In Acts 8 we come across a guy named Simon. He is blown away when he sees Peter and John lay hands on the believers and they receive the Holy Spirit.

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. Acts 8:18

He tries to buy the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is happening in the church at an alarming rate. Pastors and church leaders are trying to buy a move of the Holy Spirit. Attend this conference, read this book, plug and play. Like Simon, we see a move of the Holy Spirit and we immediately try to package and program it. But, the Holy Spirit doesn’t work that way.  There’s a big difference between manifestation and manipulation.

We do the same thing in our personal lives. We see the Holy Spirit move in someone’s life and we try to replicate it in our own only to see it fall flat. Why?

The Spirit can’t be programmed or bought. He’s not a product. He’s a person.

The Spirit came as the result of prayer.

Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:17

If we want to see the Spirit move in our churches and our lives we’ve got to get back to prayer. At Connection Church we believe so strongly in prayer that we are making it our #1 priority. We do nothing without prayer.  And we are not alone in this. As I speak with pastors all across the country they are all feeling the same thing.

The Spirit of God will move in power when we become a people of prayer.