THE POWER OF WAITING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: Acts 1:4-8
Key Verse: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” — Acts 1:8
Supporting Texts: Isaiah 40:31, Luke 24:49, Acts 2:1-4, John 16:7-13
INTRODUCTION:
Waiting is one of the hardest disciplines of the Christian life, yet it is one of the most rewarding. In Acts 1, Jesus commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father; the Holy Spirit. This divine instruction reveals that no genuine ministry or spiritual assignment should begin without divine empowerment. To act before receiving the Spirit’s power is to labour in vain.
The early Church understood that waiting was not idleness but obedience. They gathered in one accord, praying and expecting divine visitation. The result was Pentecost — an outpouring of supernatural power that changed the world. Many believers today rush into action without waiting for the Holy Spirit, leading to frustration, weakness, and failure.
Waiting on the Lord aligns us with His timing, His power, and His purpose. When we learn to wait, we exchange our weakness for divine strength and our limitation for His unlimited power.
1. WAITING IS A DIVINE COMMAND BEFORE COMMISSION
Waiting on the Holy Spirit is not a suggestion but a divine order for effective ministry. Jesus never sent His disciples to preach until they had received power.
a) Waiting Shows Dependence on God (Proverbs 3:5-6)
To wait is to acknowledge that without God we can do nothing. It is a confession of total reliance on His wisdom and power.
b) Waiting Prepares You for Divine Assignment (Luke 24:49)
Jesus told His followers to tarry until they were clothed with power from on high. Waiting is preparation for manifestation.
c) Waiting Builds Spiritual Sensitivity (Isaiah 30:15)
When you wait in quietness and confidence, you become sensitive to the voice and direction of the Holy Spirit.
d) Waiting Protects You from Premature Action (1 Samuel 13:11-14)
King Saul lost his kingdom because he could not wait for God’s appointed time. Impatience ruins destinies.
Biblical Example: The disciples in Acts 1 obeyed the command to wait in Jerusalem. As they waited in unity and prayer, they were filled with power at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
2. THE PURPOSE OF WAITING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
Waiting on the Holy Spirit is not a waste of time; it is divine investment into spiritual empowerment and alignment with God’s agenda.
a) To Receive Power for Ministry (Acts 1:8)
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to witness and serve effectively. Without the Spirit, ministry becomes mechanical and lifeless.
b) To Receive Divine Direction (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit reveals the will of God and guides us into all truth. Waiting tunes your spirit to hear His voice clearly.
c) To Be Transformed Internally (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
Before God works through you, He works in you. Waiting allows the Spirit to purify, renew, and fill your heart.
d) To Cultivate Intimacy with God (Psalm 27:14)
Waiting deepens your relationship with God and strengthens your trust in His faithfulness.
Biblical Example: Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai waiting upon God, and the glory of the Lord transformed his countenance (Exodus 34:28-29).
3. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WAIT ON THE HOLY SPIRIT
When believers patiently wait upon the Lord, divine transactions occur in the realm of the Spirit that produce lasting transformation.
a) Renewal of Strength (Isaiah 40:31)
Waiting renews spiritual stamina. You soar like an eagle, rising above weariness and discouragement.
b) Fresh Anointing and Fire (Acts 2:3-4)
Waiting brings the baptism of fire that ignites passion for service and holiness.
c) Divine Encounters and Revelation (Acts 10:9-19)
In the place of waiting, Peter received heavenly visions that expanded his understanding of God’s plan.
d) Empowerment for Bold Witness (Acts 4:31)
Those who wait receive courage to speak the Word of God without fear or compromise.
Biblical Example: Elijah waited on God at Mount Horeb and heard His still small voice that redirected his ministry (1 Kings 19:11-13).
4. DANGERS OF ACTING WITHOUT WAITING
When believers or ministers move without divine empowerment, they operate in human strength, which leads to spiritual defeat.
a) Lack of Power and Authority (Acts 19:13-16)
The sons of Sceva attempted to cast out demons without the Holy Spirit and were overpowered by the evil spirits.
b) Confusion and Misleading Decisions (Proverbs 19:2)
Acting hastily without waiting leads to errors, frustration, and regret.
c) Spiritual Burnout (Galatians 3:3)
When you begin in the Spirit but continue in the flesh, exhaustion and failure follow.
d) Loss of Divine Presence (Exodus 33:15)
Moses refused to move without God’s presence. To act without Him is to walk in emptiness.
Biblical Example: King Uzziah became proud and offered incense without divine instruction. The result was leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16-21).
5. HOW TO WAIT EFFECTIVELY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
Waiting is not inactivity; it is purposeful, prayerful, and expectant seeking of God’s power and presence.
a) Wait in Prayer (Acts 1:14)
The early disciples continued in prayer and supplication. Prayer positions you for divine visitation.
b) Wait in Unity (Psalm 133:1-3)
The Spirit moves where there is oneness. Unity attracts the anointing and the dew of heaven.
c) Wait in Faith (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith makes your waiting fruitful. Believe that what God has promised will surely come.
d) Wait in Holiness (Isaiah 59:1-2)
Sin hinders divine flow. Purity of heart invites the presence and power of the Spirit.
Biblical Example: Cornelius waited in prayer and fasting, and the Holy Spirit visited his household (Acts 10:30-44).
CONCLUSION:
Waiting on the Holy Spirit is the pathway to spiritual power, wisdom, and divine manifestation. The Church today needs a return to the discipline of waiting; not rushing into activity without empowerment. Those who wait on God never waste time; they mount up with wings like eagles. The Holy Spirit does not fill the hurried but the yielded. As you learn to wait, divine strength will replace weakness, and supernatural boldness will replace fear.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, thank You for the promise of the Holy Spirit.
2. Father, teach me to wait patiently for Your power and direction.
3. Holy Spirit, fill me afresh with divine fire and boldness.
4. Every spirit of impatience in my life, be broken in Jesus’ name.
5. Lord, deliver me from the error of acting without Your instruction.
6. Endue me with power for effective ministry and victorious living.
7. Holy Spirit, align my heart with Your will and purpose.
8. Let my waiting season produce divine encounters and revelation.
9. Renew my spiritual strength to soar above weariness.
10. Lord, may Your presence never depart from my life.
