Witness
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
♬ Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #93 Jesus is All the World to Me
We can speak about the things we know and see, and we can testify about the things we have. The person who knows, sees, and possesses something is considered a witness. The resurrected Jesus stated, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses.” This means that children of God who hold on to the covenant will gain strength, evidence, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Thus, He promised that they will become witnesses. Like the Early Church, whatever difficulties and problems we may have, we should not be afraid but simply wait. So what must we do specifically to become a witness?
1. The strength that God gives
When you set aside time to do scheduled prayer on your own, free of interruptions, God will give you strength. Also, when you pray when you worship, you will receive the blessings of heaven that come down through the message. If you continue to enjoy these blessings, you will receive God’s strength and become a witness.
2. Filling of the Holy Spirit
If you gain strength through prayer and enjoy answers to prayer, one day the Holy Spirit’s time schedule will come. At that time, God’s strength will come upon you. When David was young, as a shepherd, he praised, wrote songs, and put all his effort into taking care of the sheep by learning to sling rocks. God prepared an important time schedule for David. When David had to fight Goliath, he became a witness of the living God to the world. At that time, God gave David a perfect blessing and as a result, he was victorious.
3. Things to keep in mind
There are some things you should keep in mind. Typically when a person faces hardship, they shake. However, keep in mind that your small troubles are a part of the process, and when you face more serious troubles, keep the future in mind and you will receive the greatest blessings. If perhaps you fail, all you need to do is gain courage from your faith and start again. If you continue to enjoy these blessings, evangelism will take place and you will be blessed with meeting prepared workers.
-What is the true strength that God’s children must possess and enjoy? Where do you gain this strength? Take some time to meditate on this mystery.
Peru Conference Lecture 3 / 2010.5.7