Contend for His Power
Pastor Scott McDermott
Read Acts 1:1-11
Key Verse Acts 1:8
Are you really willing to be used by God in whatever way God wants to use you? Have you limited the potential God has for your life? What would happen to you if God challenged your limited way of thinking and called you to think and act in a new and bold way? One can scarcely imagine what was happening in the disciples’ hearts as Jesus challenged their thinking and set out a bold and extreme purpose for their lives. The disciples were to become people of impact and influence. To many of these Galilean fishermen this description must have seemed unimaginable. As Jesus portrayed it, their impact would extend well beyond their immediate environment. “….and you shall be my witnesses in Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1.8). The vision must have been both challenging as well as compelling.
Simply having a direction is not enough. God’s will must be done God’s way. God’s purposes can only be accomplished through God’s power. It is no surprise then that Jesus commands his disciples to “wait” for the promise of the Father. The word translated as “wait” means “to linger with expectation”. The mission God had given them could not be accomplished through human effort. Dependence upon the Spirit’s sufficiency was essential (2 Cor. 1.4, 2 Cor. 12:4-6). The resource they needed is clearly defined as well in Acts 1.8. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be my witnesses in Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth”. The compelling vision of impacting their world would only come after they had been immersed in “power.” The Greek word translated “power” is the word “dunamis”, and refers to supernatural ability and power. Jesus states that the disciples will be baptized or immersed in such explosive power. God’s promises come with the ability to perform them. Immersion in power is part of the church’s inheritance. Without explosive power the church cannot hope to effectively fulfill its purpose.
A key contextual note cannot go unnoticed. These words of promise occur in the context of the ascension. Roger Stronstad’s, in his classic work The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke, highlights that a “transfer motif” is found in this account. The anointing that rested upon Jesus will now rest upon the church. Just as Elisha had received the mantle of Elijah (see 2 Kings 2.1-18) so the church will receive the mantle of Jesus to continue his work in this world. “By this transfer of the Spirit, the disciples become the heirs and successors to the earthly charismatic ministry of Jesus; that is, because Jesus has poured out the charismatic Spirit upon them, the disciples will continue to do and teach those things which Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1) (from Stronstad p. 49). The ministry that Jesus began, he calls and equips to continue.
How did the disciples respond to this challenge? Acts 1:14 records that they responded by joining “together constantly in prayer.” They went after all God had for them. This week pray with expectation. Push your distractions aside. Agree with God’s purpose to empower you and seek him. Here is a simple prayer you can pray every day this week: “Lord, fill me and empower me with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. After you pray. Wait. And let us know what happens.
Prayer: "Lord, fill me and empower me with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen."
