Power and Devotion

Daily Reading:  Acts 1

"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.” ... All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer. (Acts 1.8, 14)

Devotional Thought: Before Christ ascended to heaven, he met with the disciples and told them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1.4-5).  He went on to say, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…”  Upon hearing that, those early disciples of Christ probably looked at their own lives and thought, “I sure could use some of that power… I can’t witness.  I’m afraid!”  Well, what did they do about it?  They followed Jesus’ instructions and waited.  And they prayed. The Bible says, “They all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1.14, NIV).  Their situation drove them to their knees!  They knew what they needed – power to witness – and they knew how to get it – pray for the Holy Spirit! 

What about you?  Would you describe your Christian life as one of power and witness? 

• If no, what should you do?  Pray!  And not just alone.  Join with others of like need and desire.  Pray for God to pour out his Spirit in a fresh way into your life and your church.  Commit to seek God until you are an empowered witness and your church is a place where the Holy Spirit is at work saving the lost through your testimonies.

• If yes, what should you do?  Pray!  And not just alone!  Join with others who desire to see their lives and church remain powerful and effective in witness.  Do not take God’s power for granted.  Rather, live in a state of growing trust and dependence upon God.  We never “arrive” but are always on the journey.  There are still souls to win, still risks to take, so we need to pray!

May God fill you with power and enable you to witness today!

Prayer:  Jesus, you have saved me from a life of hopelessness and darkness.  I thank you.  Now, I ask that you would give me power to be a witness for you, that others may know you.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 69:1-5

1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.

3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?

5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.