“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
Never before have I been led to focus on the verbs of this verse. Let’s consider them together.
Jesus first said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” He was talking to His chosen apostles while eating with them. Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem until His Father had given them His promised gift (vs. 4). This gift is what Jesus spoke about in verse eight, His Holy Spirit. Receiving that gift was very important or Jesus wouldn’t have mentioned it. It was so important that Jesus emphasized it as a command that sounded like, “Don’t leave until you receive the gift.” Jesus had no doubt God would give it. He and the Father spoke continually. This was their plan from before time. Jesus emphatically told His chosen apostles, “You WILL receive power” and it WILL come from the Holy Spirit (a personage in the triune Godhead). Jesus’ Spirit would empower and embolden the apostles. Jesus gives each Christian this promise; His Spirit will come upon us when we believe in Him for salvation. Don’t run out in your own steam living life like you did before you believed in Jesus. You’re supposed to live in the power of the Spirit, who leads you to live out God’s plan for your life.
What was the second part of verse eight? Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses.” Upon looking at this, it may seem Jesus was just foretelling the future of His apostles. But if you look at the Greek words we consider future tense, you will note it’s an indicative. Indicatives are a future telling that carries a command. Jesus looked at the men and told them, “You WILL be.” It’s like a parent telling a child, “You WILL clean up your mess.” Like the parent’s command told the future about the child’s obedience, Jesus’ telling the future about what the apostles will be doing carried a command that resulted in their obedience.
Several things to note here. Jesus didn’t just tell them to go make disciples. He gave them His power, words, heart for people, boldness, and courage by giving them the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t tell His children to do something without giving them the ability, desire, and tools to do it. Another note: Christians, whether called to live changed and godly lives or to go minister somewhere to someone, MUST rely upon the Holy Spirit. Trying to live godly lives cannot be done by human strength or ability. We must intentionally and assertively seek and take hold of the Holy Spirit for His purpose, power, and way to live godly lives. God gives us the gift of His Spirit to give us His power to live for Him. We must accept and take hold of it.
Jesus still foretells the future of our lives. When we believe in Him for salvation, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father. And we will be His witnesses by and through our lives so that the people around us see Him at work in our lives and want to know more. Some Christians will be called to go to other cities, provinces, districts, and countries to show and tell about the love of God to anyone who will listen. Going and sharing the gospel is an imperative by Jesus for which He provides the power, words, strength, and will.
Will you choose to obey Jesus’ command? Will you assertively take hold of the power the Spirit gives to live changed, godly lives? If not, what difference is your life now than before you believed in Jesus?
