Overflow: The Promise of The Spirit
I’ve had the privilege of preaching in different churches — Presbyterian, Anglican, Reformed, Pentecostal. And I’ve seen people hungry for the Word, but the Spirit is either neglected, misunderstood, or misrepresented.
2 Corinthians 3:6 says, The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
You can have all the knowledge in the world about God and still feel dry inside. Because without the Holy Spirit, the Word remains just information — it doesn’t become transformation.
This is why so many Christians feel stuck.
We’ve learned how to do church — but we haven’t learned how to walk in the Spirit.
Without the Spirit, the Word alone can become head knowledge. But when the Spirit fills you, the Word comes alive.
Our main scripture for today is:
Acts 1:4-8: “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Let’s break this down into three main points:
Waiting on God’s Promise
Acts 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit before doing anything else.
Waiting on God is not passive — it’s active.
We live in a culture that hates waiting. We want things now — instant answers, instant results. But some things can only be received by waiting on God.
Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
When we rush ahead of God, we risk creating "Ishmaels" — decisions that seem right in the moment but lead to frustration later. God’s timing is perfect.
Even Mary Magdalene waited at Jesus’ tomb while others left.
Because she lingered, she was the first to see the risen Christ.
There is power in waiting on God.
When you’re sick, wait.
When you’re praying for salvation in your family, wait.
Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.”
Verses 7-8 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
We have a long list of “I wants,” but God is saying: Wait.
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
My prayer is that we live by the Spirit, not by the flesh.
2. The Purpose of the Spirit: Power for Witness
The Holy Spirit wasn’t given just to make us feel good.
He was given to empower us to be witnesses.
Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses...”
The word witness comes from the Greek word martys, meaning “one who gives testimony.” It’s also where we get the word martyr.
To be a witness means we die to ourselves and live fully for Christ.
That means:
Serving others before ourselves
Loving those who are difficult to love
Giving our time, talents, and treasure for the Kingdom
Being a witness isn’t just about preaching — it’s about how we live.
Being a witness starts at home.
Our first ministry is our home. If we can’t be a witness to our spouse, our kids, or our neighbors, how can we be a witness anywhere else?
3. The Mission of the Spirit-Filled Life
The disciples didn’t stay in their comfort zones.
Acts 1:8 “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Being Spirit-filled means being willing to go where God sends us. That might be:
Speaking to a coworker about Jesus
Praying for a sick neighbour
Showing kindness to someone who has wronged us
Jesus never called us to just attend church — He called us to be the church.
We are not meant to live in fear, anxiety, or self-reliance.
The Holy Spirit helps us to live supernaturally, naturally — turning fear into peace, anger into joy, and despair into hope.
Learn to Walk in the Spirit Daily
As a Church, let’s learn to:
Wait on the Spirit
Walk in His power
Be a witness for Jesus
Let’s cultivate daily dependence on the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to guide our decisions, shape our character, and overflow in every area of our lives.
Because when we truly walk in the Spirit, when we surrender to His leading, when we stop trying to do life in our own strength and let Him take control — we will experience the overflow of His power, His presence, and His purpose like never before.
Watch the full sermon to learn more about the promise of the Spirit.
