You do not need a microphone to begin serving someone. A neighbor may need a patient listener. A person at church may need encouragement. A family member may need an apology you have delayed. These moments may seem small beside a public ministry, but they deserve our attention.
When we talk about the anointing, we can become absorbed with what happens in front of a congregation. We notice confidence, spiritual gifts, and the ability to hold a room. Yet a desire for the Holy Spirit’s power should also make us willing to receive His correction when nobody is watching.
Begin with the purpose of the power
In Acts 1:4–8, the risen Jesus prepares His apostles for the mission ahead. He tells them to wait for the Father’s promise and connects the Spirit’s power with their witness to Him. Their assignment reaches beyond Jerusalem, across familiar boundaries, and into the world.
That setting matters. This is not a promise that spiritual power will make a person famous or remove every difficulty. The apostles are being equipped to bear witness to Jesus. Their dependence on the Spirit belongs to their obedience, not to the construction of a personal brand.
For us, the practical question is not simply whether an experience felt powerful. What are we doing with the opportunities to speak truth, love people, and point them toward Christ?
Read beyond the extraordinary moment
Acts 2 records the outpouring at Pentecost, the speaking in other tongues, and Peter’s proclamation of Jesus. But the chapter does not end with an impressive gathering. Acts 2:42–47 describes an ongoing shared life of teaching, fellowship, meals, prayer, and care for needs.
We should not dismiss the extraordinary work of the Spirit. Neither should we overlook the ordinary faithfulness that follows. A church needs people who will pray together, keep learning, notice someone who is struggling, and respond generously.
This changes how we evaluate our own spiritual hunger. Are we willing to remain faithful after the meeting ends? Can we serve when there is no visible platform? Do we want to help a person, or do we need that person to be impressed with us?
These questions are invitations to honesty, not reasons to despise ourselves. Bring your motives before the Lord and let Him work in them.
A gift does not excuse unloving conduct
First Corinthians 12 describes spiritual gifts in the life of the church. Chapter 13 insists on love. Read the chapters together rather than treating gifting as evidence that someone no longer needs correction.
A person may speak confidently and still need to learn how to listen. Someone may be gifted in public and behave carelessly at home. Neither a title nor a spiritual experience makes harshness harmless.
Ask trusted people whether your service is becoming more patient, truthful, and considerate. Give them room to answer without defending yourself immediately. Accountability need not diminish your calling; it can help you carry responsibility more faithfully.
Begin with one faithful response
You do not have to manufacture a dramatic assignment. Consider what is already in front of you:
- Listen to someone without rushing to offer an explanation for everything they are facing.
- Offer to pray, while respecting the person’s willingness and boundaries.
- Follow through on a practical commitment you have already made.
- Set aside time to read a whole biblical passage, not only a sentence that supports your preference.
- Receive a needed correction and act on it.
These are practical applications, not a formula for earning God’s power. Ephesians 2:1–10 places our response within God’s grace: good works belong to the life He gives, not a purchase price we pay for His acceptance.
I believe the Holy Spirit still works in power. We can pray with faith and remain compassionate when an answer differs from what we hoped. We must not make a suffering person carry the added burden of proving that their faith was sufficient.
A life available to God includes both courage and teachability. Ask Him to help you notice the person before you, respond with love, and remain faithful when nobody is applauding.
Continue reading
Explore these themes further in Anointed for Impact: Cultivating a Spirit-Filled Life.
Explore Anointed for Impact · Read the first chapter (PDF)
Read the passages in context: Acts 1:4–8; Acts 2:1–47; 1 Corinthians 12–13; Ephesians 2:1–10.