit to move in our services and
in our lives, or have we become so programmed and polished that we’ve inadvertently
shown Him the door?
Today, I want to challenge you. Do not be content with a faith that lives only in your
head. Do not be content with a relationship with God that is safe and predictable. God
is calling you beyond the Upper Room. He is calling you into the streets, into your
workplaces, into your families, armed with His power. If you have never been baptized
in the Holy Spirit, the promise is for you. If you have, but the fire has grown dim, it’s
time for a fresh infilling. God wants to pour out His Spirit upon you right now. Let’s not
just be a church that talks about the book of Acts. Let’s be a church that lives it.