The Holy Spirit Will Come Upon You
Month 1: The Word Became Flesh · Walking in the Spirit
Today's Scripture
Read together: Luke 1:35
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
Memory Verse
“For no word from God will ever fail.””— Luke 1:37 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Genesis 37-39
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 12 of 365 — Joseph sold by his brothers, yet the Lord is with him.)The Heart of It
When Mary asked "How can this be?", Gabriel's answer was not a science lesson. It was a Person. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you." The very first thing the Holy Spirit does in the New Testament is bring Jesus into the world. From the opening pages, the Spirit is the one through whom God's impossible promises become real, flesh-and-blood reality. The Word became flesh by the power of the Spirit. Nothing about following Jesus happens by our own muscle. It happens by His Spirit at work.
That same Spirit who overshadowed Mary is the Spirit Jesus later promised to His followers (). He is not a force or a feeling. He is God Himself, our Helper, who can do in us what we could never do on our own. He gives new life when we trust Jesus. He grows His fruit in us, fruit like love, joy, peace, and patience (). And Jesus wants to fill His people with the Spirit, to give us power to live and witness. The God for whom nothing is impossible does His impossible work in us by His Spirit. We don't grit our teeth to be good Christians. We ask to be filled, and we lean on Him.
Around the Table
The Holy Spirit is God's helper, and He helped baby Jesus come into the world. He helps us be good and brave too!
Let's do it: Hand on your heart and pray, "Holy Spirit, help me today!"
The Holy Spirit made the impossible possible for Mary. He's God's power living in everyone who trusts Jesus.
Let's talk: What's something hard to do on your own, like being patient? Could you ask the Holy Spirit to help you with it?
The Spirit brought Jesus into the world. That same Spirit gives us new life and wants to fill us with His power. This is the heart of a Spirit-filled walk.
Let's go deeper: Have you ever asked Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit? He says the Father loves to give the Spirit to everyone who asks.
💬 Conversation Starter
When have you done something kinder or braver than you thought you could? That might have been the Holy Spirit giving you a hand!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
"The Holy Spirit is just a feeling or an energy." Not according to Jesus. He called the Spirit "He," a Helper who teaches, reminds, and can be grieved (; ). Feelings don't teach or grieve. The Spirit is a Person. He is God Himself, and He comes to live in us.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Luke's Gospel is sometimes called the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit's first great act here is the conception of Jesus. Classic Pentecostal teaching sees a clear pattern across Luke-Acts. The Spirit who forms Christ in the world is the Spirit who empowers witness to Christ. There's an encouragement and a warning in this for you. Here is the encouragement. You are not expected to disciple your children by willpower. Ask the Father to fill you afresh (). And here is the warning, from Sam Storms: "character is always more important than gifting." Pursue the Spirit for Christlikeness and love, not for show or hype. No prosperity gimmicks. No spiritual theater. A Spirit-filled home is quietly marked by the fruit of the Spirit far more than by noise. You cannot lead your family somewhere you are not walking yourself.
Draws on: Robert Menzies, Empowered for Witness; Sam Storms, Understanding Spiritual Gifts.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Fill us today. Grow Your good fruit in us. Help us walk in Your power and not our own. In Jesus' name, amen."
I don't follow Jesus by my own strength. God's Spirit does in me what I never could.