Becoming Power-filled

Jesus to the World!
Terry R. Baughman

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NKJ).

The last thing Jesus said before ascending into heaven, was this promise of power through the Spirit’s infilling, and the confirmation of the commission of His purpose. Emphatically, Jesus stated, “You shall receive power…,” and, “You shall be witnesses!” He would not send us out without first equipping us for the task. Actually, He commanded all to wait for the promise of the Father, before anything else. Jesus said, “Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49 NLT).

All along, as Jesus taught His followers what was to come, there were assurances of His additional empowerment. Jesus said He would not leave us as orphans, but promised, “I will come to you” (John 14:18 NKJ). He declared, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38-39 NIV). Jesus promised His Spirit would be within them a source of life and of power. 

During the ministry of Jesus everything pointed ahead to a baptism of power. Jesus said, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:20 NIV). What Jesus promises is not just a spirit, but His Holy Spirit! God lives in us to fulfill His purpose in a powerful way. 

The Passion Translation makes the text even more explicit, “But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you will be seized with power” (Acts 1:8 TPT). It is footnoted that the understanding is, “You will seize power!” Christ’s authority rests in His Spirit that is available to every born-again believer. We must not be content to just receive the Spirit, but encouraged to seize the power of the Spirit!

After receiving the power of the Spirit, Jesus taught His followers that, “Signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:17-18 NIV). The final verse reveals the result, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” (Mark 16:20 NIV).

The Spirit made the difference. As they waited in Jerusalem for the promise to be fulfilled, the celebration of the feast of Pentecost arrived. During this notable Jewish feast God chose to pour out the gift of His Spirit. This new baptism of power, which they received on the Day of Pentecost, was the source of strength that had been promised. Normal tradesmen and fishermen now spoke with authority from the Scripture with a Spiritual anointing. The people who heard them were amazed. It was stated, “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 NKJ). 

This was just the beginning. After they were filled with the Spirit they launched into their appointed ministry, “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all” (Acts 4:33 NIV). The Spirit enabled them to testify of the resurrection. They prayed for the sick and, “Through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people” (Acts 5:12 NKJ).

They taught publicly and from house to house (Acts 20:20). They prayed powerfully, and the place was shaken, “and they spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31 NKJ). They prayed for multitudes of sick and tormented people and saw them all healed (Acts 5:16). Today, let us be filled with the Spirit, but more importantly, let us be seized with power to fulfill the purpose of Christ!

​Theme passage:
“We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, ‘Turn back to God and be reconciled to him’” (2 Corinthians 5:20 TPT).