On Nov, 2, 2024, in a powerful sermon in which attendees actively participated with voiced responses and hearty “Amens,” G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America (NAD), delivered a message of hope, resilience, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Through personal testimony and biblical insights, he encouraged church leaders to embrace the spiritual power available to them, urging them to ask, seek, and knock (see Matt. 7:7) persistently until they experience a profound, divine empowerment in their lives and for their communities.

“We have a vast challenge, a vast assignment before us, to reach North America with the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the good news is God has already supplied everything,” Bryant said.

Bryant, preaching a sermon entitled “Double Portion,” emphasized to the delegates, official invitees, and spouses attending the 2024 NAD Year-End Meeting (YEM), the need to move beyond external structures or forms, challenging the congregation to prioritize the Holy Spirit as their source of strength and guidance. He reminded them that spiritual progress cannot be achieved without persistent, heartfelt connection with God’s Spirit.

To illustrate the importance of faith and determination, Bryant shared a story from his college years when, just two months before graduation, he faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Told he lacked credits required for his business administration degree, he undertook an arduous journey to complete a critical economics course at a university located 12 hours away. Without sufficient funds and against all odds, he drove across states, faced challenges such as a near-arrest due to speeding, and finally completed 36 lessons in a single week. His perseverance paid off after a miraculous grading oversight was corrected, allowing him to pass the course and graduate.

Through this story, Bryant conveyed the crucial message: with faith and unyielding persistence, seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome. He encouraged the church leaders to apply this same perseverance to their spiritual lives. “We have to pray for the Holy Spirit every day,” he said. “We have to be determined.”

“Prayer is not to help us help God understand our situation, but it's to prepare us to receive His solution,” Bryant said.

Bryant then turned to the powerful example of the disciples in the book of Acts, who, through prayer and unity in the upper room, received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Comparing this to the prophet Elisha, who sought a “double portion” of the power God had given to Elijah, he affirmed that God still offers a double portion of spiritual power to those who truly seek it.

Drawing upon the story of Christ’s resurrection and ascension, Bryant reminded the congregation of Jesus’s victory over death and His command to spread the gospel, empowering believers with the Holy Spirit to complete this mission. He noted that when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples at Pentecost, it included men and women alike who, together, “turned the world upside down” with their testimony.

“God has promised a double portion to us today,” Bryant said, calling on all present to ask God persistently for the Holy Spirit to empower them for their unique calling. He encouraged the congregation to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, ensuring them that God will answer those who persevere.

As he concluded his sermon, Bryant posed a final question: “What’s holding you back?” With a heartfelt appeal, he invited everyone to rise above their limitations, receive a double portion of the Holy Spirit, and fulfill their purpose with courage and faith.