Wind and Fire on the Horizon

In what ways has the Church celebrated gifting and charisma over character and purity?

Speaker: Pastor Lee Cummings
Date: May 24, 2026

This message takes us back to Pentecost and asks a sobering question: what happened to the wind and fire in our generation? The early church turned the world upside down, not because of influence or resources, but because they carried the power of the Holy Spirit and lived consecrated lives.

Here's a 5-day devotional guide based on this sermon:

Day 1: Waiting for Power

Reading: Acts 1:4–8; Psalm 27:14

Devotional: The disciples spent ten days in prayer, waiting for what Jesus promised. This wasn't passive waiting—it was expectant preparation. Like them, we often find ourselves in seasons of waiting, wondering when God will move. But waiting isn't wasted time; it's sacred preparation. The upper room became a furnace of prayer that forged unity and dependence on God. Today, consider what you're waiting for. Are you merely passing time, or are you positioning your heart in expectation? God honors those who wait with anticipation. Your living room, your car, your quiet moments—these are your upper room. Don't rush past this season. The storm clouds of God's Presence are gathering. Wait with hunger. Wait with hope.

Day 2: The Fire of Holiness

Reading: Isaiah 6:1–8; Hebrews 12:28–29

Devotional: When Isaiah encountered God's holiness, his immediate response was "Woe is me!" True encounter with God always reveals our need for purification. The coal from the altar didn't destroy Isaiah—it consecrated him for service. God's fire isn't meant to consume us but to refine us. We've celebrated gifting over character for too long, pursuing power without purity. But God is calling His church back to holiness. The fire on your lips begins with the fire in your heart. Where has compromise crept in? What strange fires have you allowed to burn on the altar of your affections? Today, invite the Holy Spirit to place His purifying coal on your life. Consecration precedes commissioning.

Day 3: Wind That Moves Mountains

Reading: Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 3:5–8

Devotional: Can these bones live? The valley of dry bones represents every lifeless situation, every dead dream, every stagnant church, every hardened heart. But when the breath of God moves, death surrenders to life. The wind of the Spirit isn't gentle—it's powerful enough to move structures, uproot trees, and transform landscapes. Yet many of us sit in sailboats with our sails down, relying on our own small motors. We have programs, buildings, and systems, but without the wind of the Spirit, we're stationary monuments instead of apostolic movements. Today, hoist your sails. Stop relying solely on human effort. The wind is blowing—will you catch it? Movement is inevitable when we surrender to the Spirit's direction.

Day 4: Speaking the Language of Heaven

Reading: Acts 2:1–21; Joel 2:28–32

Devotional: Pentecost wasn't random—it was the fulfillment of ancient promises. What God began at Sinai, writing law on stone tablets, He completed at Pentecost, writing His law on human hearts. The miracle wasn't just speaking in tongues; it was that every nation heard God's praises in their own language. God is still breaking through barriers—cultural, linguistic, generational—to reach the lost. You carry this same Spirit. The question isn't whether God can use you, but whether you're willing. The same power that launched 120 ordinary people to turn the world upside down lives in you. Today, ask God to give you His heart for the nations, starting with your neighbor, your coworker, your family member who doesn't know Jesus.

Day 5: Acts Chapter 29

Reading: Matthew 28:16–20; 2 Timothy 4:1–8

Devotional: The book of Acts didn't end with chapter 28—you're living in chapter 29. One day you'll stand before Jesus and give account for what you did with the wind and fire He placed within you. The greatest crisis of our generation isn't lack of resources—it's indifference. We have more access to reach the world than any generation before us, yet we're content with comfortable Christianity. But change is on the horizon. God is awakening His sleeping giant. You don't need celebrity status or seminary degrees—you need consecration and conviction. The commission hasn't changed: Go! The power hasn't diminished: Lo, I am with you always. Today, write your chapter. Will it record bold faith or timid retreat? The wind and fire are available. Receive them afresh.