When You Need It (6)

“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

Holy Spirit power
We said that grace is not only a divine disposition of favor, which God communicates to us by His Word and in our Lord Jesus Christ; but grace is also divine power – real, albeit spiritual power, which operates from within the soul, through all our words and deeds, to shape us for good works and true words.

This is real power, and it’s a good thing it is. For being witnesses to Jesus Christ is not something we are naturally inclined to do. Jesus recognized that bearing witness to Him can be intimidating. He taught us not to fear what others might say about or do to us, but to hold fast our testimony as often as we can. He said we shouldn’t even get worked up about what to say when an opportunity for bearing witness arises, promising that the Father would give us the words we need, and they would be the words of the Spirit Himself. And He warned us against failing to bear witness when we should, saying that all who deny Him in this world can expect that He will deny them before the Father. At the same time, all who faithfully confess Him before men, He will joyfully, proudly, and continuously confess before the Father.

We need power to be witnesses for Jesus, as He Himself explained. And the Holy Spirit is that power, that Dynamo of grace, Who excites our mind with the truth that is in Jesus, ignites our hearts with fervor to make Him known, establishes being witnesses as a constant priority in all we do, and actually creates the opportunities for witness and gives us the words we need.

Who me?
A witness for Christ?You may not believe this can actually happen in you, that you could be clear as a bell about the Gospel, eager and enthusiastic in proclaiming Jesus, daily consistent in doing so, and effective in leading others to salvation by grace through faith.

If so, if you doubt God’s ability to use you as a witness for Christ, it’s only because you’re relying on yourself, rather than on God’s grace, to empower you for this work. You don’t have the power to be a witness for Jesus, and if you’ve concluded that, then you’re in a really good place. You’ve got both feet planted in the starting-blocks for the greatest race of your life!

You don’t have the power to be a witness for Jesus; the Holy Spirit has the power. He flows the living water of God’s grace through our words and deeds, as these are shaped and formed in the forge of God’s Word, and in prayer in the glorious presence of our reigning Lord (Jn. 7.37-39; 2 Cor. 3.12-18; Heb. 4.16). The Holy Spirit is all the grace you need to be an effective witness for Christ. He wields power like you won’t believe, exceedingly abundant power, power beyond anything you’ve ever dared to ask or think (Eph. 3.20). He has power to make you willing and able to do that which God approves and has appointed to you (Phil. 2.13).

The power is there, and the power is real. But you must be willing to engage that power by walking in the Spirit, not in the flesh, and thinking with the mind of Christ, rather than with your own best ideas. God is spreading His saving grace over the whole earth, increasing praise and thanks to His Name from people who come to know His grace in our Lord Jesus Christ. The vessels by which that grace is being distributed in the world may be frail, but because the power is of God, grace is spreading to more and more people, day after day (2 Cor. 4.7-15).

Grace for our witness to Jesus
How do we engage this power? That is, how do we connect with the flow of divine power that is the grace of God working in and through us to make us witnesses for Jesus Christ? Let me suggest five steps – to be repeated continuously – that can get us into the slipstream of the Holy Spirit’s power for witness.

First, accept that you have been appointed to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Every day, Jesus sends you into the world as He was sent (Jn. 20.21), to people you see over and over, day after day. Some of these people are believers, and they need you to witness to the grace of Jesus, to encourage them in love and good works (Heb. 10.24). Some are unbelievers, and you need to so live the hope of grace that, as they see the difference this makes in your life, they will be open to your sharing the Good News with them (1 Pet. 3.15). But you must first accept this as your primary calling in life, and you must accept it anew every day, and in every situation.

Second, seek the filling of the Holy Spirit in prayer. Jesus promised that God will give us the Spirit if we ask Him (Lk. 11.13). Paul said we should be careful to fill our thoughts, affections, and priorities with the Spirit, so that words of grace will issue from us more naturally and consistently (Eph. 5.18-21). Being filled with the Spirit is just another way of seeking the grace to help you bear witness by your life and words. Seek His filling often throughout the day. As you are filled with the Spirit, work to bring forth the fruit and gifts He bestows, and walk the path of holiness. He’ll begin to stretch out in you in surprising and transformative ways.

Third, banish every thought and lay aside every practice that hinders your witness for Christ (Eph. 4.17-24). Look for opportunities to ask questions or initiate conversations that can allow you to bring up Jesus in an informal, non-preachy way. Rehearse often the many ways the grace of Jesus has blessed you. Observe the ways God’s grace is at work even for those who do not know Him. Start conversations based on such things as these, and banish fear, doubt, or indifference, so that you can follow the Spirit into the place where He wants to shine the light of the Gospel.

Fourth, remember that being a witness for Christ is a process and not an event. It’s not a one-and-done proposition, but a way of life, a way of being before others, of serving and caring about them, and of making the most of all your time to bring out the grace of God in people’s lives, especially as that grace is communicated in Jesus. Being a witness is a “here-a-little, there-a-little” calling. Discover new ways of pursuing this process with all the people in your Personal Mission Field, and work your plan with each person prayerfully, faithfully, and expectantly.

Finally, talk often about Jesus and His wonderful, amazing grace to you. Talk with Christian friends. Talk with God. Sing of His grace, and remind yourself how great a debtor you are to the grace that sustains you every moment of every day.

Get grace into the grooves of your everyday thoughts and words, and you’ll be surprised to see how the Spirit will use your words to help others see Jesus more clearly.

For reflection
1. Why do we need the grace of God through His Spirit to enable us to be witnesses for Jesus?

2. Being a witness is a matter both of how we live and what we say. Explain.

3. What can you do to begin being more consistent as a vessel of grace and a witness for Jesus Christ?

Next Steps – Transformation: Begin putting in practice the five steps outlined in this article. Pray daily that God would give you grace to be a witness for Christ. Encourage your Christian friends to join you in this.

Grace flows from our relationship with Jesus Christ. The better we know Him, the more His grace will do its work in us. Our book, To Know Him, can help you in drawing closer to Jesus and increasing in Him. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.