Where Life Begins - Week 5 Day 2

Published May 12, 2026
Where Life Begins - Week 5 Day 2

WEEK 5 // DAY 2

WAIT FOR POWER

Before Jesus sends His disciples out, He tells them to wait. That is surprising. They have seen the risen Lord. They have been taught about the kingdom of God. They carry the greatest news the world has ever heard. If anyone might seem ready to go, it would be them. But Jesus knows something they must learn from the beginning: the mission of God cannot be carried out by human strength alone.

Waiting is difficult because it exposes our dependence. Many of us would rather act than wait, plan than pray, move than listen. We often assume that if something is important, then immediate action must be the most faithful response. But Jesus does not treat waiting as wasted time. He treats it as necessary preparation. The disciples are not waiting because the mission is unimportant. They are waiting because the mission is too important to attempt without the Holy Spirit.

This is a deeply needed word for us. We can try to serve, lead, parent, witness, and disciple in our own strength. We can run on urgency, guilt, personality, or adrenaline. For a while, that may appear effective. But over time, self-powered ministry and self-powered obedience lead to exhaustion. Jesus does not call His people to go for Him without first receiving from Him. The Spirit is not an optional boost after we have done our best. The Spirit is the power by which we are able to live the life Jesus sends us into.

This does not mean you should become passive. The disciples were not ignoring the mission; they were obeying Jesus by waiting for the Spirit. There is a kind of waiting that is deeply active. It prays. It listens. It surrenders. It acknowledges, “God, I cannot do this apart from You.” That kind of waiting forms humility and dependence in us before we step into obedience.

Today, consider where you may be rushing ahead of the Spirit. Where are you trying to force outcomes, carry burdens, or make something happen in your own strength? Jesus’ invitation is not to abandon responsibility, but to receive power before you act. Ask the Spirit to fill you for what is in front of you. The purpose of God is never meant to be lived without the presence of God.

Reflection Questions:

  • What does Jesus tell the disciples to do before they leave Jerusalem?
  • Why is waiting for the Spirit necessary before mission?
  • Where are you tempted to act in your own strength?
  • How can you practice dependence on the Spirit before taking action?

Journaling Prompt:

Write about an area where you feel urgency or pressure, and reflect on what it would look like to wait on the Spirit with trust instead of rushing ahead.
Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, teach me to depend on You before I act. Fill me with Your power so that my obedience flows from Your presence, not my own strength.