You Will Receive Power

Today we begin reading through the book of Acts. The final words of Jesus were concerning our receiving the Holy Spirit and our being his witnesses to the ends of the earth.

"After his resurrection, "[Jesus] appeared to [his followers] over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." (Acts 1:3-9)

Read Acts 1:8 one more time, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This is not the first time Jesus has spoken of this reality.

Earlier Jesus said this, "It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:6-15)

He had also previously given his followers what we now call the great commission saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

What we have just read are some of the most encouraging passages in the Bible. If we are ever going to be able to live the life that God wants us to live we need the Holy Spirit to live in us. It is impossible to live the Christian life without his help. If we are going to personally obey the great commission we must have help through the Holy Spirit.

Today as an act of worship thank God for his great promise to never leave us or forsake us. Thank him for giving us power to be his witnesses in all the world. Thank God for keeping his word by sending the Holy Spirit. Ask God to open your eyes to the work of the Holy Spirit that is going on around you today so that you can join him.