Tension

Jesus resurrects from the dead, and the disciples are SO GLAD! But, they are mostly concerned with geo-political issues, and thinking that Jesus was about to solve a lot of that for them. He turns their attention to the promise! Over and over again, he had given them this promise, that He was about to send the Spirit, but they were focused on the same old stuff. Today, I want to focus your hearts on what has been promised to YOU! 

Passage

Acts 1:6–8 (NLT) — 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Body

1. YOU
   1. Often, people can think that maybe they are different from some really holy people that have the Holy Spirit. They think that maybe they are missing something special that an elite group has.
   2. The promise is for YOU
   3. Different types of people throughout Acts had encounters with the Holy Spirit
      1. Jews from every nation
      2. Samaritans
      3. Gentiles
      4. Believers with impartial understanding
   4. We know this: 
      1. It shocked the apostles because they were trained to think only the Jewish people could receive
      2. It took persuasion to convince the Jewish people of who the Holy Spirit had fallen on
   5. The Holy Spirit wants to Encounter YOU, Come upon YOU, Fill YOU, Help YOU! 
   6. Say this with me “THE PROMISE IS FOR ME”
2. WILL RECEIVE
   1. Focus on the promise.
   2. First, Jesus is giving them a factual statement about what is coming. The Holy Spirit IS available. 
   3. Second, Receiving is something you DO
      1. To accept something intentionally
      2. To take hold of what is offered
   4. Third, you receive by faith 
      1. Just like you receive salvation
      2. Just like you receive forgiveness
      3. Just like you receive God’s love
   5. Application 
      1. Father, I believe you for salvation, I believe you for forgiveness, I believe you for righteousness.. I BELIEVE YOU FOR THE SPIRIT! 
3. POWER
   1. The Promise of POWER
      1. The promise is not symbolic but real
      2. Dunamis
         1. Used 100 times in New Testament
         2. It means ABILITY
            1. It actually works (I drank coffee and it worked)
         3. It means POTENTIAL
            1. A seed has dunamis to become a tree
            2. A child has dunamis to become an adult
         4. Used when Christ did miracles
      3. Jesus is promising, you will receive ABILITY.. It will actually WORK!
   2. Personal Power - Stop sinning, transformation, love your enemy
   3. Missional Power - Fulfill the Great commission, have spiritual authority
4. HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU
   1. The Promise of Power is realized WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU! 
   2. The Holy Spirit lives in each of us.. Salvation is impossible without the work of the Spirit in our hearts. So when you believe, the Holy Spirit is working in your life already. 
   3. When Jesus says He will come upon you, it is like him saying, when the thunderstorm comes, when daybreak arrives, it is the imminent impact of something huge coming. It is experiential in this way
      1. Watching a hurricane on the map
      2. Me grilling in the backyard. 
      3. The moment of impact. 
   4. There is multiple fillings, coming upon that happens throughout your walk with the Holy Spirit. 
   5. Each of these is for EMPOWERMENT! 
5. BE MY WITNESSES
   1. The purpose of power
      1. The Holy Spirit does not come upon us just for an experience
      2. He comes upon us for assignment
      3. Power always points outward
   2. A witness is not a theologian
      1. A witness tells what they have seen and experienced
      2. You don’t have to know everything
      3. You only have to be willing
   3. The Holy Spirit gives ability to speak
      1. Ability to be bold
      2. Ability to be clear
      3. Ability to speak with love and conviction
   4. Witness starts where you are
      1. Jerusalem — your everyday world
         1. Home
         2. Work
         3. Relationships
      2. God works outward from ordinary places
   5. This is why we are filled
      1. Filled people reach people
      2. Empowered believers advance the Kingdom
      3. The Spirit fills us so the world can know Jesus.