In my journey through the Bible in a year with Brian Hardin and Daily Audio Bible, we’ve come to the second chapter of the book of Acts, which is really the start of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the name of Jesus. The day recorded here is known as Pentecost, and it is when God breathed the Holy Spirit into the world with the sound of a violent wind (Acts 2:2).

Peter is a great example of this. He was a fisherman by trade and training, and yet when he preached his first sermon, about 3000 people became followers of Christ. And this was with no formal religious training–unless you count following Jesus around for three years and listening to every word he said.

So does this mean that we ordinary people 2000 years later cannot do extraordinary things in Jesus’s name, since we didn’t have the opportunity to live in his presence daily for several years?

Absolutely not!

Actually, that was exactly the point of God giving us the Holy Spirit–to give regular people the ability to do remarkable things in His name. Jesus talked about this in John 14. And it’s the pattern recorded repeatedly in the Old Testament as well: God working through regular people to achieve His desires in the world. The was nothing special about Noah or Moses or David or Peter, aside from their desire to serve God to the point where they made themselves available to do so.

And that’s all we have to do to achieve great things for God’s Kingdom: tell Him we will follow wherever He leads us. Easier said than done, I know.

But then again, the Holy Spirit will help us with that, too!

BTW, following God wherever He leads us doesn’t necessarily mean that we will find ourselves on the other side of the world as a missionary or preaching in front of hundreds or thousands. It could simply mean doing a stellar job at what you’re already doing and giving God the glory. Or you could be called to show God’s love to an unlovable neighbor. You never know–God might even put it on your heart to start a blog that only three people read!

Anyway, what are you waiting for? We have the Holy Spirit–time to change the world!