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.
At the end of His public ministry, Jesus made one final promise: to send us “another Counselor,” the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever (John 14:16). Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things and remind us of everything He had said (John 14:26). The Spirit would guide us into all truth and reveal what is yet to come (John 16:13).
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Then, just before He ascended into heaven, He gave one last instruction: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).
As promised, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), empowering the Early Church to proclaim the gospel boldly to the nations gathered in Jerusalem. From that day forward, everyone who heard and believed in the name of Jesus received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Why do we need the filling of the Holy Spirit? Because we need a different strength—not of this world—to overcome the world and the schemes of Satan. When people of faith experienced this strength, they saw their hardships through a new lens and overcame the scars of their past.
For Joseph, the death of his mother became a stepping stone for standing alone. Slavery in Potiphar’s house couldn’t separate him from God’s presence (Genesis 39:2). Even Pharaoh recognized the Spirit of God in him (Genesis 41:38). Moses, though raised as Pharaoh’s grandson, encountered God at the burning bush. There, he understood the mystery of the “blood sacrifice” and led the Israelites out of slavery (Exodus 3:18).
Samuel, who grew up alone in the temple, became the leader who restored the church and led Israel into national repentance through the Mizpah movement (1 Samuel 7:3–17). He passed on God’s absolute covenant to the next generation. David, in his season of isolation as a shepherd, developed the heart and skills of a king. God’s Spirit came powerfully upon him (1 Samuel 16:13), and he eventually led Israel with integrity and wisdom (Psalm 78:70–72).
Elisha, an ordinary farmer, asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and went on to save both Israel and Aram (2 Kings 2:9). He invested his life into the next generation through the Dothan movement (2 Kings 6:8–23). Isaiah, though martyred, left behind one of the greatest prophetic messages in Scripture: the message of the remnant (Isaiah 6:13).
Paul considered all suffering worth it for the sake of the gospel. He declared, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). His only aim was to finish the race and complete the task the Lord had given him: testifying to the gospel of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).
When you focus on the power of the Holy Spirit, God will help you rediscover your true identity and calling. Why? Because we live in an age of spiritual confusion, moral collapse, and global disaster—an age controlled by Satan: “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
But you have been given the right to become a child of God when you believed that Jesus is the Christ. You have been chosen as a remnant and commissioned as Christ’s ambassador to save the world.
You have also received authority over the forces of darkness (Luke 10:19), because we live in an age of mental and spiritual oppression. Jesus came to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8), and He called you to exercise His authority to drive out demons (Mark 3:15). When this authority becomes yours by faith, it becomes power. God clothes you with His power so that you may stand firm in this age of crisis and advance His kingdom.
So why not ask today for this different strength? God has already given us the greatest gift—Christ. The greatest answer—His kingdom. The greatest blessing—the Holy Spirit. All that remains is for us to answer His call and stand as Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Prayer. Father, fill me with the Holy Spirit today so I may stand firm as Christ’s witness to the ends of the earth. Let Your Spirit empower me to live out Your will and fulfill the mission You have entrusted to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.