Radical Transformation
Theme of the week: Put the Spirit in Charge
Monday, September 17, 2012
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Key Bible Verse: "But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world." (Acts 1:8, CEV) Dig Deeper: Ephesians 3:16-20
More than a hundred years ago, Samuel Chadwick, a great Methodist preacher and leader in England, said, "The Christian religion is hopeless without the Holy Ghost."
The early church provides the perfect illustration of that hopelessness. It was made up of leaders who fled in fear when Jesus was arrested and needed them most. They weren't courageous and faithful. In fact, they lacked faith and courage. They were the least likely to be put in charge of any Christian enterprise.
Yet after the events in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, those same nobodies were suddenly transformed. With courage and faith they turned their community, and eventually the world, upside down. That wasn't due to their seminary training; they didn't have any training. It wasn't because they were wealthy and had the greatest sound system and light show at their church. They were poor people without a church building. To the existing religious establishment, those early Christians were unlearned and ignorant people with few resources. To the Roman Empire they seemed fanatical and strange.
But one thing they did possess was the power of the Holy Spirit.
—Jim Cymbala in Spirit Rising
My Response: Why did Christians in the early church need the power of the Holy Spirit? Why do I need the power of the Holy Spirit?
Adapted from Spirit Rising (Zondervan, 2012) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.
Copyright © 2012 by Christianity Today/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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Heavenly Father, fill me and empower me with your Spirit so I may demonstrate spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) at home, at work, and wherever your Spirit leads me.
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