AUGUST 30
scripture reading: Acts 4:23–31

Pentecostal Power

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. (Acts 1:8)

The Book of Acts is the missionary manual of the church. In 28 chapters, Luke tells the remarkable story of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ created a movement in the first century that shook the foundations of the Roman Empire and changed the world. From a handful of timid disciples meeting behind closed doors, the followers of Christ suddenly burst forth to take their revolution of love to the ends of the earth. This tiny band of brothers and sisters became the catalyst for the greatest movement of social and spiritual transformation the world has ever known. How did they do it?

1. They had a Great Story they were literally dying to tell. God sent his own Son to live among us and to save us from our selfish ways. But we did not recognize who he was, and we rejected him. We killed the author of life. But God raised him from the dead and exalted him as sovereign Lord.

2. They had an Urgent Message they were yearning to share. In spite of our blindness and rebellious ways, God loves us and wants to re-establish a relationship. He sent his Son to save us from our sins and from the coming judgment. The cross of Christ offers forgiveness and a new beginning. Therefore, repent and believe the Good News!

3. They had a Bold Confidence that could not be shaken. Jesus is alive and in charge of everything! He sits at the right hand of God the Father and reigns today as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All authority in heaven and on earth is his. Jesus is Lord, not Caesar!

4. They had a Simple Strategy that actually worked. We are not just called to do witnessing but to be witnesses (Greek: martur). This starts at home (Jerusalem) and then moves out in concentric circles until the whole world hears the Good News of salvation. We do more than talk about our faith. Our strategy for global conquest is simple: we give up our rights and lay down our lives for others. Jesus showed us how this is done, and we intend to follow his example.

5. They were filled with a Holy Fire that gave them power. The Spirit has been poured into our hearts and set us ablaze with a holy passion that comes straight from the heart of God. We are combustible! And the holy fire that burns within gives an unction to our words and deeds that enable us to operate in the realm of the supernatural.

Karl Marx supposedly said: “Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways. The point is to change it!” Such a perspective inspired thousands of communists to commit their lives to bringing a socialist revolution to the world. How much more should the Gospel of Jesus Christ inspire us to commit our lives to his holy purposes for the earth. Pentecost means that the indwelling Spirit makes possible our own participation in the world revolution that Jesus is leading. Be filled! Stop wringing your hands and moaning about what the world has come to and live in the reality of what has come to the world! Join the revolution.

The Church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning.
—Emil Brunner

point to ponder • Are you a witness for Jesus sent on a mission to change the world?

prayer focus • For Christ to do a brand new work in us.