Today is Pentacost Sunday. 50 days after the Resurrection of Our Lord, 10 days after his ascension, the Power of the Holy Spirit came upon the 120. Acts chapter 2.
Jesus said you will receive Power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you to be a witness.
Now, the word "Witness" there in Greek is Martyr.
But I would like to focus on the part about what it means to be a Witness and why they need power.
Jesus said you shall receive Power to be an effective witness of HIM Acts 1:8 . What are we witnessing?
Well, it is the Resurrection of Christ.
The Gospel message is and has always been; according to 1 Cor 15:3-4, the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostles were killed because they would not deny That Jesus rose from the dead.
The power of the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to bear witness Jesus was alive because no other miracle was done without that name. Confirming by the power of God, Jesus was alive and who he said HE is Lord.
Acts 4:33
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
This same Jesus, who is alive today, is still empowering his People for effective witnessing and still confirming that HE is alive with HIS word, signs, and Wonders.
Mark 16:15-18
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
This all started after the day of Pentacost. Luke chapter 24 says :44-49
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
The waiting is over. He is Here for you, Our Lord. Ask Him to Baptize you in the Holy Spirit and power. As John chapter 1 states, He is the One who baptized the Holy Ghost and fire.
Dear Lord, empower your people as we need you to be an effective witness of your death, burial, and Resurrection. We seek you and not the gifts but the gifts to be used to glorify you. We seek to do the work you called us to do. But apart from you, we can do nothing. Baptize me, Lord, with the Holy Spirit and empower me to be a witness of you and your resurrection. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
Jesus said you will receive Power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you to be a witness.
Now, the word "Witness" there in Greek is Martyr.
But I would like to focus on the part about what it means to be a Witness and why they need power.
Jesus said you shall receive Power to be an effective witness of HIM Acts 1:8 . What are we witnessing?
Well, it is the Resurrection of Christ.
The Gospel message is and has always been; according to 1 Cor 15:3-4, the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostles were killed because they would not deny That Jesus rose from the dead.
The power of the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to bear witness Jesus was alive because no other miracle was done without that name. Confirming by the power of God, Jesus was alive and who he said HE is Lord.
Acts 4:33
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
This same Jesus, who is alive today, is still empowering his People for effective witnessing and still confirming that HE is alive with HIS word, signs, and Wonders.
Mark 16:15-18
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
This all started after the day of Pentacost. Luke chapter 24 says :44-49
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
The waiting is over. He is Here for you, Our Lord. Ask Him to Baptize you in the Holy Spirit and power. As John chapter 1 states, He is the One who baptized the Holy Ghost and fire.
Dear Lord, empower your people as we need you to be an effective witness of your death, burial, and Resurrection. We seek you and not the gifts but the gifts to be used to glorify you. We seek to do the work you called us to do. But apart from you, we can do nothing. Baptize me, Lord, with the Holy Spirit and empower me to be a witness of you and your resurrection. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
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