The Acts of Modern-Day Apostles

In the book of Acts, we see where Luke records what happened after Jesus went to heaven and left the Holy Spirit to empower the followers of The Way to proclaim the message of salvation. Acts 1: 1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. There are many different impressions about what it means to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, and some of them may be right. Personally, I look more at the purpose of being baptized by the Holy Spirit, and I believe Paul shows us the very purpose for that baptism in Galatians 5:16. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

If you mention the Holy Spirit to preconditioned denominational people, they look at you like you are a "spiritual" nut. I will say I have gone too many years thinking the same way, and those days are behind me. I will say that there is a strange way of thinking if we just try to use the Spirit to our own gain, and I will never adhere to that kind of thinking. I will not shrink back from knowing that I can do nothing on my own and that I must have the Holy Spirit's power to live my life. I have to think about this very subject from a purely Biblical approach, and any human influence will just poison what needs to happen. Humanism cannot be a part of following the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit will many times lead us to a place we don't see on the surface, and that place has to glorify God alone. When Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days after He was resurrected He talked about the kingdom of God.

His telling them to stay in Jerusalem further confirmed that there was going to be a battle when they took the gospel with them. Paul speaks to this battle in Ephesians 6:10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. There is definitely a battle going on and that battle still goes on today for all who live The Acts of the Modern-day Disciples. Jesus commissions us to first have the Holy Spirit for our power to live the life He has called us to in this present world. Satan attacks all who call the name of Jesus, whether in church buildings or not. We must rely on the Holy Spirit's power and trust God to surround us with His Spirit. On our own we don't have the capacity to make much of an impact, but with the Holy Spirit enabling us we can do great thing. In fact, Jesus said we will do more than He did. In John 15 Jesus speaks to the existence and work of the Holy Spirit. John 15:26 “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.

The Acts of the Modern-Day Disciples are important to following the commands of Jesus to go in the power of the Holy Spirit in this battle with the forces of evil. Time to follow the Word of God and get with it!! A lost and dying world are waiting to hear the message of hope.

Today's Message,

David Warren