We often long for more of God in our lives—for clarity, strength, power, joy. We say we want the Holy Spirit, but how do we actually prepare ourselves to receive Him? As we approach Pentecost, Acts 1:1–11 gives us a clear and challenging blueprint.
1. Submit to the Lordship of Jesus
Before Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, he spends forty days after his resurrection proving to the disciples that he is, in fact, alive. He eats with them, shows them his wounds, and teaches them about the kingdom of God. Why? Because receiving the Holy Spirit begins with submitting to the risen Lord.
You cannot receive the Spirit of Christ without first receiving Christ as Lord. It’s not enough to admire Jesus as a teacher or be inspired by him as a prophet. He is the risen one—unique in all history—and our response must be repentance, faith, and obedience.
Submitting to his lordship means saying “yes” when he says go, and “no” when he says stop. It means surrendering control and allowing his Word to shape our lives. If we are knowingly living in disobedience, we are not in a position to receive the fullness of the Spirit.
2. Wait on God’s Timing
Jesus tells his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. That’s difficult for us. We live in an instant culture that avoids discomfort and thrives on urgency. But the Spirit doesn’t operate on our schedule.
There’s a reason Pentecost doesn’t happen on Easter Sunday. There’s a season of preparation between resurrection and empowerment. Sometimes God withholds his gifts—not because he’s stingy, but because he’s wise. He knows when we’re truly ready.
If you’re in a season of spiritual waiting, don’t despair. That waiting may be the very space where the Spirit is deepening your hunger and aligning your heart with God’s purposes.
3. Align with God’s Kingdom Purposes
In Acts 1:6, the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” They’re still thinking in terms of their own hopes, their own people, their own expectations. And Jesus redirects them. “It is not for you to know…” he says, essentially, you’re asking the wrong questions.
We do this too. We pray for the Spirit to move, but with our own vision in mind—our dreams, our timelines, our ideas of success. We imagine the Spirit will come to bless our plans. But receiving the Holy Spirit requires letting go of our agenda and embracing God’s.
The Spirit comes to empower us for God’s mission, not our personal comfort or prestige. The question isn’t, “How can I get the Spirit to do what I want?” but “How can I be fully available for what God wants to do in and through me?”
4. Receive Power to Be Witnesses
Jesus is clear about the purpose of the Spirit’s coming: “You will receive power… and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The goal is not entertainment, emotional highs, or even miraculous gifts—it’s faithful witness. It’s living in such a way that people see Jesus in us.
The greatest evidence of the Spirit in a believer’s life is Christlike character—love, humility, holiness, boldness in witness, and unity in community. All the other gifts are secondary to this: a life shaped by the life of Christ.
So if you want to receive the Holy Spirit in greater measure, ask yourself:
- Am I fully surrendered to Jesus as Lord?
- Am I willing to wait, trusting God’s timing?
- Am I aligned with God’s purposes, not just my own?
- Am I ready to be a faithful witness to Jesus?
The Spirit is not something we earn. He is someone we receive. But he fills only those vessels that are surrendered, prepared, and aligned. May we be that people.
Reflection Questions:
- Is there an area of your life where you’re resisting Jesus’ lordship?
- What are you waiting on from God right now? How might he be using the wait to prepare you?
- Have you been assuming the Spirit would bless your plan? What would it look like to release control?
- In what ways can your life more fully reflect Christ to others?
Closing Prayer:
Come, Holy Spirit. Not on my terms, but yours. I submit to Jesus, I wait in faith, I align with your kingdom, and I long to bear witness to your power and grace. Shape me, fill me, send me. Amen.
