The Comforter Helps Us Witness
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
To witness is to see an event right before your eyes. For example, when we talk about people who see an event happen, we call them witnesses. However, the Bible explains that witnessing is not just seeing an event occur; it is more than that. As a follower of Christ, witnessing is more of a proclamation to others about the truth of God. As we learn more about the promise of the Comforter, we learn that through the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to witness.
In this passage, we understand that the Holy Spirit has power that will come upon the disciples, who will help them witness to all the ends of the earth. The importance of this is to see that Jesus is calling them to spread the Good News! They were to go out into the world and tell others of what they saw firsthand. The purpose of witnessing is for there to be a transformation in people’s lives, that they may “Repent and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit,” as Peter preaches in Acts 2:38. So, not only is it important to share the truth of God, but it is important that God is present in you while you do it. He is helping you as you witness.
In Acts 2:4, it says, “And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” We see here just how amazing the power of the Holy Spirit is that the disciples were able to speak in other tongues to witness to those who understood. Later on in verse six, the Bible says, “And this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in His own language.” The Holy Spirit was able to change the disciples’ speech so that those who spoke differently from the rest could understand what the disciples were witnessing. How amazing is it for our God to provide such power that everyone can see His good works?
The disciples were simple guys who God chose to use to spread the Good News to all the ends of the earth. Take Peter, for example. He was just a fisherman who did not catch any fish one night. Jesus showed up and performed a miracle, and Peter began to follow Him. Peter struggled just as we do in our everyday lives. Peter was not a perfect person; the only One Who is and Who ever will be is Jesus. Yet, Peter was called by God to spread the Good News, and no matter what struggles he faced, he still accepted the challenge. Being that Peter was just a simple fisherman who probably did not grow up learning public speaking, you would think he would not be able to reach many people and witness to them. However, by the power of God, through the Holy Spirit, Peter was able to reach out to people! In Acts 2:14-41, we see Peter speaking to a group of people who were mocking the disciples for speaking in tongues, saying they were “filled with new wine.” Instead of being angry, Peter showed that he relied on the Holy Spirit at that moment to speak through him. Jesus gave him the responsibility to witness to everyone, and Peter did just that. Therefore, we see in Acts 2:42, the outcome of the power of the Holy Spirit, as those who heard Peter’s sermon as a fellowship of believers began to gather and grow. In verse 47, it reads, “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
The disciples were able to reach to the ends of the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit. More than that, the disciples were not the only ones to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in all those who believe. We have the same mission as the disciples did, and we have a responsibility to witness to the ends of the earth. This can be scary in our world today. However the case may be, we need to be ready at any moment to witness to other people because the Good News of Christ Jesus is not ours to keep and bury away. It is our responsibility as followers of Christ to share this news. God knew it would not be easy for us, and that is why He gifted each and every one of us with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is here to move through us and reach the broken. As followers of Christ, we need to rely on the Lord and His power. If you struggle to witness, pray to God to give you courage and to help you rely more on Him. Always remember that the same Spirit that was within the disciples lives in you, and He has the power to do miraculous things.