And you shall be witnesses
Acts 1:7-8 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8But 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.”
<st2:bcv_smarttag>Acts 1:8is an announcement by God telling us what He was going to do, not a mandate for us to do something. This is not a call to be missionaries in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. This is God announcing that he is going to anoint us with power by the work of the Holy Spirit which will result in our being witnesses to the ends of the earth. The point is that God is at work in us to reach the world for Christ. It is not a vote or choice to become witnesses. We are witnesses. He has declared it. Our challenge is to be obedient in joining Him when He calls so as to witness for Him, not against Him. The greatest challenge among believers is unbelief.
Our fear and hesitancy is because we view the opportunities as something dependant upon our skills and personal courage. However, like on the day of Pentecost, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit witnessing will happen because we are surrendered to his will and in faith desire Him to do His work in us. Like the Great Commission, it is “as you go” or “along the way” witnessing. Our life and opportunities already have us “going.” Some of us have been to the uttermost parts of the earth already. Others will be as God is able to work in their lives.
Because of what He announced He was going to do, we will have opportunities to witness nearly every day. We will meet people and go places where persons need to hear about Christ. And whether we like it or not, we will be witnesses to Him. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit will have unnatural power and courage to share what God has done for them. Those who do not believe Him to be the enabler will be a negative witness to Him and those who are disobedient will too often witness against Him by their actions and life. But we are all witnesses to Him.
Because the only Jesus the world will ever see is the one who lives within us, many will never come to Christ because of the witness we make. Our life and conduct will too often hinder what He is doing in their lives to bring them to conviction and salvation. It is not a matter of our faith in ourselves, but our faith in Him. He supplies the power and He enables us to be effective witnesses. Since this is what He has announced that He is going to do among us, it is up to us to simply obey and join Him in what He is doing. And, yes, the obedience will require godly living, so our witness is “for” Him and does not hinder. “And you shall be witnesses to Me,” makes it clear that God’s announcement is about what He intends to do through us. We are not choosing to be, but choosing to go with Him, as He makes witnessing happen through us.
How is your witness? _____ for Him?
_____ hindering Him?
_____ against Him?