This message calls believers to embrace the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Grounded in Acts 1:8, it reminds us that God equips His people with divine strength to fulfill His mission. The sermon highlights the promise, necessity, and purpose of Spirit-filled power, urging Christians to surrender to God’s Spirit to live boldly for Christ and advance His kingdom.
Spirit-Filled Power is Promised
In Acts 1:8, Jesus assures His disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon them. This promise, given just before His ascension, was not a call to rely on human effort or ingenuity. Jesus did not instruct the disciples to attend seminars, pursue advanced education, or develop strategies in their own strength. Instead, He promised the same Spirit who moved in creation, inspired the prophets, and raised Christ from the dead would empower believers for God’s work. This divine power is not something we must question or seek in doubt; it is a certainty for every believer. The question is not whether God will provide the power but whether we will yield to it, depend on it, and seek its filling in our lives.
The promise of the Spirit’s power is evident in the lives of great servants of God. D.L. Moody, a simple shoe salesman with little formal education, became a vessel for God’s work when he fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit. His ministry transformed thousands of lives across America and England, not because of his eloquence but because of the Spirit’s power. Similarly, missionaries like Hudson Taylor and Andrew Murray emphasized that true revival comes when God’s people cease relying on their own strength and surrender to the Spirit. The power is available, but it requires our surrender and prayer to be effective.
Spirit-Filled Power is Necessary
Ephesians 5:18 (KJV) commands, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be ye filled with the Spirit.” While every believer receives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at salvation, the filling of the Spirit is distinct and necessary for effective service. To be filled with the Spirit means to be under His control, allowing Him to direct our thoughts, actions, and decisions. Just as alcohol can control a person’s behaviour, the Spirit’s filling enables believers to exhibit His fruit—love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).
This filling is not something we achieve through effort but something we receive by yielding to God. The verb “be filled” in Ephesians 5:18 is in the passive voice, meaning we allow God to act upon us. We must empty ourselves of sin, pride, and self-reliance to make room for the Spirit’s work. Without this filling, we cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit, walk in holiness, or witness with power. A church filled with the Spirit’s love can reach the unlovable, its peace can shine in a restless world, and its gentleness can stand out in a culture of harshness. Robert Murray McShane, a frail Scottish pastor, exemplified this through his Spirit-filled gentleness, which God used to spark revival in Dundee in the 1830s. His life reminds us that the Spirit’s power is essential for lasting impact.
Spirit-Filled Power is Purposeful
The Spirit’s power is not given for personal gratification or emotional experiences; it is purposeful, equipping believers to be witnesses for Christ. Acts 4:31 (KJV) illustrates this: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” After facing persecution, the early church prayed not for safety but for courage, and the Spirit filled them to proclaim God’s Word boldly. The Spirit’s filling is always tied to advancing Christ’s cause, whether in our homes, communities, or the world.
The 1949 Hebrides Revival demonstrates this purposeful power. Two elderly sisters, one crippled and one blind, prayed fervently for revival in their spiritually cold community. Their prayers, coupled with the Spirit-filled preaching of Duncan Campbell, led to a movement that transformed the island of Lewis. Similarly, Gypsy Smith, an uneducated evangelist, saw countless lives changed because he surrendered fully to the Spirit. He famously advised young men to pray within a chalk circle, asking God to start revival in their own hearts. These examples show that the Spirit’s power is given to lift up Christ and fulfill His mission, not to elevate individuals or create spectacles.
Conclusion
The call to be filled with the Spirit is a call to surrender. Revival begins not with grand programs or eloquent preaching but with ordinary believers yielding to the Holy Spirit. We must confess and forsake sin, abandon self-reliance, and pray for the Spirit’s filling. Acts 1:8 assures us that the power is promised, Ephesians 5:18 shows it is necessary, and Acts 4:31 reveals its purpose. As believers, we are not called to live in our own strength but to rely on the Spirit to live through us, producing fruit and empowering us to witness for Christ.
If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, today is the day to call upon Him for salvation and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For those who are saved, the challenge is clear: Are you filled with the Spirit? Does He have full control of your life? Let us pray, as Pastor Léveillé urged, “Lord, fill me with your Spirit so that I might live for your glory and witness to your power.” Revival begins with one surrendered heart, and through Spirit-empowered Christians, God can transform our homes, churches, and communities for His glory.
