January 26, 2026 | The Movement - A Study in Acts by Byron McWilliams
Day 1: The Divinely Appointed Day
Reading: Acts 2:1-4; Exodus 34:22-23
Devotional: God's timing is never random—it's always purposeful. The Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, a day rich with meaning for God's people, commemorating deliverance and provision. Just as the Jewish people gathered to celebrate God's faithfulness, the early church gathered and experienced God's power in a new way. In your life, God is working according to His perfect schedule, not yours. What seems like waiting is actually divine preparation. The disciples didn't know the exact moment, but they remained faithful in gathering together. Today, ask yourself: Am I positioned to receive what God wants to do in my life? Are you gathering with other believers, waiting expectantly for God to move? Trust His timing—it's always divinely appointed.
Day 2: Baptized with Fire
Reading: Acts 2:2-4; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 15:20
Devotional: Fire purifies, illuminates, and empowers. When tongues of fire rested on each believer at Pentecost, God was declaring His church would be clean, powerful, and consuming for His glory. This wasn't a partial filling—every believer received the Holy Spirit. You don't need to beg for what God has already given. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit took up residence in you. What you need is daily filling—surrendering control and asking God to empower you afresh. The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in you. Are you living like it? Today, pray for a fresh filling of God's Spirit. Ask Him to purify your motives, illuminate your path, and empower your witness. You have resurrection power within you.
Day 3: Equipped for the Mission
Reading: Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:13-14
Devotional: The disciples couldn't fulfill the Great Commission on their own strength—neither can you. God never calls you to something without equipping you for it. The Holy Spirit is your teacher, guide, and source of power. He doesn't draw attention to Himself but always glorifies Jesus and enables you to do the same. You were never designed to live the Christian life independently from the Spirit's guidance. Every act of eternal value in your life happens because the Holy Spirit empowers it, not because of your ability or effort. Stop striving in your own strength. What task has God given you that feels impossible? That's exactly where the Spirit wants to work through you. Surrender your inadequacy and ask for His filling today. He is your guarantee of victory.
Day 4: Unity in the Body
Reading: Acts 2:5-12; Galatians 3:28
Devotional: The Holy Spirit came upon everyone without discrimination—men, women, Jews, Greeks, educated, uneducated. This was God's unifying act, creating one body with diverse members but one Spirit. The enemy's primary strategy against the church is division. When believers stand unified under Christ's mission, empowered by the Spirit, nothing can stop the advance of God's kingdom. But disunity cripples our witness and grieves the Holy Spirit. Examine your heart today: Are you contributing to unity or division in your church family? Do you celebrate the diversity of gifts and backgrounds, or do you create factions? The world is watching. They need to see a people so bound together by love and purpose that no attack can separate them. Pray for unity in your church and commit to being a peacemaker.
Day 5: Deployed as Witnesses
Reading: Acts 2:11-13; Matthew 28:18-20
Devotional: The movement began when the bride of Christ was deployed to declare "the mighty works of God." Empowered believers immediately began testifying about Jesus in languages they'd never learned, reaching people from every nation. This is still your calling today. Christianity is the only true hope for this broken world—you carry the healing agent desperately needed. Your job, your neighborhood, your family needs the gospel you possess. The same Spirit who launched the church on Pentecost lives in you, making you a witness. You don't need special training or perfect eloquence; you need availability and obedience. Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear about Jesus? The rocket has launched, the movement continues, and you are part of it. Will you testify today about God's mighty works in your life?