What Does It Feel Like When the Spirit Moves?

One of the most powerful waterfalls I've ever experienced was in Yosemite during the spring. After a snow-heavy winter, the flow was at its peak. I remember climbing over large boulders to get as close as I could to the base of the falls. The mist swirled around us, and the wind rushing through the rocks was intense—loud, physical, and impossible to ignore. It wasn't just seen; it was felt. It rumbled in my chest and trembled beneath my feet.

Fifty days after Jesus' crucifixion—ten days after His ascension—Pentecost arrived. The day Jesus had promised. A gift poured out from heaven. The Holy Spirit came not quietly or subtly, but powerfully. As Acts 2:2–4 says, "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit."

That day, men and women from every nation were gathered, and the Spirit moved. They were filled. The very breath of God came upon them. How incredible it must have been to feel that rush of wind—to witness the fulfillment of prophecy and the beginning of a new kind of harvest.

The outpouring of the Spirit was not random—it occurred during the Feast of Weeks, also called Pentecost, a Jewish festival celebrating the firstfruits of the harvest. On this day, God began a new harvest—of hearts, not grain. Peter stood and declared to the crowd that what they were witnessing had been foretold. "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel… In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people" (Acts 2:16–17). And when the people were moved and asked what to do, Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off" (Acts 2:38–39).

And the Holy Spirit still moves. He has not changed. The same Spirit who filled the early church fills believers today. He convicts, empowers, comforts, and transforms. Like a mighty waterfall, His presence flows from heaven to earth. We are invited to come close—not to stand back, but to step into His presence. Not just to feel a mist, but to experience His power.

• Talk as a family about what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Have each person share a time when they felt God's presence or leading.

• Read Acts 2 together and look for signs of the Spirit's power and purpose.

• Choose a family prayer time to ask the Holy Spirit to move in your home—guiding decisions, stirring hearts, and helping each of you grow in faith.

• Use a pitcher of water as an object lesson. Pour it into a bowl and discuss how the Holy Spirit is poured out—meant to overflow, not just fill.