Take a moment to read Acts 2:1-13 before reading the devotional below.
Acts 2 is such an amazing chapter in the Bible that we will spend three days working our way through it. Today we’ll focus on the first thirteen verses, in which the Holy Spirit arrives in dramatic fashion. As we engage with each passage daily, continue to ask yourself, “In what ways do God’s words in the Bible equip me for mental health and emotional freedom?”
Recall from yesterday’s post that the disciples and many of Jesus’ followers were holed up in a room in Jerusalem waiting for God’s signal. And in case you have ever worried that you are going to miss the sign from God you are waiting for, check out the Holy Spirit’s entrance here. Just as everyone who was visited by an angel in the Bible is pretty much freaked out, those in the room are quite confused by the sudden indoor windstorm. It might sound cool to us now, but read the story and you’ll see that the initial response was mass confusion and chaos. People come running, they can’t believe that they are hearing about the works of God in every language represented. Many are amazed, but some in the crowd of people who rushed towards the commotion have their doubts. And thus the supernatural visitation of the Holy Spirit is reduced to accusations of drunkenness.
If we exist as mere spectators drawn to an exciting scene, then we will miss him entirely. Supernatural encounters only make sense to those who want them. Looking for earthly explanations will always result in seemingly reasonable, but faulty, answers. You may believe in Jesus, but the Holy Spirit might just freak you out a bit. How safe do you feel in your rational mind? The more security we have in our intellect and rationality, the less likely we will recognize the Holy Spirit when he shows up. But when we have faith in the supernatural realm and seek the Spirit, our minds will expand to all that is really going on around us. And that is the place of true freedom.