“Be Empowered”
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th-century preacher known as the “Prince of Preachers,” once said, “Without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind. We are useless.” How true are these words? How often do we try to navigate the waters of life on our own, only to find ourselves adrift, lost, and powerless?
These words in Acts 1:8, spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ, remind us of the extraordinary promise He made to His disciples, a promise that extends to us today. It’s a promise of empowerment, not of our own, but of the Holy Spirit. It’s a promise of purpose, not for our own gain, but for the Kingdom of God.
Today, we’re going to be looking at this powerful verse from the Book of Acts, a verse that speaks to the very heart of our faith, a verse that promises us divine empowerment, a dwelling in the Spirit’s power, and a deployment of that power for Kingdom purpose.
Jesus promises a gift- 8a
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;”
Without Christ these disciples were powerless. They were cowards. They ran in fear. When Jesus wasn’t around, they were like lost little sheep without a shepherd. Now Jesus is gone but power is coming to replace Him. That power will give the disciples the power to preach, the power to stand firm, the power to do miracles. It would give them the power to have faith in the good and bad of life.
In the same way we can never see God move in us unless the power of God’s Spirit is in us. And until we truly want that power, we are going to be cowards. We are going to be people who just settle to come to church on Sunday and being with likeminded people who are not going to rock the boat but are going to settle for the status quo.
Life is too short to not long for the power of God’s spirit. When you are empowered by the Holy Spirit you will gain a new urgency in life. You understand that your time is short. Every waking moment needs to be spent in our relationship with Christ and a mission to save. Everything else in life is just details.
Jesus gives us responsibilities- 8b
“and you will be my witnesses…”
This is not a suggestion. When the power of the Holy Spirit empowers us, we need to share what God has done. This is where our testimonies come in. It is simply about telling others, “look, I don’t understand it all, but I know once I was blind but now I see.”
If you look at Acts 2,4,8,9 you are going to see examples of these disciples who boldly proclaimed what Christ had done for them. Their story would lead thousands to Christ. God just wants you to be faithful. When he prompts you to speak will you speak? When he nudges you to witness will you be His witness?
There are people in this church right now who have amazing stories that we don’t even know about. We have no clue. We see these people as wonderful godly people. It is our responsibility to be Christ witnesses. We are the light of the world; we are the salt of the earth. If we don’t share what Jesus has done nobody is going to.
Jesus gives us a target- 8c
“…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jerusalem: Start in your neighborhood; at your job; where you hang out and have fun. Do you know your neighbors, co-workers, and casual acquaintances? Are you building a foundation of real relationship that will give you the “right” to share your Christian story with them?
Judea and Samaria: Share with others by serving or going beyond your sphere of influence in your community, region, and beyond—both those you may have something in common with, and those you don’t. Share with those who you never associate with.
All the ends of the earth: This may actually be closer than many of us think. What about those you know are hungry and thirsty and homeless? This isn’t about sending money to a missionary but being challenged and extended out of our comfort zone to reach any and all for His kingdom. No matter where we need to go to work.
The words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 1:8 is not just an assurance; they are an invitation. An invitation to step into a life that is marked not by our own strength and abilities, but by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This is not an empowerment that we earn or achieve, but an empowerment that we receive. It’s a divine empowerment, a gift from God Himself.
This is for all of us! It’s for you and me. It’s for the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated. It’s for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and has received the Holy Spirit.
The World is Waiting- who will you invite to hear about the saving grace of Jesus Christ?
Pastor John N. Punni, II