English Agustus 2018 #2 - Receive Power and Become Witness

RECEIVE POWER AND BECOME WITNESS

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

This is one of Jesus’ last messages to His disciples before He ascended to heaven. It is a short but powerful message: to receive power and become witness! How can we embrace this message of Jesus?

1.    Receive Power to Become Witness

Jesus knows that after His departure, the disciples can only serve effectively if they are equipped with power, in the original language dunamis means power, ability to perform miracles. So that just as Jesus’ ministry was accompanied by miracles, the disciples’ ministry would also be accompanied by miracles.

Power can only be obtained if the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples. Meaning that they must be baptized by the Holy Spirit and always live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and power is not for us to show off our might and become arrogant, but we have a task and responsibility to bear, which is to become the witnesses of Jesus.

Being a witness means to testify what we have heard, what we have seen and what we have experienced with Jesus. How Jesus redeems and saves us, how Jesus heals us, how Jesus delivers us from economic crisis, family problem, and the power of the darkness. As simple as that! Being a witness of Jesus doesn’t require intricate theological and apologetic knowledge that actually leads us to empty arguments that cause quarrels.

2.    Witness with Power

In order to be an effective witness, Jesus gives us a mighty power (dunamis) through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, for those of you who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking in tongue, don’t hesitate to use the power that the Holy Spirit has given you.

As a witness of Jesus, we will do the following things:

a.    Set the captives free

b.    Heal the brokenhearted

c.     Open the eyes of the blind

d.    Proclaim the greatness of God’s power

Just as what Christ did during His ministry on earth:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19 NKJV)

But what we need to remember is that everything we do is for Your glory, not my glory! Because there are many servants of God whom God used mightily at first, but then they fall after a while. Why? Because they are doing it for my glory (their own) and not Your glory (Jesus)! If we always do it for God’s glory, we will continue to be used by the Lord. Amen!

English Agustus 2018 #1 - “IF WE MAKE ROOM FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK IN OUR LIVES…”

“IF WE MAKE ROOM FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK IN OUR LIVES…”

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14 NKJV)

We are at the era of the third Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit isn’t just being poured out amazingly, but is also manifesting a mighty power in and through the lives of believers. The two verses above give us a conviction that the Holy Spirit in our lives (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19) has tremendous roles for us. If we make room for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives…

1.       The Holy Spirit will Guide Us into All Truth

The word “guide” in its original language also means to show the way, teach, and lead. It is so amazing how the Holy Spirit doesn’t just guide us to some, but all truth. The word all encompasses everything that is connected with worship and service, nature, as well as doctrine and the Bible. We will not understand, comprehend, and believe the Bible if we do not have the Holy Spirit. If a person who does not have the Holy Spirit reads the Bible, he will surely have a different understanding from the believers who have the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit removes any hindrances, opens up our understanding, and makes everything clear so that believers can walk according to the Word of God without going to the right or to the left.

 

2.       The Holy Spirit will Tell Us Things to Come

Every person will certainly have a curiosity about the future; concerning the things that will happen in his life, business, family, and so on. Curiosity of the things to come is the trigger that causes many people who lose their ways (going astray) to ask the paranormal, shaman or fortune-teller. This is forbidden by the Scriptures.

It is fitting for us to be grateful because the Holy Spirit who lives in us will tell us the things to come if we make room for Him to work in us, in accordance to what is written in the Bible. Example: Why can we believe that Jesus will come again for the second time? Because the Holy Spirit is in us and He is the one who tells us that thing in accordance to what is written in the Scriptures. Approximately 28% of the Bible speaks of prophecy (things that will happen in the future). What the Holy Spirit says to us does not come from Himself, but from the Lord Jesus. Therefore, it is very necessary for us to make room for the Holy Spirit. Amen.