No revival, crusade or Christian movement can succeed without the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today’s Devotional Scripture
“But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about Me everywhere.” (Acts 1:8, New Living Translation)
“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, New Living Translation)
The Apostles Needed the Holy Spirit
Acts 1:8 contains the last set of instructions that Jesus gives His “chosen apostles” (Acts 1:1). In the very next verse, the resurrected Son of God ascends into Heaven.
After spending three years with the Lord and based on the first seven verses of Acts 1, it is rather surprising to find that the 11 apostles were preoccupied with when Jesus would “free Israel and restore our kingdom” (Acts 1:6).
The apostles, like us, are flawed creatures and need further spiritual guidance. We vainly believe we can accomplish many things without God’s help or we can somehow direct Him to help us get out of a difficult situation.
What would have happened if Peter and John took it upon themselves to defend their faith in Jesus before the mighty Sanhedrin without the power of the Holy Spirit? I believe there would be no 5th chapter of Acts and the Christian church would have disintegrated into some form of social club.
We Need the Holy Spirit
Whether we embrace it openly or with caution, we cannot deny the power of the Holy Spirit.
The two-word combination of “Holy Spirit “is mentioned 127 times in the New Living Translation (NLT) of The Bible. The Holy Spirit is mentioned three times in the Old Testament (read Psalm 51:11 & Isaiah 63:10-11) and 124 times in the New Testament. Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit three dozen times, which leaves 88 references in the remainder of The Bible.
I have never had an issue with the power of the Holy Spirit. I have seen and heard evidence of the Spirit’s work in my life and the lives of others.
A Personal Testimony about the Power of the Holy Spirit
I remember a very difficult week during the summer of 2007. My wife Lori had undergone routine surgery and was so tired that she went to bed early. I slept in a spare room, so I wouldn't interrupt her sleep.
The next morning I got up and decided to see if she had gotten a good night's sleep. Instead I found her struggling for life and quickly called 911.
The Livonia EMT crew arrived quickly, stabilized her and loaded her into their vehicle for transport to a local hospital. As I stepped into the front seat of the emergency vehicle, I began pleading and begging and calling out to God to save the life of my wife.
When we reached the hospital and rushed into the emergency room, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit guiding my thoughts, my words and my actions. The One that Jesus had promised would be a comforter to believers had assured me that Lori would recover from this tragic incident. Even when Lori slipped into a coma, the Holy Spirit kept assuring me that it would take time and God would restore her health.
Lori did recover. She came out of the coma and was home within a week. We both greatly appreciate the medical treatment she received from the Livonia EMT crew and the doctors and nurses at Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills. We also acknowledge the heartfelt prayers of so many saints that it would humble me to tears if I knew the exact number of those who petitioned God on our behalf.
Lori continues to work as an instructor for Livonia Public Schools and is an active member (acoustic guitar player) in our church’s worship band. She is so full of life and she still feels there is plenty to do before she is summoned to Heaven. I have attached her favorite worship song to this article.
People tell me it was a miracle and I agree with them. For our God does perform miracles. He can take ordinary people like you and me, fill them with the Holy Spirit, remind them of what Jesus did for each of us, and let us “go into the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
The Holy Spirit is actively counseling and coaching thousands of Christians in preparation for Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. You and I can make it a memorable celebration of the greatest day in history if we lean on the Spirit sent by God's only Son, Jesus Christ.
.Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that the Holy Spirit lives in us and equips us to tell people about You. As we spend time in Your presence, please empower us by the Holy Spirit to live and speak in such a way that people will see Jesus Christ in each of us. Please make us bold and courageous witnesses. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Feel free to comment on this article, contact me @denimartin via Twitter or send an email to deni-martin@att.net.
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