September 23: MIRACULOUS POWER (part 2)

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Our messenger for the eight days of evangelism is Roger Hernandez. He has highlighted three valuable lessons from the above scripture:

The Holy Spirit gives us power. We are instructed to ask for it daily. Do we recognize how ready and willing God is to empower us? We must ask to be filled with His power on a daily basis!

His power helps us to be effective witnesses. A person that has the Holy Spirit cannot remain silent. As the purpose of a car is to transport, of a hammer to pound nails, and a cup of water to sate a person’s thirst, the Holy Spirit’s purpose in your life is to help you share Jesus with others.

Our witness for Christ should affect the entire range of hearers. When Jesus sent out His disciples with the Good News, He specified the range from local to global:

·         in Jerusalem symbolizes those closest to you geographically, culturally, and linguistically

·         in all Judea symbolizes your acquaintances; your casual friends

·         Samaria symbolizes those who are hostile to the Gospel

Jesus made contact with people in all of these categories. Let us follow His example, beginning with the identification of three people in the metropolitan area (one in each category) to pray for and reach out to. Write their names down.

Our preparatory prayers for all involved in the eight days of evangelism must include the evangelist! Please lift up Pastor Roger Hernandez in prayer: for the Lord’s hedge of protection over his health and clarity of mind as he prepares messages of hope for our city.

Cultivating intimacy with the Holy Spirit is top priority. Jesus reminds us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)