Week of Monday August 25 – August 31
Witnesses – Man as Provider
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But 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 1:6-8 ESV
The risen Lord Jesus has given us a “Great Commission” to join Him in His work of redeeming a lost and broken world. Our part in this work is to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and share a clear and compelling witness about Jesus, starting in our local communities and eventually reaching the far corners of the earth.
To do this, we must first surrender ourselves to the Lord and submit to the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit. We must allow Him to empty us of sin and self and fill us with His powerful presence. Without this first step, we cannot be successful. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Don’t miss this point: if God hasn’t changed—and He hasn’t (Hebrews 13:8)—then He can work through us today just as He did through the early church, who turned their world upside down with the gospel. His power is available to believers now, just as it was in the book of Acts.
It is also worth noting that the disciples prayed while they waited for the Spirit to come upon them. Even now, when the Spirit of God lives within us, we still need to pray to repent of our sins and invite the Spirit’s power and presence in.
This power has a specific purpose. Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” In the New Testament, there’s a common theme: those filled with the Holy Spirit provide a clear, compelling, and commanding witness about the risen Christ. This witness is the primary reason why the Holy Spirit empowers us.
If you are called to testify in court as a witness, the expectation is that you have seen something or have firsthand knowledge of the person or event in question. Similarly, God is calling upon people who have had a life-transforming encounter with Jesus to share what they know from firsthand experience.
I think the reason why so few people bear witness about Jesus is because they don’t have much to say. Unfortunately, many people who self-identify as “Christian” haven’t had many, if any, firsthand experiences with Jesus. I’m talking about meeting with Him daily, speaking to Him in prayer, hearing from Him through His Word, and seeing His influence in your life. When you actively engage in these experiences, you are better positioned to share a meaningful witness about the life-changing power of Jesus.
Men, here is the assignment: start in your own “Jerusalem”—with your family, neighbors, and co-workers. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you. Invite another guy friend for coffee or lunch and share your testimony about what Jesus has done and continues to do in your life. After that, allow the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation.
God gives us opportunities every single day to bear witness about Jesus; we just need to be attentive enough to see them and submissive enough to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Imagine what God could do through us!
- Do you have enough firsthand experience with Jesus to bear witness to who He is and what He has done in your life? If not, what steps can you take to change that?
- When was the last time you told another person about your personal encounter with Jesus and how it has transformed your life? Consider who in your life might benefit from hearing your story.
- Ask God for opportunities to share your witness about Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Witnesses – Man as Provider
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But 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 1:6-8 ESV
The risen Lord Jesus has given us a “Great Commission” to join Him in His work of redeeming a lost and broken world. Our part in this work is to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and share a clear and compelling witness about Jesus, starting in our local communities and eventually reaching the far corners of the earth.
To do this, we must first surrender ourselves to the Lord and submit to the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit. We must allow Him to empty us of sin and self and fill us with His powerful presence. Without this first step, we cannot be successful. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Don’t miss this point: if God hasn’t changed—and He hasn’t (Hebrews 13:8)—then He can work through us today just as He did through the early church, who turned their world upside down with the gospel. His power is available to believers now, just as it was in the book of Acts.
It is also worth noting that the disciples prayed while they waited for the Spirit to come upon them. Even now, when the Spirit of God lives within us, we still need to pray to repent of our sins and invite the Spirit’s power and presence in.
This power has a specific purpose. Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” In the New Testament, there’s a common theme: those filled with the Holy Spirit provide a clear, compelling, and commanding witness about the risen Christ. This witness is the primary reason why the Holy Spirit empowers us.
If you are called to testify in court as a witness, the expectation is that you have seen something or have firsthand knowledge of the person or event in question. Similarly, God is calling upon people who have had a life-transforming encounter with Jesus to share what they know from firsthand experience.
I think the reason why so few people bear witness about Jesus is because they don’t have much to say. Unfortunately, many people who self-identify as “Christian” haven’t had many, if any, firsthand experiences with Jesus. I’m talking about meeting with Him daily, speaking to Him in prayer, hearing from Him through His Word, and seeing His influence in your life. When you actively engage in these experiences, you are better positioned to share a meaningful witness about the life-changing power of Jesus.
Men, here is the assignment: start in your own “Jerusalem”—with your family, neighbors, and co-workers. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you. Invite another guy friend for coffee or lunch and share your testimony about what Jesus has done and continues to do in your life. After that, allow the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation.
God gives us opportunities every single day to bear witness about Jesus; we just need to be attentive enough to see them and submissive enough to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Imagine what God could do through us!
- Do you have enough firsthand experience with Jesus to bear witness to who He is and what He has done in your life? If not, what steps can you take to change that?
- When was the last time you told another person about your personal encounter with Jesus and how it has transformed your life? Consider who in your life might benefit from hearing your story.
- Ask God for opportunities to share your witness about Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.