You Will Be My Witnesses

Mention Week of Prayer for Annie Armstrong

Change Your World

Sounds like an impossible task

So much evil in the world, so many lost, so much hate

Why doesn’t God just send a lightning bolt, why doesn’t Jesus just come back now

Is it possible for us to change the world, can I really make a difference

Can even God – working through us as believers really change the world?

Our Annie Armstrong offering supports 5300 missionaries in NA that believe He can

Annie Armstrong helped to start the WMU,

She furthered mission causes through prayer, her personal ministry, and through writing letters to other southern baptist organizations and leaders. In one year she wrote 18000

Here is what a few of our missionaries say about the Annie Armstrong offering

Without the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering we could not have planted 149 new churches in Florida last year. Our church planting strategists cover all 49 associations in our state making an impact by reaching people for Christ through starting healthy new churches.—Rick Lawrence, Church Planting Missionary, Jacksonville, Florida

If is was not for the giving of our many Southern Baptists, there would be thousands of individuals here in the inner city of Detroit who would not have a place to worship, a place to receive a hygiene kits, a quiet and safe place to sit and have a cup of coffee, a place to have a hot meal, a place to get a change of clothes, a place to have their mail sent to. Many of the children would not have a safe place to come and hear about Jesus, or to spend a summer day, or be part of a week at a camp that helps them to learn how to live for Jesus. I am eternally thankful to all the members of our churches who support the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.—Nathaniel Bishop Sr., Church and Community Ministries Missionary, Detroit, Michigan

I know of at least 21.5 million reasons to give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions! That’s the number of people we are praying will find a church home in our community. Without funding through the Annie Armstrong offering, we would never have started a church in the heart of New York City!—Gregg Farah, Church Planting Missionary, New York City

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

PRAY

I. The Holy Spirit wants the world to know Christ and His Glory

The greatest desire of the Holy Spirit is to exalt Christ – to Glorify Him

Jesus doesn’t say in v 8 you may be my witnesses to the ends of the earth

He doesn’t say you will probably be my witnesses

He says you WILL be my witnesses.

He says that with certainty because of what he said in the first half of the verse.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”

We have the power of the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit working in and through us

And when that happens, the result is that we do what the Holy Spirit desires

And the greatest desire, the greatest passion of the Holy Spirit is to Glorify Jesus Christ

Making God known to all people and Glorifying God are major themes all throughout the Bible.

Hab 2: 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

It is the reason God did miracles

Joshua 4: 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."

Salvation for the Gentiles and entire world in OT

Isa 49: 6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

David tells us in PS 96 to declare Gods glory

Ps 96 1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.