The Power of the Holy Spirit at Christmas

The power of the Holy Spirit at Christmas reminds us that He still works in miraculous ways to accomplish God’s purposes.

“The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.’”—Luke 1:35 NASB

That first Christmas, who really understood the Holy Spirit? Certainly not Zechariah, when an angel told him that he would have a son who would be filled with the Spirit. Certainly not his wife, Elizabeth, who was filled with the Spirit.

And certainly not Mary. When Gabriel told her that she would conceive and bear a son, she wondered how this could even be possible. She didn’t yet know the power of the Spirit.

Gabriel said that the Holy Spirit would “come upon” her. The Greek word describes how the Spirit enters in mysterious ways, as if from another dimension, arriving in the midst of our circumstances. Gabriel also said the power of the Most High would “overshadow” Mary. The Greek word means to throw a shadow. Luke used this same word to describe the experience of Jesus during the transfiguration.

These words help us understand how the Spirit works in our lives today. He can do anything, at any time and any place. Anywhere we are, He can operate within and through us in ways so overwhelming that extraordinary things happen.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember to be sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit. He’s the same today as He was that first Christmas! Let the Holy Spirit change your life. Let Him use you to impact others for God’s Kingdom. In the power of the Spirit, nothing is impossible!

Reflection Question: How can you be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading this Christmas?