Empowers Believers
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8 (CSB)
Throughout the New Testament, we read of moments in believers' lives when the Holy Spirit empowered them to share the gospel, gave them strength to endure hardships, and allowed them to trust in the Spirit's power to work through the message they proclaimed. These instances in the New Testament teach and challenge us to rely on the Holy Spirit to continue empowering us today to be faithful witnesses, while remaining steadfast through every challenge and trusting Him to work in and through our faithfulness.
THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS TO WITNESS
The Book of Acts begins with the ascension of Jesus Christ. This event happened immediately after Jesus instructed His disciples to be witnesses to the entire world about Him and the message of the gospel. This calling still applies to those of us who follow Jesus Christ today. This calling is accompanied by a promise: the Holy Spirit is with us and will provide the necessary power to witness. The ability to witness emerges when we learn to fully rely on the Spirit and strive to overcome the distractions of the flesh that may tempt us to be silent. We are called to be witnesses, and we have the indwelling Spirit that empowers us to fulfill this task.
THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS TO ENDURE
The apostle Paul faced imprisonment, opposition while declaring the gospel, and a horrific shipwreck. Yet, he never stopped living on mission for the Lord. His ability to endure such struggles did not stem from personal strength, but from the empowering nature of the Spirit, which provided the necessary strength to remain faithful. Today, the same strength that empowered apostles like Paul dwells within us. We possess the strength needed to endure hardships and remain faithful.
THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS THE MESSAGE
We must not concern ourselves with how people respond to the message of the gospel. They will either receive it, reject it, or ignore it. Our faithfulness to the call to witness does not depend on their response. To overcome discouragement, we need to trust that the Holy Spirit will provide the necessary power to the gospel message we proclaim as He works in the lives of those who hear it.
QUESTIONS
How does remembering the empowering of the Holy Spirit in our lives prompt us to live in faithfulness?
Can you describe a time the Spirit strengthened you to remain faithful through difficulty?
