The Power - Linda Bailey
Have you ever felt completely spent—totally out of energy, out of ideas, out of capacity to keep going? Maybe it was in the middle of a demanding work project, or while caring for someone you love, or just navigating the everyday grind. In those moments, we bump up against the hard truth: we simply aren't enough on our own.
What if there was a power available to us that could meet us in our exhaustion, fill us with renewed strength, and propel us toward things we never thought possible?
This week, Linda Bailey preached on Acts 2, continuing our series through the book of Acts. She walked us through one of the most pivotal moments in Christian history—the day of Pentecost—and invited us to reclaim what this story means for our lives today. Whether or not you'd call yourself "Pentecostal," Linda challenged us to become Christians of Pentecost—people who are open to all that God's Spirit wants to do in and through us.
You can watch Linda’s message above or listen to the full sermon below.
Reclaiming Pentecost for All Christians
Linda began with a helpful analogy. We all know what a Band-Aid is—even though "Band-Aid" is actually a trademarked brand name owned by Johnson & Johnson. The generic term is "adhesive bandage," but the brand became so dominant that we use its name for the whole category. Similarly, the word "Pentecostal" has become associated with a particular style of worship—charismatic, expressive, often with extended singing, clapping, and speaking in tongues.
But here's the problem: when one expression of Christianity claims the name "Pentecostal," others can feel like Pentecost doesn't belong to them. And that's a tragedy, because Pentecost isn't about worship style—it's about the power of God made available to every believer.
Linda put it clearly:
"Outside of creation and Jesus's resurrection, this time of Pentecost that we read about in Acts 2 is so pivotal to us as Christians... It is my hope that as we unpack Acts 2, you may leave here not necessarily calling yourself a Pentecostal Christian or coming to a Pentecostal church, but that you will desire to be a Christian of Pentecost."
Pentecost belongs to all of us. Jesus wanted every one of his followers to experience the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7, he told his disciples, "It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." Jesus desired this for us. The question is: are we open to receiving it?
Linda's Story: God's Power in Exhaustion
Linda shared a personal story from when she was sixteen, serving on a beach mission team with Scripture Union in Port Campbell, a small coastal town in western Victoria. Beach missions are incredible—teams gather holiday makers to tell them stories from the Bible, play games, and share the good news of Jesus. They're also utterly exhausting. Days start early and finish late. After about a week, Linda hit a wall.
She'd just finished the morning program when she made the classic mistake: she sat down in a comfortable chair. Immediately, she felt completely spent—unable to imagine getting up and continuing through the afternoon program ahead.
Then a verse she'd memorised in Year 7 came to mind: Isaiah 40:31—"But those who hope in the Lord, he will renew their strength. They will rise up on wings like eagles. They will walk and not grow weary. They will run and not be faint."
Linda described what happened next:
"As soon as that verse came into my mind, there were no eagle's wings. However, I had suddenly filled with energy and motivation. My mind cleared so much that I was able to get out of that comfy chair... As I thought over my day as I lay in bed that night and was reminded of what had happened when I thought of that verse in my absolute exhaustion, I realised that was not my power, but that was God's power within me. And all I could say was, thank you, God."
This is what the Holy Spirit does. He meets us in our weakness and fills us with God's power—not our own.
N.T. Wright puts it this way: "God longs to give the Holy Spirit to people and all we have to do is ask. What the spirit will do when he comes is anybody's guess. Be prepared for wind and fire... for some fairly drastic spring cleaning of the dusty and cold rooms of one's life."
Three Things the Holy Spirit Does
Linda walked us through three key ways the Holy Spirit moves in the lives of believers, drawn from Acts 2.
The Holy Spirit Reminds Us of God's Presence
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, the disciples experienced a sound like the blowing of a violent wind and tongues of fire that rested on each of them. For Jewish people steeped in the Old Testament, these weren't random phenomena—they were deeply familiar symbols of God's presence.
Wind (Hebrew: ruach; Greek: pneuma) appears throughout Scripture as a sign of God's movement:
In Genesis 1, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters at creation
In Genesis 2, God breathed the breath of life into the first human
In Ezekiel 37, God's breath brought dry bones back to life
Fire also carries the weight of God's presence:
God descended on Mount Sinai in fire when he gave the law
God led the Israelites through the desert as a pillar of fire by night
John the Baptist said Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire
But Pentecost brought something radically new: this wasn't just one person experiencing God's presence. All who believed were filled with the Holy Spirit. God's presence wasn't confined to a temple or a prophet—it was poured out on everyone.
Linda reminded us:
"The Holy Spirit reminds us that God is present. Acts 2 was not a natural phenomena. It was not something the disciples created for themselves. This was the move of God, his very presence, through his spirit, filling the believers."
The Holy Spirit Inspires Us to Worship
When the disciples were filled with the Spirit, they began declaring the wonders of God in many languages. They couldn't help but worship. The crowd gathered from every nation heard them speaking in their own tongues, utterly amazed.
Linda drew on her own experience again. When God met her in her exhaustion, her immediate response was simply, "Thank you, God. Thank you, God." She grew up in a tradition that didn't emphasise the Holy Spirit much—but the Spirit didn't mind. The Holy Spirit doesn't draw attention to himself. He points us to God.
Linda used a helpful analogy from her time working as a producer on a Christian radio breakfast show. Her job was to make sure the hosts had everything they needed to make the show the best it could be. Most listeners never even knew she existed—but without her behind-the-scenes work, the show wouldn't have been what it was.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit works in us to help us engage with God—to worship him fully, to live as we were meant to live. When we have an experience of the Holy Spirit, he doesn't say, "Look at me!" He says, "Look at God."
John Stott wrote powerfully about this:
"Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life giver, no understanding without the spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the spirit, no Christ-likeness in character apart from his fruit, and no effective witness without his power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the spirit is dead."
The Holy Spirit Propels Us Toward God's Mission
When the crowd heard the disciples speaking in many languages, they were bewildered. They heard the wonders of God proclaimed in their own native tongues. This wasn't just for the benefit of those gathered—it was a preview of God's mission to the nations.
Jesus had commanded his followers: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). But how could a small group of fishermen and tax collectors possibly reach the whole world? Linda wondered whether that command felt as impossible to them as if we were told today to "go forth to the moon and baptise all on every planet."
But God doesn't leave us to do his mission in our own strength. Romans 8:11 says, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his spirit who lives in you."
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the Spirit available to us.
Linda also pointed out that Pentecost is a beautiful reversal of the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11, humanity tried to build a kingdom for themselves—a tower reaching to heaven, a name for themselves. God confused their language and scattered them. At Pentecost, God brought people together under many languages so that all could hear the wonder of God.
The result? Peter preached, and about 3,000 people were baptised that day. This wasn't because of Peter's eloquence or the disciples' ability. It was only through the Spirit of God.
Keith Warrington writes:
"The Spirit desires to speak more often than we might expect. What may be even more startling is that he wishes to speak through us. Our role is to listen for him and then to communicate his message, be it in a church or the office, the home or the school, amongst Christians or not... His desire is to reveal Jesus and our privilege is to be part of the process."
One Way to Live It Out This Week
This week, ask God to fill you with his Spirit in one specific area where you feel inadequate. Maybe it's a difficult conversation you need to have, a decision you're facing, a relationship that needs healing, or simply the everyday demands of your work or family life. Before you face that situation, pause and pray: "Holy Spirit, I am not enough. Fill me with your power." Then watch for how God meets you.
A Short Prayer
Holy Spirit,
We confess that too often we rely on our own strength,
our own wisdom, our own power.
We forget that you long to fill us,
to remind us of God's presence,
to inspire us to worship,
and to propel us toward your mission.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Fill us afresh.
Help us to be Christians of Pentecost—
open to all you want to do in and through us.
Amen.
Personal Reflection
When have you experienced a moment where you knew God's power was at work in you—where you did something beyond your own capacity? How did that shape your faith?
What does it mean to you personally that the Holy Spirit "reminds us of God's presence"? In what areas of your life do you most need that reminder right now?
Are there ways you've been limiting what you think the Holy Spirit can do in your life—either because of past experiences, fear, or a desire to stay comfortable? What might it look like to open yourself more fully to the Spirit's work?
Small Group Discussion
Linda used the analogy of "Band-Aid" being a trademarked name that's become generic. How have you seen the word "Pentecostal" used in ways that might exclude some Christians from embracing the fullness of the Spirit? What does it mean to be a "Christian of Pentecost" rather than a "Pentecostal Christian"?
Read Acts 2:1-13 together. What details stand out to you? What questions does this passage raise for you?
Linda explored how wind and fire were familiar symbols of God's presence in the Old Testament. Why do you think God chose those particular signs at Pentecost? What do they communicate about who God is and how he works?
The Holy Spirit doesn't draw attention to himself—he points us to God. How does that shape the way we think about experiencing the Spirit? What are the dangers of seeking spiritual experiences for their own sake?
John Stott said, "As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the spirit is dead." That's strong language. Do you agree? What does a Spirit-filled church look like in practice?
Linda pointed out that Pentecost reverses the Tower of Babel. What does that tell us about God's heart for the nations? How does it challenge or encourage you in sharing your faith?
Where in your life right now do you most need the power of the Holy Spirit—power beyond your own capacity? Be specific.
How can we pray for one another to be more open to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives? Take time to pray together, asking God to fill each person afresh with his Spirit.