Absorbing God Word
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Applying God’s Word
For the first forty years of my life, I believed in God and went to church almost every Sunday. I didn’t know Jesus or the Holy Spirit. I didn’t know what it meant to be a witness. How could I? I was unplugged. It wasn’t until I gave God permission to release His Holy Spirit in me that I really felt plugged in and empowered to pray differently, understand scripture, and tell others about Jesus.
I love praying with others and encouraging others to have a closer walk with Jesus, but that’s not what it means to be a witness. I am a witness to others when I am living and loving the way Jesus does. I don’t do that perfectly, but I’m doing it a lot better these days than I did thirty-five years ago.
People are not impressed with how holy we act or how much we are doing in the name of Jesus. They are moved to have a closer walk with Jesus because of the way we are living. They know by our actions if we are really plugged in.
Accounting of God’s Word
Have I given God permission to empower me with His Holy Spirit? Does my life resemble the life of Jesus at all? How plugged in am I?