Witnesses

Why the Holy Spirit?

I was asked recently, “Why was the Holy Spirit given or sent to us?” I was just one of quite a few people in a meeting and the speaker was getting some inter-action going. So he asked this question and went round the room to whomever was brave enough to offer an answer. Several answers came up. The most popular was, “So we would speak in tongues.” Another was, “To be our companion, teacher, and guide.”

The speaker was looking a bit desperate until one older man said this, “Acts 1:8”. The speaker smiled broadly and said, “Go on then – tell us more.” The man said, “The bible says that the Holy Spirit would come upon us and we would be witnesses to Jesus all over the earth.” “Exactly.” Said the speaker, “All His other gifts and ministries were really for one reason only – to enable us to witness to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 MSG “What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

NIV “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.”

Every gift we have had, from the resurrection to the Rapture or Return, was given so as to equip us to be witnesses to and for Jesus Christ. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors – all gifted by the Holy Spirit, are given for the purpose of equipping the church to witness to Jesus Christ. All the qualities of the Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - were given to equip us and prepare us to witness to Jesus Christ in our hearts and in our lives.

I have often said that every one of us is called by God. Some are called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors. Some are called to healing, some to discernment of spirits, some to a deliverance ministry. Every single one of us is called to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and every one of us is called to be a witness. The great commission in Mark 16:15-18 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” The great commission is all about witnessing to Jesus Christ.

How do we witness? With our lives first and foremost. We witness by our actions. When we demonstrate our love for our neighbours, when we corporately or individually go to those who have little or nothing and we feed and clothe them or educate them or give them the means of self support, we are witnessing to Jesus Christ.

We also witness with our words of course, but as St Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.”