When Effort Isn’t Enough | Not by Might Part 1
Key Thought | All of our effort accomplishes nothing; it’s the Holy Spirit that makes things work.
Key Scripture | “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” – Acts 1:1–15 (NKJV)
The disciples had every reason to feel ready.
They had walked with Jesus for three years. They had watched Him heal the sick, raise the dead, calm storms, and confront religious leaders. They had heard the Sermon on the Mount from His own lips. They had seen Him crucified and then risen. If anyone felt spiritually trained and theologically equipped, it would have been them.
And yet, in Acts 1:4, Jesus told them to wait. "And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;"
Not strategize.
Not organize.
Not mobilize.
Wait.
There is something deeply humbling about that instruction. The resurrection had already happened. The message of salvation was ready to be proclaimed. The world desperately needed hope. But Jesus knew something they needed to understand: without the Holy Spirit, even the right message would lack transforming power.
In Acts 1:8, He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses…” Notice the order. Power comes before witness. Presence precedes impact.
We often reverse that. We think if we just try harder, serve more, speak better, or organize more effectively, we will see fruit. But Jesus says in John 6:63, “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing.”
Nothing.
That doesn’t mean our obedience is meaningless. It means our obedience must be Spirit-dependent. We can create motion without producing life. We can create activity without seeing transformation.
The disciples’ question reveals their mindset: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). They were still thinking in timelines and outcomes. Jesus gently redirected them toward surrender and trust.
Then they did something powerful: they returned to Jerusalem and “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). Before Pentecost, there was prayer. Before preaching, there was unity. Before power, there was waiting.
They didn’t waste the waiting; they filled it with prayer.
Maybe the reason we feel spiritually exhausted is not because we’re doing too much, but because we’re doing too much without leaning fully on the Spirit.
The early church did not change the world because they were impressive. They changed the world because they were filled.
Where have you been striving instead of surrendering?
This week, before you push harder, pause longer. Sit with the Lord. Invite the Holy Spirit into the area where you feel pressure. Let dependence become your first instinct, not your last resort.
Prayer | Holy Spirit, forgive me for relying on my own effort. I confess that I often move ahead without waiting for You. Teach me to pause, to pray, and to trust Your power more than my plans. Fill me with Your presence so that what I do flows from You, not from striving. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflections
Key Scripture | “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” – Acts 1:1–15 (NKJV)
The disciples had every reason to feel ready.
They had walked with Jesus for three years. They had watched Him heal the sick, raise the dead, calm storms, and confront religious leaders. They had heard the Sermon on the Mount from His own lips. They had seen Him crucified and then risen. If anyone felt spiritually trained and theologically equipped, it would have been them.
And yet, in Acts 1:4, Jesus told them to wait. "And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;"
Not strategize.
Not organize.
Not mobilize.
Wait.
There is something deeply humbling about that instruction. The resurrection had already happened. The message of salvation was ready to be proclaimed. The world desperately needed hope. But Jesus knew something they needed to understand: without the Holy Spirit, even the right message would lack transforming power.
In Acts 1:8, He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses…” Notice the order. Power comes before witness. Presence precedes impact.
We often reverse that. We think if we just try harder, serve more, speak better, or organize more effectively, we will see fruit. But Jesus says in John 6:63, “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing.”
Nothing.
That doesn’t mean our obedience is meaningless. It means our obedience must be Spirit-dependent. We can create motion without producing life. We can create activity without seeing transformation.
The disciples’ question reveals their mindset: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). They were still thinking in timelines and outcomes. Jesus gently redirected them toward surrender and trust.
Then they did something powerful: they returned to Jerusalem and “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). Before Pentecost, there was prayer. Before preaching, there was unity. Before power, there was waiting.
They didn’t waste the waiting; they filled it with prayer.
Maybe the reason we feel spiritually exhausted is not because we’re doing too much, but because we’re doing too much without leaning fully on the Spirit.
The early church did not change the world because they were impressive. They changed the world because they were filled.
Where have you been striving instead of surrendering?
This week, before you push harder, pause longer. Sit with the Lord. Invite the Holy Spirit into the area where you feel pressure. Let dependence become your first instinct, not your last resort.
Prayer | Holy Spirit, forgive me for relying on my own effort. I confess that I often move ahead without waiting for You. Teach me to pause, to pray, and to trust Your power more than my plans. Fill me with Your presence so that what I do flows from You, not from striving. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflections
- Where am I most tempted to rely on my own strength?
- What would it look like for me to “wait” prayerfully this week?
- How can I cultivate deeper dependence on the Spirit daily?
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