Vision Weekend 2021 - Day 3
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, open my eyes to your authority today. Help me see your guidance in my life and give me boldness to pursue your will for me. Amen.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
REFLECT:
It can be so easy to be comfortable and complacent in sharing our faith. I find that if I’m not careful, I can come to church on Sunday, feel like I have checked the box, and then not give my faith another thought throughout the week. I become so wrapped up in family, work, and activities that I can lose my focus on God. Having a strong and mature faith is not only about what God is doing in me but also about what God is doing through me. Am I seeking him and following him in a way that shows his love and ministry to others?
Thinking of talking to someone about God, inviting someone to church, or getting involved in a new ministry can seem overwhelming and scary. Thankfully, Jesus did not leave us to accomplish his mission alone. Jesus tells us in Acts that we will receive the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit will give us power. I have felt many times that a conversation I needed to have with someone, or a serving task I volunteered for, was too big. It has only been through prayer and the power of God that I have been successful in these situations. It is in these moments that I know it is God working, and that through his power the kingdom is moving forward. We would be unable to accomplish what God is calling us to do without his supernatural power flowing though us.
This verse in Acts is Jesus’ last command to his followers before he ascends into Heaven. Jesus is calling his followers to be his witnesses throughout all the world. Jesus is calling us now to this same mission. If we are not sharing our faith and serving his kingdom, then we are missing the mission of Jesus. Jesus didn’t call us to check a box by only attending church on Sunday. Jesus called us to be his witnesses by our words and actions and to take his message of love to the ends of the earth.
APPLY:
Thank God for sending his Holy Spirit to help us accomplish his mission. Write Acts 1:8 on an index card and work to memorize this verse. Having this scripture memorized can help give you confidence when sharing your faith or serving God’s kingdom, knowing that the Holy Spirit will give you the power to be successful.
CLOSING PRAYER:
God, I pray that you may count me worthy of your calling, and that by your power you may fulfill every good purpose and every act of faith. Amen.