Written in Red: You shall receive power and be my witnesses

Acts 1:1-11 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me, 5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."

9 And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Today’s main point: God wants to fill you with the Holy Spirits power so that you can and will be a witness to your world.

Power Is Essential Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

The Witness Is Expanding Acts1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Luke 24:47 he says, "repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached to all nations beginning from Jerusalem—

1. Deep conviction 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Paul says, "Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction."

2. Self-Denying Courage and Boldness Acts 4:31 says, "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken and they were all filled with the Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness."

And Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7-8, "God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord... but take your share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God."

According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith.

Approximately 176,000 Christians will have been martyred from mid to mid This, according to the authors, compares to 160,000 martyrs in mid-2000 and 34,400 at the beginning of the 20th century. If current trends continue, Barrett, Johnson and Crossing estimate that by 2025, an average of 210,000 Christians will be martyred annually.

For most of us our greatest fear is not death, but embarrassment, we too often remain silent and detached from the world around us.

3. Convincing Wisdom ACT 6:7 And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.10 And yet they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

4. Converting Effectiveness In Acts 11:24 it says that Barnabas "was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large company was added to the Lord."

EPH 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,