And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said,"you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But 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 1:4-8 (NKJV)
Years ago I was watching the news and there was a captivating story about a cameraman that was shooting film of some daring skydivers. The skydivers were doing different formations and he was shooting from different angles in subsequent jumps. In the final jump of the day, the cameraman was so "into" the process of filming that he forgot to put on his parachute. I was watching a disaster unfold as the report showed the cameraman's actual footage. The camera was focused on the high-dive formation and suddenly as the cameraman reached to pull his cord...the camera mirrored the frantic motions of a man who just realized that he committed a fatal mistake.
How could this possibly relate to Acts, Chapter One? In Acts, Chapter Two, we get a picture of life in the early Church. The early Church was impressive. There were signs and wonders--people getting saved--amazing growth--taking care of needs--dedication--prayer--study--hospitality--fellowship...everything that we aspire to attain as the Church today. (Please pay attention to the following) Chapter One proceeds Chapter Two. In other words, the powerful Church of Chapter Two would never have come to pass without the Chapter One experience.
Trying to walk in the footsteps of the early Church is impossible unless we have a Chapter One experience. Please hear me: We need the power of the Holy Spirit living in us--guiding us--and giving us the where-with-all to establish the Church in our generation. Before we attempt to take on the powers of darkness that stand in opposition to us--we need to be full of God's mighty power! Then we will see that the "Gates of Hell will not prevail against us!" It would be a tragic mistake to build a church that has a "form of godliness but denies the power thereof." That would almost be like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, to You and to You alone belongs all the power, glory and honor. It is Your power that puts the enemy to flight--it is Your power that brings Salvation--it is Your power that brings healing and hope--it is Your power that gives us the ability to live abundant lives... Lord, once again, fill me with Your Spirit. May I be a vessel that expresses the Fruit of Your Spirit while walking in the fullness of Your power. To God be the Glory, forever and ever! Amen"
How could this possibly relate to Acts, Chapter One? In Acts, Chapter Two, we get a picture of life in the early Church. The early Church was impressive. There were signs and wonders--people getting saved--amazing growth--taking care of needs--dedication--prayer--study--hospitality--fellowship...everything that we aspire to attain as the Church today. (Please pay attention to the following) Chapter One proceeds Chapter Two. In other words, the powerful Church of Chapter Two would never have come to pass without the Chapter One experience.
Trying to walk in the footsteps of the early Church is impossible unless we have a Chapter One experience. Please hear me: We need the power of the Holy Spirit living in us--guiding us--and giving us the where-with-all to establish the Church in our generation. Before we attempt to take on the powers of darkness that stand in opposition to us--we need to be full of God's mighty power! Then we will see that the "Gates of Hell will not prevail against us!" It would be a tragic mistake to build a church that has a "form of godliness but denies the power thereof." That would almost be like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, to You and to You alone belongs all the power, glory and honor. It is Your power that puts the enemy to flight--it is Your power that brings Salvation--it is Your power that brings healing and hope--it is Your power that gives us the ability to live abundant lives... Lord, once again, fill me with Your Spirit. May I be a vessel that expresses the Fruit of Your Spirit while walking in the fullness of Your power. To God be the Glory, forever and ever! Amen"
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