Be My Witness(Acts 1:8)

Intro

Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.””

My father Marshel Neal Riley Sr. told us of this story about him being a boy and his family would kill a hog. And his mom salted the meat by rubbing salt into it. This prevented it from spoiling. The salt was applied to the meat but did not become a part of it.

As Christians we are to be the salt of the earth, But even as we the salt of the earth, just like the salt in the meat, we may be in the world but not of it. We are to be witnesses to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Jesus said more about being a witness then the act witnessing. We are to bear witness to the lost. Being a witness is not condemning them to hell and proving your case for why God is good. Just like in this this verse, Jesus is asking us today to Be His Witnesses!!! Touch somebody and say Be a Witness!!

We have to be witness because the world is dying because we are either scared or we don’t know. But for the most part, What is a witness. Our working definition of a witness is: someone who has seen or heard something; and communicates it accurately. But how do we do this? We can do this by these three ways!!

Become empowered by the Holy Spirit Personally!!

We can first become a witness by being empowered by being empowered by the Holy Spirit personally. The first thing Jesus said when he talked to the disciples is that he told them to wait for what the father has promised. John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” So Jesus knew the mission or the call that he has for them to do requires the Holy Spirit. Jesus says you heard me talk of this but John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Now in their natural feeble minds they tried to understand by asking God, Jesus is this how you are going to establish your kingdom. See they are still thinking that God is about to wipe out the Roman government but God is not talking about that. Jesus didn't even address that question but he said you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

He urges them to wait until they got power. Jesus knew they wouldn’t have the grace nor the power to preach the Gospel unless they are first baptized by the Holy Sprit.

Same for us we can’t witness to anybody effectively until the Holy Spirit comes in us personally. Unless the Holy Spirit comes then we will be just share a truth that we have no power and conviction about. We have to be empowered by the Holy Spirit!!! This means that for us to witness involves the power to do it!! The disciples received the Holy Spirit and was guided by the spirit to preach the Gospel!! They were lead to every area where they preached and was spoken. Now we can try and witness without the Holy Spirit but then we will have the result of Sons of Schiva in Acts 19:11-16 “God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” If we are not empowered by the Power of the Holy Spirit then we have no ground to share anything about God. Because then we will be proclaiming something that we have no personal experience.

When we have Power we are now authorized by God to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ!! When a cop in sworn in as an officer of the state they now are authorized as full blown officers with arrest powers. But without that power they can’t arrest anybody. Same as us, If we don’t have power then we are not walking in the proper authority that God has given us. We can be confident when we witness because God is backing us because he has empowered us by the holy spirit. This should cause us to rejoice, to know that we are not powerless but powerful. We can stand firm in the personal encounter and experience you’ve had with God. Because people can argue with hearsay and or opinions but no one can argue with the transformative power of Jesus Christ

You can have a highly educated, cultured ministry, but it will be useless without this power. You can have men who can speak and expound learnedly, and do many other things, but if this power is not present it will end in nothing better than entertainment. ‘I long to see you that I may impart unto you …’ I have got it. I know I can give it. The Apostle was conscious—he was aware—of his power. Without this power we are advocates and not witnesses, and we are called to be witnesses.

The Gospel of God, 223–24

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Those that did great things for God, they didn’t do it in their own power. They did it only when they were baptized by the power of the holy spirit!! They had an experience with God that changed their life. Kathryn Kulman, AA allen, Kenneth Hagin, Billy Graham, Bishop Charles H Mason Rheinhart Bonkee, Charles Stanley, Bishop R.L. Lawson and even our Pastor and Leader. Doctor Maurice L. Lawson, all great powerful men and women of God did and do nothing without the power of the holy spirit.

We can only be effective witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need his spirit. Lift up your voice and say Lord I need your Spirit

Share Christ by our Testimony (Witness)

Jesus Said in the 8th verse of chapter 1 that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power then you shall be my witnesses.

You might ask the question and saying, But OK God, I’ve received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now I’ve gotten power but what do I do with it. What God is saying that you will tell about me!!. You will testify of my goodness and my grace. God is calling us out to win others to him. Our working definition for witness is: someone who has seen or heard something and communicates it effectively. What have you personally seen or heard about God. What has God put inside of you and or done for you that you know couldn’t have been done except by God. Think about it real quick and examine why have you been timid about sharing your experience.

Testimony is not a synonym for autobiography! When we are truly witnessing, we are not talking about ourselves but about Christ.

John Stott

When we understand that when we share we are not talking about ourselves but we are talking about God!! We are to tell of what God has done for us and they goodness of God.

But there are those whose sole mission is to spread false witness about God. They feel as if they are to discredit everything that God does and says, and then funny things is they will use scripture to discredit what the don’t like about the God of the scriptures. The will use slander, lies and deceit to further their agenda.

But that is not our mission,God wants us to tell the truth of his word and even the truth of our experiences. Proverbs 12:17 “One who declares truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.”

We as Children of God are commissioned by God to be his witnesses. As God leads us with his power, the enemy will try and deter us by placing fear on the inside of us. But in Luke 21:12-15 ““But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will provide you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute.”

Time of trials will come. You might not have the words of the dictionary but out of your mouth will come the testimony of the goodness of God You can stand in the face of all manner of evil and say that God is Good. Just by that testimony will spark a conversation and allow you to share the wisdom of God.

People of God we have to share it. You might not have anything big to happen for you. But you can share what God has done. If you are saved then you have a story. If God brought you through something you have something to share. The faith in that will cause somebody to serve him.

Live Out Your Witness!!

As God is calling us out to be witness before him!! He tells them at the end of verse 8 that you shall be my witnesses in all of Jerusalem, Judea, and the remotest parts of the world. They had to go out in their city (Jerusalem), and region (Judea and Samaria) and the world professing the word of God with power. But they also had to live amongst those around them. Yes they are called to be a witness, But what Good is your witness if your life doesn’t exemplify the truth of what you are expressing.

It is a great deal better to live a holy life than to talk about it. Lighthouses do not ring bells and fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.

Dwight L. Moody

Witnessing is not something we do; it is something we are.

Anonymous

Your life may be the only God someone may read about. John 14:17 “the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

The only way the world will know God is through you. The bible says. Present your body living sacrifices holy and acceptable unto God.

This life will cause you to humble yourself and say God I want you more than anything else. you have to humble yourself. Let’s live out our life free of blame and reproof.

How do we live this witness out?

Be intentional about keeping God in focus no matter what. As we walk and talk be intentional of our conversations. Don’t let conversations not of God seep out. We have to be very intentional about what we do.

We are all witnessing everyday in word, thought, & deed. This is why its important to rely on the Holy Spirit. Because he is suppose to guide us into all manner of truth. Philippians 2:14-15 “Do all things without complaining or arguments; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,”

On our own we are terrible representatives!! But when we entrust our way to God day by day moment by moment. Then we can be the witnesses God is calling us to be.

Closing

God is asking us all to Be My Witness!!!

And maybe you may struggle in one of these three areas. You may not realize that you have power and you can be a witness. But you can receive power today. The power of God is readily available to you. He’s ready to fill you and to show you his power.

Or maybe your issue stems from not sharing. God says to Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is calling us to share Christ to a dying world. But we can’t be silent and allow the gap to widen and wide, will no one be the breacher of the gap and try and save those who are lost.

Or maybe you are half in- half out. Make a commitment today that says Lord I’m yours and that you have my heart, mind, and soul. Holy Spirit baptize me with you, I want to be filled. Come and do it again!! Rush in again.

Let’s Pray