Page 149
What did that power include? Why did Jesus provide His people with other
kinds of supernatural empowerment?
Because Jesus knew they would need many different kinds of power for
their assignment of evangelizing the whole world. Then Jesus added that assignment:
You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem , and in all Judea and Samaria
(Acts 1:8b)
Page 150
Here are a few of the other kinds of
power the disciples of Jesus, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, had when
they started evangelizing:
1. Power that produced much evangelism fruit
2.
Empowered with boldness
3.
Courage in persecution
4.
Holy Spirit Recalls
5.
Guidance
6.
Power over Satan
7.
Power working in us
He is able to do those great things only
according to the power that works in us Christians which is the power of the
Holy Spirit. So, trying to evangelize in our own power
instead of letting God work through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we
limit what God is able to do through us.
God’s power is available to
anyone who is willing to follow him with obedience in their lives.
Obedience is so important,
but my actions can often hinder God from working through me. Why, because when I do things that are not
pleasing to God, I quench the Holy Spirit from working in my life.
Page 156
“Quench” means literally, “to put out a
fire.” When the Holy Spirit desires to
burn in us like fire, Christians often quench that fire by substituting human
plans, programs, and projects for the Spirit’s divine power, substituting forms
of godliness without the activity of the Holy Spirit.
Page 157
Unconfessed and thus unforgiven sins
grieve the Holy Spirit because they hinder His filling us, working in us, and
flowing out of us. Anxious to produce
fruit for Jesus through us, the Holy Spirit longs to fill us with all we need—when
we first empty ourselves of all that is grieving and hindering Him.
I wonder how many times I
have tried to do something for God without his power. Oh
yes, sin in my life has quenched the Holy Spirit from working through me many
times. I want to be filled with God’s
wonderful Holy Spirit. I think it is
time for me to pray.
Page 163
Don’t go without power!
O Lord, protect us from ever trying to
reach the lost in our human ability.
Fill us—and keep on filling us—with Your precious Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment