Power!

Power!

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8 KJV

Context and Charge:

Power has always been a major factor in human history. From ancient times, those who had it impacted history one way or another. Those who did not have it or did not have enough could only respond in certain ways. Even the disciples of Jesus at the time also understood the dynamic of power. They thought that with the death and resurrection of Jesus, he would now restore power to Israel. After all, he had proven he had power over death and the grave. However, Jesus' idea of power was fundamentally different from that of the disciples. 

What is power, if it is just transient, temporary and tempered by another higher or greater power? Is it power if it is exercised over a short period of time? Real power does not have limitations, and endures for all time. That was the kind of power Jesus was speaking about here. It is a power that comes from the Most High, so is not subject to the machinations and schemings of the earth. It is birthed by the Wisdom and Power of God Himself. This power will be requested for and received by all who ask the Source for it. Have you asked? Or first, is your life the place and platform where that power can flow in and through?

Conviction and Conclusion:

A major difference between the power the world promotes and that which Jesus speaks about here is earthly and eternal impact. Men seek power to oppress others or to feel important; Jesus gives power to men so they can be His viable representatives. I cannot receive that power unless it is given by the One who truly has it. You can't give what you don't have. The world cannot give you that which is not its in the first place. The Holy Spirit is that power; He is the dynamo that cannot stop or be stopped, unless I decide to limit His power and reach.

His reach is universal. For the disciples, it was to start from where they were at the time and then expand to cover the entire earth. Of course, if I recognise the Source of the power I have, I will be quick to testify of Him. I can't be witnesses to what I did not see, touch, hear or taste. A personal encounter with this Christ is the foundation of a lifetime of impact and relevance. The ends of the earth belong to God and He seeks men who have Him to take Him to the those ends. Am I such a person for such a time like this? God's time of favour is here.