The Source of Our Power
May 1, 2002 - When we live a Spirit-filled life, the Holy Spirit prompts us to reach others with the Gospel. In evangelism our job is simply to be faithful in communicating the message. The Holy Spirit is the One who works in people’s hearts to draw them to Christ. The following article encourages us to rely on the Holy Spirit, who gives us the power to be true and faithful witnesses so that our lives match our words.
by Chuck Smith
One of the most frustrating things in the world is trying to live the Christian life in the energy of the flesh. Jesus said to Peter, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."(1) Because of the weakness of our flesh, we cannot live the kind of life that God would have us to live and that we ourselves would like to live before the world.
God desires that your life be a true representation of Him in this world. God wants the world to see Jesus Christ in you. He wants your actions and reactions to reflect Him. He wants you to be His witness, representing Him. But if you attempt to be His witness, if you try to react as Christ would, you’ll find that it is impossible to do so in the weakness of the flesh.
The Great Helper
God wants to help you in your weakness, so He has sent a Comforter to come alongside you and help you. Jesus said, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."(2) The power of the Holy Spirit is the power to be what God wants me to be, and this extends into every area of my life: power in my prayer life, power for a holy walk, power to be and to do. In the above verse the promise is power, and it is related to being a witness to Jesus Christ: "Ye shall be witnesses."(2)
We make a mistake when we think of witnessing as something we do; in reality it is something that we are. So often witnessing is associated with passing out literature on the street corner, or going door-to-door to declare the Gospel, or reading through a tract with a neighbor.
Being a witness is more than speaking words; it is living a life. The word "witness" comes from the Greek word martys, from which is derived our English word "martyr." We think of a martyr as one who dies for his faith; however, it really is one whose life is so totally committed to his faith that nothing will dissuade him from it, not even the threat of death. His death does not make him a martyr; it only confirms that he was a martyr. Many Christians testify to Jesus Christ without ever being a true witness.
More Than Just Words
What a person says is often meaningless because he does not live a life that backs up his words. If you try to tell people about the love that Jesus brings, but your life is filled with hatred, bitterness and jealousy, then people will not respond to what you say. Your life contradicts your words.
The Only Source of Power
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be true and faithful witnesses— the power to represent Him on the job, in the home, or in the classroom—so that when people look at us they will see the love, the peace and the beauty of Jesus Christ in our actions and attitudes.
We need such power if we are to be His witnesses, for without the power of the Holy Spirit we will fail every time. It is not until we learn to rely completely on the Holy Spirit that we experience this power.
The Change From Within
The Holy Spirit works from the inside out. Our hearts are changed and our attitudes are changed, and thus our actions reflect the changed attitudes within. The Holy Spirit working in us is changing us from glory to glory, bringing us into the image of Jesus Christ.(3) He does this as we look at Him with unveiled face.(3) How do we see Him? We see Him only in the Word of God, and the Spirit makes the Word alive to our hearts.
Oh, that we would yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit now, that He might do His work in us, conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ!
(3) 2 Corinthians 3:18.
PRIVACY
