Empowered

Posted On April 2, 2024

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you …”

Acts 1:8 NIV

“… the Spirit is thought of as the power of the age to come, as that power — which will characterize God’s rule at the end of time — already shaping and transforming the lives of believers.”

James D. G. Dunn

How does the Holy Spirit reveal His presence? How does He speak to us? How does He show us His power? The short answer: Anyway He chooses. The Holy Spirit may reveal Himself in a dramatic display that shakes us up and gets our attention. Or He may choose to work in the background while we remain completely unaware of what He’s doing. Often, I think He operates somewhere in between. But what we as Christians must remember is that the Holy Spirit is always working, whether we can perceive what He’s doing or not. I am willing to believe that many times we miss what He’s doing simply because we aren’t paying attention. And I also believe He stands ready and waiting to give us whatever power we need to do His work if we will just have the faith and courage to ask!

Our plan for 2024 is a new format that blends an ongoing fiction story with a devotional each week. Our current story is a science fiction tale I’ve named Awakening. It’s a story about faith, with a focus on the core beliefs of Christianity. This week, our adventure continues with Chapter 8. The doctrinal focus is the Holy Spirit. (Click here for Quick Links to previous chapters.) As a reminder, I am using colored boxes to set the story apart from the rest of the post. So, any text that has a colored background is part of the fictional story. And any text that does not, is not. The video below gives a short recap of the story so far. I hope you enjoy Awakening!

Awakening
Chapter 8: Empowered

“We’ve got to destroy the ship.”

Michael’s words rang in her ears as Faith tried to force her brain to comprehend what was happening. But there was no time to dwell on the implications. As Peter worked in the cockpit, Michael began rushing around the rest of the ship, opening compartments and grabbing various items out of them.

“We’ll try to salvage what we can,” he explained, “but we don’t have much time. Here, take this.” He tossed her what she recognized to be one of the mobile communication devices used on Nova. “This is linked to the Nova satellite network. You will need it for contacting us later. Right now, though, you can use it to store whatever files you want to save from the ship’s computer.”

She took it and stared at it obtusely.

“Go!” he urged, snapping her out of her daze. “We’re going to wipe the ship’s computer’s memory, so you need to hurry! Pack up whatever else you need and then meet me back here.” She nodded and hurried to her quarters. It didn’t take long to figure out how to connect the mobile to her computer. As her notes, journals, and other files were being downloaded to the device, she gathered the few belongings she had, including her Bible, and stuffed them into a travel pack. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but she forced herself to stay focused on her immediate task and trusted that Michael and Peter had a plan.

When she went back out to find Michael, she found Peter instead. “Hey, kiddo. You okay?” he asked sympathetically.

“Yeah, I think so.” Actually, she didn’t really know what to think. “What happens now?”

Before Peter could answer, Michael burst in from the cockpit. “Did you get what you need?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she answered, glancing at her pack.

“Good. I’m about to wipe the ship’s files. Go with Peter and I’ll meet up with you both in a bit.” Then to Peter he said, “Get to the lake. I’ll be there soon.” Then he disappeared again.

Faith’s head was spinning. This was all happening so fast. Peter must have sensed her confusion. “Come on, kiddo,” he said. “I’ll explain on the way.”

Faith followed Peter quickly and quietly back to his small commuter ship, which was hidden among some trees near the entrance to the cave. He stowed their packs in the storage compartment and helped her get strapped in before climbing into the pilot seat. He powered up the ship and expertly maneuvered it out into a small clearing before executing a perfect takeoff. As the ship climbed above the trees, Faith was temporarily transfixed by the view of the world below. The forest extended for miles in all directions. Ahead, she could see mountains in the distance, but she saw no sign of civilization. She had indeed been hidden away from everyone in her cave.

Peter’s voice over the headset startled her out of her reverie. “It won’t take us long to get to the lake.”

Faith still didn’t really know what was happening. “So, what’s the plan?” she asked.

“We’ve got to destroy your ship before anyone finds it. Michael’s going to fly it out. He should be right behind us.”

Faith was still confused.

“Sorry, kiddo. This probably doesn’t make much sense to you. Let me back up a bit. Remember Michael mentioned that your ship had a computer glitch when you both arrived on Nova?” Faith nodded, and Peter continued, “It affected not only the cryogenic controls on your ship, but also several other systems, including navigation. When you and Michael arrived, and he began the landing sequence, he suddenly realized he was nowhere near where he was supposed to be. Communications with ground control also went down, and he was forced to put the ship down in the first safe place he could find, which happened to be near the cave. That’s where I found him, and I helped him hide the ship.”

Faith’s mind automatically began to fill with questions. Why did the computer glitch? How did there just happen to be a suitable hiding place for the ship near where Michael landed? How did Michael know to hide the ship in the first place? How did Peter know to get involved? Why did she suddenly wake up when she did? Even as the questions formed in her mind, however, she already knew the answer to all of them: Because God was in control. God had orchestrated all of this to put each of them right where He needed them to be.

Peter was still explaining: “Because of the break in communications and the last known trajectory of your ship — at least according to your computer — it appeared to ground control that your ship burned up when entering Nova’s atmosphere. And Michael never told them otherwise. This is how he was able to keep you safely hidden for so long. You’re supposed to be dead. But now, the ship is in danger of being discovered, which means you’re in danger of being discovered. So, we’ve got to get it out of there.”

She was trying to make sense of all of this. “So, Michael’s flying the ship out to the lake?”

“Yes. And then he’s going to crash it into the water,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“What?” she asked, suddenly concerned. “Is that safe?

Peter looked over at her, and his expression softened in that fatherly way she was growing to love about him. “Yes,” he reassured her. “Michael and I have been working on this plan ever since you arrived, and he’s an exceptional pilot. He’ll fly low and bail out just as the ship hits the water. He’ll be fine. Don’t worry, kiddo.”

Faith trusted Peter’s judgment, but it still sounded dangerous. She prayed nothing would go wrong. Even though from her point of view she had only known Michael and Peter for a short time, they already felt like family. And the thought of losing either of them terrified her.

Up ahead, the lake came into view and Peter began the landing sequence. He put the ship down in a small clearing and then taxied slowly to a group of trees to hide it as much as possible. He cut the engine and they removed their headsets. Silence filled the cockpit and they finally enjoyed a moment of stillness after the frenzy of their hasty departure.

“So, what now?” she asked.

“Now, we head down to the water and wait. He should be here soon.”

Peter grabbed his pack out of the storage compartment, and Faith followed him as they made their way to the edge of the lake. The air was fresh and cool, and the ground was soft beneath her feet as they walked. Soft rays of sunlight streamed through the trees, and she could hear birds chirping overhead. The overwhelming beauty of this new planet continued to amaze her. As soon as they reached the trees near the shore, a sound overhead began to drown out the birdsong. Michael.

“There he is,” Peter confirmed. She still wasn’t sure about this plan, but it was too late to change it now. She scanned the sky for a view of his ship, but she had to squint because of the bright sunlight. She finally spotted it when a bank of clouds moved across the sun, making it much easier to see. Peter and Michael had agreed to maintain radio silence, so all she could do was watch and pray for a good outcome.

The roar of the ship’s engines grew louder as Michael slowed and reduced his altitude. The ship was now just above the trees and on a perfect collision course for the middle of the lake. God, please help him! she prayed silently. Peter began to jog around the edge of the lake to get closer to where the ship would go in, and she followed close behind him. The ship was almost down, but there was still no sign of Michael. Shouldn’t he have bailed out by now? Come on! she urged as if he could somehow hear her.

As the nose of the ship hit the water, she began to panic. “Peter, where is he?” she cried out. But just then, the airlock door opened, and Michael jumped into the lake. Peter shouted and waved his arms until Michael spotted them on the shore, and then Michael began swimming toward them.

As Faith kept a watchful eye on him, she continued to pray. Lord, give him Your strength. Just then, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and a ray of light shone down on him. And for a moment Faith forgot to breathe. Michael was glowing like an angel. Incredible! She turned to Peter, but he didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. And when she looked back, the effect was gone. Had she just imagined it? It only took her a second to realize that she hadn’t. She had a gift, after all. A prophetic gift that allowed her to see things that others didn’t see. And God had just let her glimpse the answer to her prayer!

Exhausted and dripping wet, Michael finally emerged from the lake and Faith rushed to meet him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Please don’t ever do that again!” she scolded.

Michael seemed delightfully surprised by her sudden display of affection. “I won’t. I promise,” he chuckled as he returned the hug. “Once was enough for me. But you’re getting soaked!” he said and released her from his soggy embrace.

“I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re okay!” And she was. At that moment, she was deeply and profoundly grateful that Michael was safe, and she felt a deep connection to him that she couldn’t explain. She still had no memories of him beyond a few days ago, but he was someone important to her. She felt it in her soul. She smiled up at him and offered a silent prayer of thanks.

Then, suddenly realizing that both Michael and Peter were staring at her with odd looks on their faces, she composed herself and cleared her throat. “So, what do we do now?”

“Now, we lie low for a little while,” Michael answered as he plopped down on the ground to rest.

“We’ll wait here until dark,” Peter added. “And then we’ll fly to the colony — to Helios. There’s someone there who can help us.”

A thought occurred to Faith. “But don’t we need to go back and pick up Michael’s ship? Is it still parked near the cave?” she asked.

Michael glanced at Peter before answering. “No, I didn’t fly myself there. Someone dropped me off.”

She was surprised that Michael had allowed someone else to know the location of the cave. “The same person we’re going to see?”

“No, it wasn’t Dr. Suresh. It was …” Michael paused and looked at Peter.

“It was my son, Jake,” Peter answered for him. “Once Michael realized our location had been compromised, he contacted him and asked for a ride. There aren’t any other pilots we can trust. Jake didn’t know anything about the cave until today, and he still doesn’t know anything about you.”

Faith wasn’t sure what to say. She wanted to ask Peter more about his family, but Peter didn’t elaborate and she didn’t want to pry. She couldn’t help wondering about Jake, though. She felt like she had just been told she had a brother. But she decided now probably wasn’t the time to ask a lot of questions about Peter’s personal life, so she just said, “Thank you, Peter. Thank you for helping me. I am so grateful — to both of you,” she added, looking at Michael.

“You’re more than welcome, kiddo,” Peter said warmly. “I am honored to help.”

“So am I,” Michael added. “You have no idea how much.” There was regret in his voice when he said this. Faith wondered what was behind it. But once again, she decided now wasn’t the time for too many questions.

Peter glanced at Michael sympathetically and then tried to lighten the mood. “So, who’s hungry?” he asked cheerfully. “I brought dinner.” He set down his pack and started rummaging through it. “Oh, and Michael, I also brought some dry clothes if you’re interested.”

That got Michael’s attention. “Yes, please!” he said as he slowly got up off the ground, the desire for dry clothes apparently winning out over his desire for rest. Michael received the clothes from Peter without a word, but Faith could see the gratitude in his eyes, and she saw that Peter saw it, too. She smiled as she watched the silent exchange.

While Michael went off to change clothes, Faith helped Peter get a small campfire going. They had dinner ready by the time Michael got back, and they ate together under the stars. Exhausted from the day’s events, they spent a quiet evening just enjoying each other’s company, each of them content to forget about everything else going on for a little while. When Peter caught Michael yawning, he volunteered to take the first watch, and demanded that Michael and Faith each get some sleep. Faith, suddenly yawning herself, was happy to comply.

As she lay on the soft earth, looking up at the giant moon, she tried to process the day’s events. But it was still too much for her to comprehend. Reminding herself that she needed to trust God, she quit trying to think so much and she offered prayers instead. She gave thanks for Peter and Michael and for God’s protection. She prayed for wisdom and guidance to face whatever tomorrow would bring. And, still marveling over the way God had revealed Himself earlier when she had prayed for strength for Michael, she prayed for strength for herself. Then she waited for something to happen …

After several long minutes of waiting, however, nothing did. Finally, she gave up and decided there weren’t going to be any more dramatic revelations today. Trying not to feel disappointed, she closed her eyes and reminded herself that God always heard her prayers whether He chose to answer them immediately or not. She would keep praying and keep trusting Him.

As she began to drift off, she offered one last prayer: Lord, I know You are always with me and I know You always hear me. Thank You for watching over me and for listening when I call out to You. I know You have impossible work for me to do here, but I also know that with You all things are possible. Please give me the wisdom, strength, and power I need to face whatever comes. Just then, in that dreamy place between awake and asleep, she heard the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper His answer to her as Jesus’ words in Matthew 15 suddenly came to her mind:

“Dear woman … your faith is great. Your request is granted.”

“God as Holy Spirit speaks to us in the deep places of our own spirits, and we can respond to him by our thoughts and lives. We also can speak to him in prayer and feel assured that he hears, and gives to us companionship, guidance, and strength.”

Georgia Harkness

This week’s Scripture passages remind us that the power of the Holy Spirit is always at work within us. He gives us wisdom, brings us peace, and empowers us to follow God. We are spiritual beings, and it’s with the spiritual part of ourselves that the Holy Spirit communicates. We must continue to speak to Him there, and we must also learn how to listen. It’s not always easy to perceive Him, but Jesus instructs us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. Never give up. Because the power of God is within us!

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Luke 11:13 NLT

“An unforgettable adventure awaits us if we come to grips with who dwells within us and what He’s prepared to do if we will only access His power.”

Robert Jeffress

References:

• Christian Believer: Knowing God with Heart and Mind — Readings. Abingdon Press, 1999.
• Dunn, James D. G. “The Doctrine of God the Holy Spirit.” The Portable Seminary, edited by David Horton and Ryan Horton, Bethany House, 2006, pp. 147-159.
• Jeffress, Robert. What Every Christian Should Know: 10 Core Beliefs for Standing Strong in a Shifting World. Baker Books, 2023.

Images & Audio:

• Images created using Midjourney Bot AI image generator, midjourney.com
• Audio clips from mixkit.co