Jessica Albritton, Girls Minister, LHBC
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The other day I was reading in Acts chapter 2 and came across something interesting. In verse two it tells of a “sound like a mighty rushing wind” that “filled the entire house”. Now I’ll be honest, I have read that passage upwards of 1,000 times but two words stuck out that I had never paid attention to before; filled and entire. Filled in the dictionary is defined “to cause (a space or container) to become full.” Entire is defined “with no part left out; whole.” As I read the passage and reflected on those two so often overlooked words I couldn’t help but to think of the movie “Top Gun Maverick.” Ok, hear me out… At one point in the movie Maverick is going over mission instructions with a group of young pilots. It’s a super dangerous mission, only a select few will be picked to carry it out. After the briefing they all know what doesn’t need to be said out loud, there is a very high likelihood that some, or all, will not make it home once the mission is complete. Once they get past the initial shock of what lays before them the pilots determine to train and compete for the mission! Pilots are instructed to enter the opening of the mountain at a deep dive keeping the lowest possible altitude. Both teams must hit their targets perfectly and precisely. Once hit the planes must do a steep climb up the mountain. If they don’t go steep enough they will crash into the side of the mountain. The accepted stress limit of an f-18’s air frame is 7.5 g’s, they are told they must hit at least 9, even with the risk of bending their air frame, or they won’t succeed.
Maverick tells the pilots, “You’ll be pulling so hard, you’ll weigh close to 2,000 pounds, your skill crushing your spine. Your lungs imploding like an elephant’s sitting on your chest, fighting with everything you have just to keep from blacking out. And this is where you will be at your most vulnerable. This is coffin corner.” One pilot asks if the mission is even achievable. Mavericks response, “The answer to that question will come down to the pilot in the box.”
The difficulty in the mission came down to the cabin pressure that the pilots would face due to the altitude and speed in which they had to turn the plane. The cabin would be filled with so much pressure that it would leave no room for air. Blackout was a very real possibility. That’s the picture I saw when I read Acts chapter 2. You see, I had always read the passage as if the Holy Spirit just came in and took up some space but that’s not the case here. The Holy Spirit didn’t just enter the room and take up some space, scripture states it filled the entire room. It left no room for anything else. But what’s even cooler is found in verse 4. It goes on to say that the Holy Spirit that filled the room went on to fill the bodies of believers! Now if that doesn’t just rock your socks I don’t know what will!
Friends and fellow believers, when Jesus is made Lord and King of your life the Holy Spirit comes and fills you too! He doesn’t just take up some space, He fills you to the brim. He leaves no room for anything else! It’s an overwhelming, supernatural, awe inspiring filling and it should take our breath away! Just like the pilots in the movie we too have a mission and it’s been precisely laid out in scripture; go and make disciples. And this mission, just like in Top Gun, is life or death. The only difference is, in the movie the success or failure totally depended on the pilot in the plane, and that cabin pressure that filled it was their biggest obstacle. Friend, our mission is dangerous but the success is not dependent on you or I, it’s dependent on the Holy Spirit that fills us! And that is no obstacle at all, in fact it’s our biggest asset! Let’s be filled with the Holy Spirit and allow that to be the motivator to go and fulfill the mission set before us!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the filling of the Holy Spirit! Lord, You don’t leave us to our own devices! You have sent a helper in the presence of the Holy Spirit to help us accomplish all that You have set out before us! Thank You for Your goodness and thank You for Your Presence! In Jesus name, amen!
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Romans 5:1- Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.