Acts 1:8 – “ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  KJV

As I completed another trip through the Bible this year, I decided to reuse an old Bible with a wealth of notes in the margins for my next trip.   It was moving to read the Word of God and review what I had seen in the past.

The Book of Acts offers a powerful history and pattern to embrace.   Acts 1:8 brings us words in red—words that are direct quotes of Jesus.   He said they would be witnesses after or when they received the Holy Spirit. God’s choice of words is always purposeful. 

He did not say they would witness but would “be” witnesses.  Everything about them would testify of Christ and faith in Him.  This is being, not just doing!  The Holy Spirit gives the power and anointing to BE!  That anointing helps us navigate the will of God rightly.

An example of this is in this chapter and the next.   It is a visible contrast.   Peter, impetuous Peter, declared that they had to select someone to replace Judas.   Someone was to replace him. My question is, was it their responsibility to elect a replacement?  They were not elected; they had been selected by God, and now they are holding an election to determine God’s will.

They chose two men, prayed, asked God to pick from their picks, and called that His will.   Was it?   Possibly, but could it be that Paul was God’s pick, and He would have appointed him in His timing?  My thought is that without the anointing, we may make decisions attempting to get God to pick our pick.  However, with the anointing, we wait for God to give us His choice.

Acts 2 is a totally different scene.  It reminded me of an event some years ago as I led a congregation. I had exhausted all efforts to reach a man and failed each time.   One Sunday, I was preaching, and suddenly, I began to speak in an unknown tongue for several minutes.   Then, I finished my message in English.  It was an unusual occurrence!

A few days later, the man’s wife told me what had happened. Her husband asked, “Where did your pastor learn Swedish?”  She assured him that I did not speak Swedish. He said, “Yes, he does. ” Sunday, he spoke to me in fluent Swedish and told me things no one could know.”  A couple of weeks later, he was in the hospital, and I visited him.  He related that event, and in the course of our conversation, the man accepted the Lord. 

My human efforts had failed, but with the anointing, I became a witness that produced God’s desired results.   I have, at times, acted out of my knowledge, emotions, and preferences and failed.  I have tried to convince myself and others that our plan, like replacing Judas, was the right way.   It birthed an Ishmael or a Mathias who was obscure.  But the anointing produces an Acts 2 result.

We should seek God and refuse to act without His anointing.   Jesus ONLY did what He saw and ONLY said what He heard through the anointing.     We have the anointing if we have the Holy Spirit, and we “are” manifestations of Him.  I encourage you to begin exercising your spiritual authority today.  It is your heritage!

Have a Great Day, and may the Holy Spirit guard and guide your footsteps!