The Power to Witness

POSTED: May 4^th, 2022
Evangelism

We have all seen people, maybe even ourselves, who have had knowledge or were eye witnesses to an event and had the fear that if they spoke something bad it would happen to them, so the truth about a situation was never told, no action steps took place, and nothing changed.

In the bible we read that the disciples were eye witnesses of all that Jesus did and taught, yet they had no strength and hid themselves in the time of Jesus’ greatest trouble. Just because they saw strength did not mean they had strength. Much like watching a weight lifter doesn’t make you strong. What moved them from watching the work to doing the work? I am sure there are several reasons, but I am going to give what I believe are the top two reasons. Starting with the greatest; “LOVE”.

People have been trying to describe love since the world began. There have been romance books written about love, I love you is said every day by someone. There are daily attempts to describe love. My personal entry point, since I am a visual learner, was watching the actions of others. When I was young, I would see people live a life of sacrifice for someone else and would think, “You are just plain crazy”. I had no clue they saw what I could not see in my selfishness. I was blinded by self- preservation and could not see the reality of what they were doing, yet their actions were speaking volumes. I just did not understand.

They saw the value of a life, much like a mother that can go into a burning house to save the lives of her children. She is not thinking about herself, she’s thinking about her children. God’s expression of love is like that. God’s love is not self-preserving, God’s love is sacrificial. God set out to save His sons and daughters by giving His only Son first. Until we really love people enough to sacrifice to reach them, we will not reach anyone. Until we see the value of one life living in torment forever, we probably will not be motivated to tell people about Jesus. 1Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.”

The second reason I believe the disciples moved from watching the work to doing the work was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Act 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” What made the disciples bold in the book of acts? It was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It moves us from doing it in our strength to doing our Christian work in His strength.

Our own power is not enough to live a life of victory over the devil. Jesus thought it so important that He basically said, “do not leave home without it.” Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

If we fight only with human power, at best we will change someone’s behavior, but they will never live free. Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18, “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.”

This is supernatural work and takes supernatural power. Acts 1:4-5 says, “And being assembled together with the, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” These truths are the fundamentals for becoming a powerful Christian, a world changer, one life at a time.

Norval Hayes said, ”If you don’t keep your spirit built up, you may go to heaven but, you won’t take anyone with you”. We invest our time on this earth in many things, money, recreation, entertainment, but a born again believer is always to make an investment into eternity. It’s not a short term for immediate gratification; it’s an investment in eternity where you will live forever when you’re done living here.

Luke 14:13-14, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Jude has given us simple steps to become successful at winning souls. Jude verses 20-23 says, “ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”

In closing, I would like to leave you with a few points:

• Build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
  
  
• Stay in the Love of God. It’s the fight of your life! If the devil can get you out of God’s love, he can defeat you.
  
  
• Always be looking for God’s mercy to save people from hell no matter what they have done.
  
  
• Have compassionate concern for others, seeing them as lost without God.
  
  
• Some people get saved because of fear. Fear of what? Judgement and eternal damnation.
  
  
• The world is on fire and God wants to save people from the flames of hell! He wants and needs to use you to do it.

Just say, “YES Lord”.

May God Bless you and Keep you.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Joe Perozich is the Founding Apostle of MFC Ministries and has served in ministry since its beginning in 1998. He has been blessed with a structural leadership style and enjoys helping pastors, leaders and churches reach their full potential. He is also the founder of Restoration Christian College & School of Ministry which helps believers to gain scriptural insight and ministry training. Through Believe Right TV and Hope Radio his local TV and international radio programs, he continues to help the Body of Christ grow through with apostolic leadership and wisdom. He has been married to Rena Perozich since 1977.