Empowered

"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 1:8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 14, 2013 of Psalm 34:11-22; Acts 1; Exodus 34:29-36:7.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem and they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Further on in Acts we'll read what happens on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends like tongues of fire and touches and fills each of Jesus' followers.  Indeed they were given power and traveled throughout the land healing and baptizing and preaching, all in the name of the Lord.  And Paul extended their mission into the cities and the hearts of the Gentiles.  When we accept Jesus Christ as the resurrected and risen Son of God and our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit descends on us as well, and fills us and lives within us and empowers us to do great and wondrous things in the name of Jesus.  We may not necessarily have the power to heal, but we do have the power to aid and comfort those in need of healing.  We may not be able to competently and successfully preach God's word, but we can witness to the love He shows us.  The Holy Spirit empowers us.  All praise to the Father!  Amen.

Loving Jesus, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be our faithful Companion, our guide, and our empowering, indwelling person of God.  Through Him we can carry out Your great commission, by going into all the world, declaring Your glory, and witnessing to You even to the end of the earth.  Thank You, Jesus!  In Your glorious name we pray.  Amen.