March 13th, 2026
by Eddie Exline
by Eddie Exline
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
The words of this verse are from Jesus as he spoke to His disciples right before He was taken into Heaven. In context, this verse is speaking of being witnesses for Christ, but it's clear that we will only be able to do that effectively if we're empowered by the Spirit. God was able to empower the believers in Acts to be witnesses for Him in the face of vehement opposition. That same power exists for us today. The same power that enabled the apostles and disciples to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem all over the world--long before radio, television, and the Internet were available--is there for us to do the same things. We don't have to fear because He is with us.
Yet, it is still a difficult task and we must submit to His leading, for His ways are not our ways.
In Zechariah 4:6 it says "Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
We can try very hard in our own might and power, and still not get anywhere. But when our actions and words are done in submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit, that is when we will see the results we hope to see. Sometimes the best thing is to stop striving and wait for God. Do what you know to do, obey God's Word, and sometimes at the most unlikely moment, the answer arrives.
When we submit to Him, we can make great headway in all areas of our lives.
The words of this verse are from Jesus as he spoke to His disciples right before He was taken into Heaven. In context, this verse is speaking of being witnesses for Christ, but it's clear that we will only be able to do that effectively if we're empowered by the Spirit. God was able to empower the believers in Acts to be witnesses for Him in the face of vehement opposition. That same power exists for us today. The same power that enabled the apostles and disciples to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem all over the world--long before radio, television, and the Internet were available--is there for us to do the same things. We don't have to fear because He is with us.
Yet, it is still a difficult task and we must submit to His leading, for His ways are not our ways.
In Zechariah 4:6 it says "Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
We can try very hard in our own might and power, and still not get anywhere. But when our actions and words are done in submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit, that is when we will see the results we hope to see. Sometimes the best thing is to stop striving and wait for God. Do what you know to do, obey God's Word, and sometimes at the most unlikely moment, the answer arrives.
When we submit to Him, we can make great headway in all areas of our lives.
No Comments