It’s hard for the church to accomplish its mission if it isn’t plugged in to the power source. Jesus Himself said we must have the power of the Holy Spirit for the church to function as He intends:
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” — Luke 24:49
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” — John 14:26
“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.” — Acts 1:8
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” — Acts 4:31
WAIT ON THE SPIRIT
Certain passages in the book of Acts are considered paradigmatic moments in the early history of the church. Acts 1:8 is one of the more well-known Great Commission passages.
Acts 2:1-4 describes the coming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to believers in Christ:
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” — Acts 2:1-4
Acts 9 tells the story of the conversion of Saul (later called Paul) on the road to Damascus.
Another important passage in Acts precedes those noted above where Jesus is eating with His disciples. Jesus commands them:
“…that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” — Acts 1:4-5
The early followers of Christ were to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Again, in Acts 1:8, Jesus spoke of the coming power of the Spirit when He told His followers right before His ascension.
The commands are clear. Wait. Wait on the Holy Spirit. Wait for His power.
HIS COMMAND AND OUR RESPONSE
As we have been preparing for Great Commission power by praying and looking at key passages of Scripture, in a sense we have been waiting. We have been waiting to be fully prayed up and fully empowered.
Paul writes this command:
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” — Ephesians 5:18-19
Because the wording is in the imperative in the original language, we know that to be filled with the Spirit is a command.
We need to pray that we will be filled with—and empowered by—the Holy Spirit. It cannot be regarded lightly. It cannot be accomplished in our own power. We must pray for the power of the Holy Spirit as we seek to be Great Commission Christians. We cannot go forward without it.
PRAYING FOR THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
What is the fruit of the Spirit?
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” — Galatians 5:22-23
As we pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, we are concurrently praying that the fruit of the Spirit would continually be evident in our lives. When we have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we supernaturally manifest the fruit of the Spirit.
Pray, then, for the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the fruit of the Spirit as well.
PRAYING FOR THE GOSPEL AND THE GREAT COMMISSION
Why pray for the power of the Holy Spirit? So we can become Great Commission Christians and our churches can become Great Commission congregations.
When you have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, He will open your eyes to opportunities every day. If you are serious about yielding control of your life to the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed at the people and situations that come your way.
Remember what Jesus said about opportunities:
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” — Matthew 9:37-38
The opportunities are great. The harvest is great. When we have the power of the Spirit, we see those opportunities. When we have the power of the Spirit, we have the ability to know what to say, when to say it, and when to listen.
Has there ever been a time when you thought you did a terrible job of sharing the gospel with someone, but it didn’t seem to matter? I know I have. Many times, I feel uneasy as to how to respond to certain situations and questions when I share the gospel or simply invite someone to church. I remember being nervous and stumbling over my words, yet the Spirit was at work nonetheless.
When we have the power of the Spirit, we don’t have to rely on our own eloquence. We don’t have to be anxious about whether we will say something precisely right, because God will give us the right words to say at the right time.
When you pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, you are welcoming Him to control your life. You are asking Him to give you the thoughts, words, and actions to be a Great Commission Christian. This prayer is vitally important. You are praying to yield your life to the Holy Spirit so that you can become a Great Commission Christian.
Take a few minutes and pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Pray that the Spirit will mold you into a powerful witness for Christ. He will indeed shape you to become a Great Commission Christian.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in my life and for our churches to be Great Commission focused. I pray that the Fruit of the Spirit would continually be evident in my life. Help me to be alert to situations around me, and lead me to opportunities to share the Good News of the Gospel with others. Please give me boldness, courage, the right words to say, and the zeal I need to be an effective witness for Christ. Help me to focus on leading souls to You and to be a Great Commission Christian. Thank You for so great a salvation! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.