The Witnesses’ Power

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: “’Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4v21-31 (NIV)

From the above text, we see that after the believers cried unto God, He responded by filling them all with the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, they were able to speak the word of God boldly. The empowerment of the witness comes from the Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of Christ. The Dakes commentary speaking of Jesus says “He retained His divine nature, but limited Himself to human attributes and powers during the days of His flesh, so that He could be a true example of a sinless human being overcoming sin and being anointed with the Spirit to defeat Satan ([Luke 3]v40, 52; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:10-18; 4:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:21; 4.1). That His power came by the Spirit baptism and not by natural attributes and powers is one of the clearest doctrines of Scripture (Acts 10:38; Mt. 3:16-17; 12:28; Isa. 11:1-2; 42:1-5; 61:1-2; Lk. 4:16-21). He proved to men that by the same Spirit anointing they could do His works, as He promised (Jn 14:12; Mk. 16:15-20; Mt. 18:18, refs.). Jesus repeatedly said He could do nothing of Himself (…Jn. 8:28).” Thank God we have the same Holy Spirit and can ask for more of His anointing.

Supplementary Text

“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? Luke 11v13 (KJV)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Spirit. We ask that You will fill us afresh with Your Spirit and Your power; help us to overcome sin and live lives that bring You glory in Jesus name, amen.