Enabling Power

Enabling Power - Acts 1:8

You will receive power (enabling, ability, efficacy and energy) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and unto the utter most parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

We worship a loving God who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Yet, few Christians consistently witness for Christ. Perhaps, some do not realize that every twenty seconds a hundred people die and probably more than 90% pass into a Christless eternity.

The following are some guidelines for how to be a more effective witness:

1. PRAISE - When we praise God we are giving witness to His greatness, glory and goodness in all situations. Everyone can honor the Lord with their lips and their lifestyles if they have a heart devoted to the Lord’s renown.

2. PURPOSE - Realize that God gave you His Holy Spirit not just to save you from hell but "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so, who He has delivered from the hand of the enemy." (Psalm 102)

3. PRAY - Many people do not witness because they do not ask, seek or knock in finding opportunities to share about the riches available through Christ.

4. PLAN - Begin to think in terms of how the Lord might not only use you in your proximity but also in your country, state, country and throughout the 238 nations of the earth. 97% of the two billion unreached people groups of the world live in the 10/40 window that spans from Africa to Asia. Many Christians are not witnessing or contributing because they are unaware of those who are most in need of the gospel.

5. PERSPECTIVE - Realize the eternal point of view that the Lord has on your identity and your obligation. Jesus gave us a command that should be trusted in and obeyed.

6. POWER - Jesus assured us that He would give us the enabling, efficacy, energy and dynamics necessary to effectively witness for Him in all situations. We are only limited by our realization of the Holy Spirit’s empowering within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

7. PREVAILING - Jesus assures us that we will be victorious in the midst of strife. Let us appropriate the fact that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

8. PROBLEM-SOLVING - Jesus will make a way when there seems to be no way. After all He is still the WAY, the truth and the life. Every person is willing to listen to someone who has solutions for the problems they are facing.

9. PRIORITY - Jesus gave His great commission five times in the New Testament. The last words that Jesus gave on earth carry a reminder that we are to seek first the kingdom of God (helping expand it in greater quantity and quality) and His righteousness so that all things will be added to us as well. (Matt 6:33)

10. PERSUASIVE - The Holy Spirit of God will work in heart of everyone we witness to with His convicting ability but we are to give a compelling witness in our life and lips and love so as to maximize the effects for His greater glory.

Concluding Illustration: Keep on believing God answers prayer;

Keep on believing He’s still up there.

Trials and sorrows will soon disappear;

Nothing can harm you when Jesus is near.

Keep on believing the storm will pass;

Look for the rainbow ’twill come at last.

Trust in His promise ’twas written for you;

Keep on believing and pray your way through.