With Power and Awe

March 10

(A Mini-Study of the Early Church)

Read: Acts 1:1-11, 2:43-47

With Power and Awe

“you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (1:5,8)

To bear “witness” for Christ the way that God intended it requires the POWER of the Holy Spirit, otherwise it would make no sense that Jesus called his followers to wait around in Jerusalem for “the promise of the Father”. The ministry of “bearing witness” that Jesus is calling his people to goes far beyond “being nice” and “telling people about Jesus”. The disciples were already able to “tell people about Jesus” and “be nice”. If this was the sum total of what Jesus was calling us too… then leave Jerusalem and get at it. No, the truth is that the time had come for Jesus to pass the baton to his people in a unique way. It was time for the people of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit the same way that Jesus had been at his baptism. The true ministry of the C/church would rely upon the power and persuasion of the Holy Spirit.

When we are “born again” or “born of the Spirit” (cf. John 3 ) our spirit is brought to life and enters into relationship with the Holy Spirit of God. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can be rightly led into saying what the Father tells us to say and doing what the Father tells us to do. The Holy Spirit is the one who tells us what he hears Jesus and the Father saying: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13) It is the Holy Spirit that bears witness about Jesus both in us and within the world as we declare the good news of the Kingdom of God; Jesus himself says that the Holy Spirit is the one that will “bear witness about me”. (John 15:26) Without the Spirit, there is no way that we will continue to be taught what to say and do as well as be reminded of the ministry and teaching of Jesus: “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) Just look at how this idea is concentrated in Jesus’ final words to the disciples in John 14-17!

Why is this important? Because to be the people of God in these last days it will require POWER that you DO NOT HAVE on your own. During these “last days” the people of God will wither and crumble if their “ministry” is driven by their own understanding and strength. Jesus was not looking for a band of followers to “be nice” and “talk about him once and awhile”! Jesus was calling to himself the people that the Father had given him and entrusting them with the ministry of “bearing witness” and reconciliation. (cf. John 10:27-30, 2 Cor. 5:18) Whenever the people of God (read: the church) commits to this sort of life and ministry it will experience what we see in Acts 2:

“…awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done…they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

We should be “filled with awe” in these last days at the work of the Lord. The longer we walk with the Lord the better we should get at listening to and obeying the Spirit within us. As we listen and obey the Spirit, we are brought into a greater frequency of participating with God in his POWERFUL work. We will find ourselves more and more in the midst of “God sized” moments that we DO NOT TRY TO ENGINEER FOR OURSELVES. We will be swept up into a work beyond us. We will begin to be entrusted with words and truths to speak on behalf of the Lord and they will land with POWER and effectiveness. Then “awe” will come upon our SOULS. Think about that - to be “in awe” at the SOUL level! Not just a cute idea our mind bats around like a cat with a yarn ball. Not just a little “warm-fuzzy” that passes through our emotions. No … an “awe-filled soul” is so much deeper and lasting than that. It consumes our minds and fills our emotions. This is what God is calling us to as his people in these “last days”.

What is slightly “frustrating” about this truth? Look at what Jesus says in John 3 regarding being born of the Spirit: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) This is not something any pastor, holy person, counselor, or mentor can control. No human controls the Spirit of God. There is a mysterious part about this “power” and “promise” that we speak of… God does his work in his timing. God controls the “wind and waves” of the earth and God controls the “wind” of his Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit in us can give birth to the spirit-filled ministry that we speak of. Have you been born again? Like Nicodemus, I welcome you to come to Jesus and ask him. He will tell you.

Have you experienced the voice of The Spirit within you… speaking to your spirit? What is he saying to you? Take time to listen to the Spirit today. Start by simply sitting down with a pad of paper and writing what you think he is saying to you. Then set that pad next to your bible and work through some of what you think you are hearing alongside the scriptures. Share your list with another believer and see what they have to say. Hearing takes practice. It will get easier. Is the Spirit telling you to go to someone in particular? Is the Spirit giving you something you need to say to someone? If so, you should go ahead and SAY IT! I guarantee, the more you participate with the Father and Son through the Spirit, you will be awe-struck at what the Lord does in you and through you. The last thing the world needs in these last days is weak, flesh driven ministry… life is too short for that. I love you guys. More to come. - JDP