“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.” (Acts 1:8 NLT)

 

The Holy Spirit dwells within every believer. He bears witness with us that we are children of God. He seals us. Jesus’ disciples experienced His indwelling. When Jesus appeared to His followers after His resurrection, “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22 NLT). So, when Jesus spoke to them again in Acts 1:8, He wasn’t talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He was talking about something different.

The Greek word dunamis, which is translated as power in Acts 1:8, has an interesting history. In 1867, a chemist and inventor named Alfred Nobel discovered a power greater than anything the world had known before. It was an explosive element that he created in a laboratory. Looking for a name for his invention, Nobel consulted a friend who was a Greek scholar. By changing a few letters in dunamis, the Greek word for explosive power, Nobel came up with the word dynamite.

That’s the idea that Jesus conveyed in Acts 1:8. He was saying to His disciples, “You will receive explosive dynamite power when the Spirit has come upon you.” The power to be a witness. The power to share your faith. The power to speak up and be counted. The power to turn your world upside down.

The power of the Holy Spirit transformed the lives of first-century believers. Prior to receiving it, the apostle Peter couldn’t stand up for his faith when strangers asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. After he received it, Peter boldly preached the gospel to a crowd of thousands.

Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit’s power, the apostle Paul was an enemy of the Christian faith. After receiving it, he became one of its greatest champions.

The same power is available to us today. The power to be a witness. The power to boldly approach someone you don’t know and tell them about Jesus Christ. The power to lovingly confront someone about their sin. The power to initiate a life-changing conversation. The power to tell people about what Jesus has done for you.

My question to you is this: Do you have this power in your life right now? Has your prayer life become dry and one-dimensional? Do you feel less than engaged with God’s Word? Do you feel as though there’s something lacking in your spiritual walk? Are you stricken with fear at the very idea of sharing your faith? If so, then you, my friend, are a candidate for the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

All you have to do is pray. Ask God to empower you with His Spirit. Ask Him to help you feel the Spirit’s presence in your life, guiding and encouraging you to grow and share your faith in ways that transform the world around you.

 

Reflection question: What would the “dynamite power” of the Holy Spirit look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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&ldquo;But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere&mdash;in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.&rdquo; (Acts 1:8 NLT)
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The Holy Spirit dwells within every believer. He bears witness with us that we are children of God. He seals us. Jesus&rsquo; disciples experienced His indwelling. When Jesus appeared to His followers after His resurrection, &ldquo;He breathed on them and said, &lsquo;Receive the Holy Spirit&rsquo;&rdquo; (John 20:22 NLT). So, when Jesus spoke to them again in Acts 1:8, He wasn&rsquo;t talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He was talking about something different.
The Greek word dunamis, which is translated as power in Acts 1:8, has an interesting history. In 1867, a chemist and inventor named Alfred Nobel discovered a power greater than anything the world had known before. It was an explosive element that he created in a laboratory. Looking for a name for his invention, Nobel consulted a friend who was a Greek scholar. By changing a few letters in dunamis, the Greek word for explosive power, Nobel came up with the word dynamite.
That&rsquo;s the idea that Jesus conveyed in Acts 1:8. He was saying to His disciples, &ldquo;You will receive explosive dynamite power when the Spirit has come upon you.&rdquo; The power to be a witness. The power to share your faith. The power to speak up and be counted. The power to turn your world upside down.
The power of the Holy Spirit transformed the lives of first-century believers. Prior to receiving it, the apostle Peter couldn&rsquo;t stand up for his faith when strangers asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. After he received it, Peter boldly preached the gospel to a crowd of thousands.
Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit&rsquo;s power, the apostle Paul was an enemy of the Christian faith. After receiving it, he became one of its greatest champions.
The same power is available to us today. The power to be a witness. The power to boldly approach someone you don&rsquo;t know and tell them about Jesus Christ. The power to lovingly confront someone about their sin. The power to initiate a life-changing conversation. The power to tell people about what Jesus has done for you.
My question to you is this: Do you have this power in your life right now? Has your prayer life become dry and one-dimensional? Do you feel less than engaged with God&rsquo;s Word? Do you feel as though there&rsquo;s something lacking in your spiritual walk? Are you stricken with fear at the very idea of sharing your faith? If so, then you, my friend, are a candidate for the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
All you have to do is pray. Ask God to empower you with His Spirit. Ask Him to help you feel the Spirit&rsquo;s presence in your life, guiding and encouraging you to grow and share your faith in ways that transform the world around you.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would the &ldquo;dynamite power&rdquo; of the Holy Spirit look like in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

The Holy Spirit can empower you to change the world around you.

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