God is the only One who can bestow special power upon people. His purpose for doing so is to enable witnesses to broadcast the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ to the world.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:14-21, emphasis added)
Note that our witness, according to verse 17 above, is to be rooted and authenticated in LOVE! This will result from our own experience of the love of Christ for us. (v. 19) Love is the bond of perfection, and it must be our sole motivation for all ministry. (Col 3:14)
I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Lk 24:49 NIV)
In Luke 24, Jesus was instructing His followers to wait for the arrival of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The disciples wouldn’t have received the grace that they needed to be effective witnesses for Christ until then.
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. (Acts 1:8)
The indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to obey the instructions that Jesus gives us in Matthew 10:8 – Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Fulfill your mission, brothers and sisters! Share the power that God has placed within you now . . . today!
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