“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that as are filled to the overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, we are empowered to be Your witnesses in all circumstances, to which You send us. We experience boldness as well as wisdom to share the message of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The disciples were fearful and disbelieving before the baptism of the Holy Spirit but after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, these same disciples were completely transformed. We need this filling of the Holy Spirit, again and again, so that as we encounter different situations in life, the Lord can use us mightily to be His witnesses.
In Acts chapter three, the lame man at the temple gate was healed. This man was lame from birth and everyone had seen him begging. Now this man was walking and leaping and praising God. People flocked to see how this astonishing event had happened. Peter and John address this audience in the temple. Let’s take a moment to picture this situation. Look at the calmness as well as the boldness of the disciples. Acts 3:14-15 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, (15) and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. They witnessed Christ but in doing so they laid the blame, squarely, on this crowd, for asking for Barabbas to be released but also for having Jesus crucified. They also made this crowd know that Jesus was the Messiah, for whom they were all waiting. They referred to Jesus as the Prince of life.
We would have, probably, tried to tell Peter and John not to aggravate this crowd but this is the kind of witness we will become when we are filled with the Holy Spirit? In Acts chapter four, the situation changes. Peter and John were now before the Jewish council. This was the same body that had condemned Jesus to death. Look at how Peter and John answer to this group. Acts 4:10-11 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. (11) This is the ‘stone which you have rejected has become the cornerstone’. They make it clear to these Jewish leaders that they were the ones who had crucified Christ. God had raised Him from the dead and they were His witnesses. They then tightened the screws on them that they have rejected the chief cornerstone for the building of the people of God, to be His spiritual house.
Acts 4:12-13 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Many say of Peter and John that they were uneducated and untrained, as though they were illiterate fishermen. When we read the writings of Peter and John, we know that they were definitely not uneducated. They had not gone through a high level of theological training and exposure like Apostle Paul or Gamaliel. They made it clear to this high-powered audience that it is only by faith in Jesus that a person would have eternal life. This was powerful witnessing, by the Holy Spirit, through Peter and John.
Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. The powerful witnessing of Christ, by the filling of the Holy Spirit, has continued on, over the years, and continues on. This transformation of timid and frightened disciples to become so fearless is the work of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This is what each of us must desire in these last days when persecution against the church is on the rise. Herod had decided to put Peter to death. He had killed James and this pleased the Jews. Look at Peter’s response.
Acts 12:3-6 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. (4) So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. (5) Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. (6) And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Peter knowing that he was to be killed, slept peacefully. There was no fear or dread. Peter was willing to lay down his life to be a witness to Jesus. This is what the baptism of the Holy Spirit will do to each of us. We will be those who will be willing to lay down our lives to be witnesses to our Lord Jesus.
Our prayer
“Lord Jesus, we as the church, need a powerful filling of thy Holy Spirit, to lay down our lives for You.”