If something needs to be fixed at our house, my wife calls a repairman. Let me be clearer: if anything needs to be fixed, she calls a repairman. I’m totally inept at any kind of repair work. It’s not just that I can’t fix things; I tend to make the problem worse.
On several occasions, I’ve declared something was irreversibly broken, only to discover it wasn’t plugged in. I can see my wife rolling her eyes even as I type these words. Her observation is typically right to the point: “It’s hard for the thing to work if it has no power.”
Good Things Come to Churches Who Wait
I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. It’s hard for the church to accomplish its mission if it isn’t plugged into the power source. Jesus himself said we must have the power of the Holy Spirit for the church to function as he intends (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; Acts 1:8; 4:31).
Certain passages in Acts are considered paradigmatic moments in early church history. For example, Acts 1:8 is one of the better-known Great Commission passages. Acts 2:1–4 describes the coming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to believers in Christ. Acts 9 recounts the conversion of Saul (later also called Paul) on the road to Damascus.
But another important passage precedes all of those. The scene takes place as Jesus is eating with his disciples. Jesus says, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4–5, NLT). The early followers of Christ were to be indwelled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Again, Jesus spoke of the Spirit’s coming power when he told his followers right before his ascension, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you” (Acts 1:8, NLT).
Now, the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was a unique, unrepeatable event in redemptive history. Nonetheless, the underlying principle remains: your church cannot accomplish the Great Commission in its own strength. Don’t run ahead of the Holy Spirit. Wait for his power.
Good Things Come to Churches Who Pray
Don’t run ahead of the Holy Spirit. Wait for his power.
Paul writes this command to the Ephesians: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts” (Eph. 5:18–19, NLT). The wording in Greek is in the imperative. To be filled with the Spirit is a command.
The Great Commission is not a spiritual sales pitch designed for someone to buy. It’s an offer from God to receive forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternity. It cannot be regarded lightly. It cannot be accomplished in our own power. We must pray for the power of the Holy Spirit as we seek to be Great Commission Christians. We cannot go forward without it.
As we pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, we’re concurrently praying the fruit of the Spirit would continually be evident in our lives. When we have his power, we’ll supernaturally manifest his fruit.
Spirit-Filled, Great Commission Christians
When you have the power of the Spirit in your life, he’ll open your eyes to opportunities every day. If you’re serious about giving control of your life to him, you’ll be amazed at the people and situations that come your way. Remember what Jesus said about opportunities? “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matt. 9:37–38, NLT). The opportunities are great. The harvest is great. When we have the power of the Spirit, we see those opportunities.
When we have his power, we’ll supernaturally manifest his fruit.
When we have the power of the Spirit, we have the ability to know what to say, when to say it, and when to listen. For years, I worried about how I’d respond to certain situations and questions when I shared the gospel or simply invited someone to church. But those imagined scenarios never happened. It’s taken me years to grasp, but I don’t have to worry about whether I’ll say something precisely right, because God will give me the words.
Has there ever been a time when you thought you did a terrible job of sharing the gospel with someone, but it didn’t seem to matter? I remember being nervous and stumbling over my words while inviting someone to church, yet the Spirit was at work nonetheless. The man I invited came to church the next Sunday and eventually became a follower of Christ. When we have the power of the Spirit, we don’t have to rely on our own eloquence.
When you pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, you’re welcoming him to control your life. You’re asking him to give you the thoughts, words, and actions to be a Great Commission Christian. Take a few minutes and pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Ask him to mold you into a powerful witness for Christ.
The Gospel Coalition