When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong

Have you ever had the experience of seeing something new in something very familiar? You wonder: “How did I not see that before?” I noticed something new yesterday in Acts 1, which relates how Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days following His death and resurrection—but before He ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene. The Bible says that one day, while Jesus was eating with them, He gave an order: “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before” (Acts 1:4, NLT).

Shortly thereafter, He commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). It suddenly struck me for the first time that the Disciples could easily have done this without the power of the Holy Spirit. After all, we're not talking about doing something supernatural, such as healing the lame or raising the dead. How much “power” does it take to tell another person what you have seen with your own two eyes?

This morning at 5:04, I woke up to a minor earthquake. Facebook is now filled with people in the region asking the same question, “Did you feel the earthquake?” So far, no one has responded, “I can’t answer that question yet. I have not received power from on high!” Why do we need power just to tell other people what we have seen and heard and experienced?” That was when I saw it. We tend to focus so much on having our part in life right—making sure our “testimonies” and our ministries are in order. But the best preaching, programs, actions, etc. in the world are inadequate unless they are energized, timed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a person remains in me and I in them, they will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). I don’t think Jesus meant we are incapable of doing anything without Him. Rather, Jesus is saying that we are powerless to produce spiritual fruit on our own. The best sermon, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, is devoid of spiritual power. However, a simple witness empowered by the Holy Spirit can be transformational.

You and I have been invited by God to build the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. At its core, the Kingdom of Heaven is the place where God is at the center and His commands are obeyed. I believe God wants us to experience this right here and now. The presence of the Holy Spirit is what makes this possible. Doing the right things in our power won’t build God’s Kingdom. The best churches are not the ones with the best people doing the best programs and raising the most money. The best church (dare I say, the only real church) is where ordinary people are waiting on, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit.