Power for Witness, Not for Show
Month 12: On Mission & Finishing Well · Walking in the Spirit
Today's Scripture
Read together: Acts 2:38–39 & Acts 8:18–20
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.” — Acts 2:38-39
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 19 “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! — 8:18-20
Memory Verse
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””— Acts 1:8 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Acts 27–28
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 342 of 365 — Paul reaches Rome and keeps preaching the kingdom.)The Heart of It
Peter's invitation is wide open and full of grace. He says, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Then he adds the line that makes our hearts glad. "The promise is to you and to your children" (). The gift of the Spirit is not a prize for spiritual superstars. It is a promise to ordinary believing families, and that includes yours. But the very next chapters guard that gift carefully. The human heart is quick to twist a good thing.
Meet Simon. He had been a magician, used to dazzling crowds. When he saw the Spirit given through the apostles, he tried to buy the power with money so he could look impressive. Peter's answer was sharp. "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!" (). Here is the dividing line for walking in the Spirit. God's power is given for witness. It is never given for show, status, or money. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, and self-control. That fruit, and the gifts of the Spirit, always serve Jesus and serve people. The moment power becomes about us looking great or getting rich, we have stopped walking in the Spirit. We have started using His name to build our own kingdom. Character always comes before gifting.
Around the Table
God gives the Holy Spirit as a gift. It helps us love Jesus and tell others about Him. It is not for showing off.
Let's do it: Hold out cupped hands like you're receiving a present, and say, "Thank You, God, for Your gift!"
Simon wanted God's power so people would think he was amazing. That was wrong. The power is for pointing to Jesus.
Let's talk: What is the difference between using a gift to help someone and using it to show off?
The promise of the Spirit is for you and your children. But that gift can never be bought, faked, or used for self-glory. Character matters more than gifting.
Let's go deeper: How can you tell whether someone's "spiritual power" is real? Is it by how flashy it looks? Or is it by who gets the glory and how they love people?
💬 Conversation Starter
Imagine you were suddenly given a superpower. Would it be harder to use it to help quietly, or to show everyone how cool you are? Why?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The Bible itself warns against fake and self-serving "spiritual power" (; ). That is why thoughtful Christians test claims rather than swallow every spectacle. This is a faith that polices its own counterfeits. It rebukes a Simon. That shows the marks of truth, not the marks of a con.
For Dad · Go Deeper
This is the heartbeat of classic, Spirit-filled Pentecostal teaching, and it must be guarded in our day. The baptism in the Spirit is a genuine empowering for mission, and the gifts are active now. But is the built-in safeguard. It guards against turning the Spirit into a means of profit, prestige, or platform. That is precisely where prosperity and "name-it-claim-it" teaching goes wrong. It does what Simon did. It treats God's power as leverage for personal gain. Sam Storms' rule is the family motto here: character over gifting. So lead your home to hunger for the Spirit's fullness. And lead it to suspect any ministry that magnifies a man or sells the gift of God. Teach your kids to ask one clean question of any spiritual display. "Who ends up looking great here, Jesus or the person on the stage?"
Draws on: Sam Storms, Understanding Spiritual Gifts; Robert Menzies, Empowered for Witness.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that the gift of Your Spirit is promised even to our children. Keep our hearts humble. Let Your power in us point straight to Jesus. Help us use it to serve people. Never let us use it to feed our own pride. In Jesus' name, amen."
The Spirit's power is a gift to help me witness and love. It is never a tool to make myself look big.