Receive Power

 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

This power Christians receive, about which Jesus spoke and Luke wrote, is nothing they can manufacture for themselves. Notice the verb “will receive.” The power comes from the Holy Spirit (God). God gives it freely to Christians. This power is part of God’s power and provides believers with the ability to do what God tells them. God gives the ability to do what He commands. This power is part of God’s ability; He can do anything and everything.

With the power of God in them given by God Himself, what was Jesus’ command to His followers? Jesus said Christians are to be witnesses. Witnesses see and hear what God does and says. Witnesses can attest to God's actions and words. Their statements—testimonies—give credence and more power (more punch) so people are more inclined towards believing about God and believing in Jesus.

In Acts 1:8, Luke recorded when Jesus said the Holy Spirit will give Christians the power and ability to serve Jesus by testifying about Him. God expects and empowers believers to hear, see, obey, and then tell other people about Jesus. He compels them by the Holy Spirit, who lives within them, to tell other people. As Christians grow closer to God, it becomes harder to disobey God—His conviction through the Holy Spirit and power within them—and their love for Jesus. Love for God (Father, Son, and Spirit) compels Christians to obey, act, and say what Gods commands, compels, and empowers them to do with His ability.

Understanding that the command, compulsion, and power to obey comes from God makes it easier for the believer to tell whom and go to wherever He leads easier. Love for God makes it easier each day to go further from our safe space, from family, and from friends. That love for God and from Him makes it possible to go far to be a witness about God and the gospel. It helps believers realize no matter where they are, God is already there and always with them. Going far away is easier when your love for God is greater than your love for yourself, your dreams and plans, your parents, siblings, grandparents, and your friends. When God is your everything, He becomes closer to you than these people and things; He becomes mother, father, brother, sister, and friend in your heart. A Christian does not leave these behind but finds that love for God fulfills the love you need.

This means going to your city (Jerusalem), your state (Judea), your country (elsewhere in your country, like Samaria), and the world are easier because of your love for God and His for you. Going and telling is easier because God empowers you with His ability. Witnessing about God is easier because no doubt exists in your mind that God compels and sends you. Obeying is easier because God’s love in you causes you to love the people you have not yet met. God’s love in you gives you immeasurable concern for their spiritual eternity and their lostness—lack of salvation and lack of relationship with God.

Christians’ love for God and people is immense due to their relationship with God and belief in Jesus, making sharing the gospel a necessity. You will stretch yourself so that all people listen to testimony about Jesus. Your relationship with God fulfills you completely, so you lack nothing - family, friends, home, power, purpose, hope, and future. God fulfills each of these needs; He becomes your everything.

What excuse do you allow to keep you from a greater relationship with God, a relationship that comes from obeying Him by being filled with His power and ability?

What excuse do you give for not witnessing about Jesus to people?

God wants to be everything you need. Do not let a human excuse keep you from the abundance of God and from God. Believe and bear witness about Jesus.

Power-filled Command

 

“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?