signs

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Signs. We see them everywhere telling us things we need or want to know. The Bible gives us signs to watch for regarding the end-times and what they will bring.

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Signs. We see them every day. We see traffic signs that help us to safely navigate through traffic to our intended destination. We see signs that warn us of dangers ahead, whether it is going down the road or entering a building or room, there are there to warn us. We see signs that identify places of interests, whether it’s a restaurant we’re looking for, a hospital, a tourist attraction or a place of historical significance, or even where restrooms are located, among other places. Signs even tell us where we can locate things like a fire extinguisher or first aid kit. What about signs for life itself, especially signs of eternal significance?

In Matthew 16:1-3, Jesus gives the religious leaders a scathing rebuke.

1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

NKJV

Jesus told us what signs to look out for regarding the end-times and when He will return, both His return for His Bride and when He returns to establish His Kingdom here on earth, two completely different events. If that wasn’t enough, Jesus then proceeds to tell us something in Mark 13:32-33 and Luke 21:34-36 that reinforces the need for us to pay attention to the signs.

Jesus lets us know that ONLY the Father knows when He will return for His Bride, the Church, and then tells us to be watching for Him. In the parable of the ten virgins mentioned in Matthew 25:1-13, in verse 6 we’re told that a cry went out that the bridegroom was coming, and that the virgins representing the bride were to go out and meet him, of which only five were prepared to do so at that time. I believe the cry going out mentioned in the passage is the fulfillment of the signs given us in Scripture pointing to His return, and I believe that cry is resounding even now.

In Mark 13:37, not only does Jesus make it clear that EVERYONE is to be watching, but His command for us to watch is strong and with emphasis so that we will know how serious He is in this. In Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus addresses the church in Sardis.

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

NKJV

In this passage, we find that one of the issues Jesus had with the church in Sardis was that they were not being watchful. He then commands them to repent and to watch, warning them that if they don’t do so He will come upon them as a thief and they won’t know it. He then follows this up with the admonishment that those who do so, those who overcome, shall be clothed in white garments, and that He will not blot out their name from the Book of Life. Here we see Jesus addressing Christians who were not watching for His return, and with that commanding them to repent and start watching for Him, otherwise they would in essence be left behind as a consequence of not doing so.

In Revelation 16:15, Jesus again accentuates the need for us to be watching by telling us that those who do so will be blessed, and then rebuking those who didn’t and were left behind when He came back for His Bride. Jesus’ command to watch and pray regarding His return is not a casual suggestion as some would like to believe, nor is it something that can be negotiated if we don’t think it necessary or vital. Jesus does something that too few of us do, yet it is something that we all should be doing, and that is the fact that Jesus means what He says, and He says what He means. If He tells us to watch and pray regarding His return, then He means just that and nothing less or more.

I’ve had Christians tell me that they don’t need to be watching for Christ to return, citing the belief that when He returns, they will automatically be ready and caught up to be with Him. This is a very dangerous position to have on three accounts. First, those that believe this way are saying they know better than Jesus as to whether they need to be watching for Him or not, much less praying that they’re ready when He does return. Second, they are, in essence, in rebellion to Him if they are choosing to disobey His command to watch and pray. And third, they are under the false assumption that all professing Christians will be caught up to meet Christ in the air, something that Scripture very clearly states is not the case.

I remember one Christian, a pastor, tell me one time that we don’t need to be watching for the return of Christ, and this on the basis that just living the Christian life as we ought to be is the same as watching. If living the Christian life as we ought to be is good or enough, then why would Jesus speak so strongly about us watching and praying that we’re ready for Him when He does return? Again, this way of thinking discounts Christ’s commands to watch and pray, and hat is a very dangerous position to be in. I should add, however, that this pastor doesn’t even believe in the physical and literal rapture of the Church to Christ, much less a tribulation period, but rather an emotional and euphoric experience.

Some Christians take another approach to the subject of watching for Christ’s return. When they see or hear the news, or even some of what is happening around them, they get so angry or depressed that they stop wanting to know more of what is happening. In many ways, it’s as if they are choosing to stick their head in the sand so they don’t have to see or hear anything more. These Christians are dealing with a “gloom and doom” perspective, having no real hope of better things ahead for them in Christ. Even though what we see and hear can be very disheartening and depressing, if we see these things as not only signs of the times, but also signs pointing to His very soon return, then we can see these things with excitement and joy knowing that our Redeemer is soon to return for us. This doesn’t mean that we are to be insensitive to what is happening, but that we need to keep a right and proper perspective of what is happening so we can be a light to those around us.

Some time ago, while I was watching television a thought crossed my mind. Christians in America, for the most part, are very distracted in what they are focused on. Instead of maintaining a healthy perspective of watching the signs pointing to the soon return of Christ for His Bride, many Christians are caught up with watching several other things. Some are watching news and politics to see how it will impact them and their standard of living, or even how it will impact them as Christians. Some are caught up with looking for prosperity and material gain they think they are entitled to as Christians. Some are caught up with spiritual manifestations and the feelings associated with them, even if false doctrine is present and promoted alongside such manifestations. Some focus on building the kingdom of God here on earth and establishing a strong Christian presence in the “seven mountains of influence”, forgetting that this is not our home to create a “Christian utopia” in, and that is now what we are commanded in Scripture to do. Some even focus on and take the role of what I’ve called for years, the doctrine police, focused more on identifying and exposing false doctrine that pointing people to truth and the need to be prepared for Christ’s soon return. Amid such distractions, Christians in America seem to lose sight of what we are to be focused on, and that is to live a life pleasing to God while actively watching the signs for His imminent return for us.

We are clearly living in the last days, and the signs we’ve been given in Scripture to be watching for are clearly converging together for their ultimate fulfillment. It is imperative that we be paying attention to them. Some see the signs but have become desensitized to them because their fulfillment is not happening as quickly as they want or in the manner that they anticipated, and that is something we need to be guarded against happening within our own heart and mind. We’re told in 1 Peter 3:3-4 that in these last days people would mock and scoff of the fulfillment of God’s promise to us because that’s all we’ve heard about since the beginning, but nothing has happened so far. We live in a “microwave” society, where we think things should happen quickly and in a preconceived manner, and because of it many are becoming disillusioned to the reality of the days we are now living in. Unlike any other time in history, all the signs we’re given pointing to the last days are happening all at once, and we need to be aware of them and making sure we’re prepared as we ought for when Christ returns for His Bride.

I grew up in church, and I remember as a kid hearing lots of discussions and teachings regarding the end-times, whether it was about the Rapture, the Tribulation period, or anything else related to them. That seemed to be the overwhelming talk during that time in my life, and the belief in the Rapture, especially the pre-Tribulation Rapture, seemed to be the majority belief among Christians. That is no longer the case. In fact, it seems that more and more Christians, those who at one time believed in the literal, pre-tribulation Rapture, are no longer embracing these teachings as though they are not real or true, or that these events will not take place anytime soon. On top of that, there is almost no teachings from the pulpits in America’s churches about the end-times or the Rapture, and in some cases more and more teachings against them. One prominent minister who has written books and teaching materials for Christians and churches to pursue purpose, he has actually written that Jesus tells us as He supposedly told the disciples, that the timing and the signs of His return is none of our business, and this minister says that anyone who engages in the study or the teaching of Bible prophecy and the end-times is not fit for the kingdom of God. Wow! There is a major attack within Church circles against the study and teaching of Bible prophecy and the end-times, and this is part of what was prophesied for these last days.

Are you watching the signs, or are you distracted with other things of life, or have you been choosing to “stick your head in the sand” because you don’t want to see or hear them being fulfilled? Jesus makes it very clear, that those who are not watching but are otherwise distracted with life and other pursuits will be left behind when He returns for His Bride, and I don’t want that for you. That doesn’t mean we stop living and sit in lounge chair on the patio with a sweet tea in one hand and a smart phone in the other, staring up into the eastern sky, but rather in all we do it is with the awareness that the signs being raised all around us are pointing to His very soon return, and that our life needs to reflect that as we live in a way that is pleasing and honoring to Him in every way, not being ashamed to live for Him even it if means offending those who don’t understand or feel the same way. Our eternity hinges on it.

Before we end today’s podcast, I must ask each of you two questions. First, if you were to die within the next few minutes, do you know whether you would go to heaven or not? This is an important question that each of us need to ask ourselves. Second, and this is a bit more thought provoking, if you were to die within the next few minutes and find yourself face to face with Jesus, and I’m not saying that is how it would be, but if He were to ask you why He should let you into heaven, what would your answer be? Some people believe that everyone will eventually make it to heaven, and others believe that just because they’ve been good then that should automatically afford them eternal access into heaven, but that is not so. In Ephesians 2:8-9 we’re told that salvation is simply a gift of God, something that is obtained by His grace and through faith.

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

NKJV

If salvation is something nobody can earn or deserve, then how can one be saved, not just in this life but in the life to come on the other side of eternity? Well, let’s keep this as simple as “ABC”, because it is simple.

Unlike other religions, Christianity does not require you to do works to receive salvation because it’s a gift from God. Rather, it’s as simple as “ABC”. To begin with, “A” stands for your need to “ADMIT” that you are a sinner. Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, no, not one. And why is that? In Romans 3:23 we’re told that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good they may be. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of our sin is death, but the gift of God, the gift of God, is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Like we mentioned earlier, in Ephesians 2:8-9 we’re told that this gift of salvation is nothing that any of us can earn or deserve. It’s simply a gift that He offers us by grace and through faith. So, the first thing one needs to do is to admit that they are a sinner.

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead. Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life. It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe. In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them. Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.” You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him. There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord. Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him. The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it? YES! Yes, it is. I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue. More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us. The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us. It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone. Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him. If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him. Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

“O God, I am a sinner. I’m sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.”

In closing, if you haven’t been doing so already, you need to start paying attention to the signs pointing the very near return of Jesus for His followers. These signs are seen in the fulfillment of Biblical end-time events, and while some may become depressed or discouraged with what they are seeing, and while others get their focus misdirected off of Jesus and His imminent return to focus on things here on earth, this is truly the most exciting times to be living in as Christians, as followers of Christ! Watch the signs!

John Johansson

Signs

Signs. We see them every day. We see traffic signs that help us to safely navigate through traffic to our intended destination. We see signs that warn us of dangers ahead, whether it is going down the road or entering a building or room, they are there to warn us. We see signs that identify places of interests, whether it’s a restaurant we’re looking for, a hospital, a tourist attraction or a place of historical significance, or even where restrooms are located, among other places. Signs even tell us where we can locate things like a fire extinguisher or first aid kit. What about signs for life itself, especially signs of eternal significance?

In Matthew 16:1-3, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day because they knew how to interpret signs relating to the weather, but they could not interpret or discern the signs of the times. Jesus told us what signs to look out for regarding the end-times and when He will return, both His return for His Bride and when He returns to establish His kingdom here on earth. In Mark 13:32-33 and Luke 21:34-36, Jesus lets us know that only the Father knows when He will return for His Bride, the Church, and then tells us to be watching for Him. In the parable of the ten virgins mentioned in Matthew 25:1-13, in verse 6 we’re told that a cry went out that the bridegroom was coming, and that the virgins representing the bride were to go out and meet him, of which only five were prepared to do so at that time. I believe the cry going out is the fulfillment of the signs given us in Scripture pointing to His return, and I believe that cry is taking place even now.

In Mark 13:37, not only does Jesus make it clear that everyone is to be watching, but His command for us to watch is strong and with emphasis so that we will know how serious He is in this. In Revelation 16:15, Jesus accentuates the need for us to be watching by us that those who do will be blessed, and then rebuking those who didn’t and were left behind when He came back for His Bride. Jesus’ command to watch and pray regarding His return is not a casual suggestion, nor is it something that can be negotiated if we don’t think it necessary or vital. Jesus does something that too few of us do, yet it is something that we all should be doing, and that is the fact that He means what He says, and He says what He means. If He tells us to watch and pray regarding His return, then He means just that and nothing less or more.

I’ve had Christians tell me that they don’t need to be watching for Christ to return, citing the belief that when He returns they will automatically be ready and caught up to be with Him. This is a very dangerous position to have on three accounts. First, those that believe this way are saying they know better than Jesus as to whether or not they need to be watching for Him, much less praying that they’re ready when He does return. Second, they are, in essence, in rebellion to Him if they are choosing to disobey His command to watch and pray. And third, they are under the false assumption that all professing Christians will be caught up to meet Christ in the air, something that Scripture very clearly states is not the case.

I remember one Christian, a pastor, tell me one time that we don’t need to be watching for the return of Christ, and this on the basis that just living the Christian life as we ought to be is the same as watching. If living the Christian life as we ought to be is good or sufficient enough, then why would Jesus speak so strongly about us watching and praying that we’re ready for Him when He does return? Again, this way of thinking discounts Christ’s commands to watch and pray, and that is a very dangerous position to be in. I should add, however, that this particular pastor doesn’t even believe in the physical and literal rapture of the Church to Christ, much less a tribulation period, but rather an emotional, euphoric experience.

Some Christians take another approach to the subject of watching for Christ’s return. When they see and hear the news, or even some of what is happening around them, they get so angry or depressed that they stop wanting to know more of what is happening. In many ways, it’s as if they are choosing to stick their head in the sand so they don’t have to see or hear anything more. These Christians are dealing with a gloom and doom perspective, having no real hope of better things ahead for them in Christ. Even though what we see and hear can be very disheartening and depressing, if we see these things as not only signs of the times, but also signs pointing to His very soon return, then we can see these things with excitement and joy knowing that our Redeemer is soon to return for us. This doesn’t mean that we are to be insensitive to what is happening, but that we need to keep a right and proper perspective of what is happening so we can be a light to those around us.

The other night while watching television a thought crossed my mind. Christians in America, for the most part, are very distracted in what they are focused on. Instead of maintaining a healthy perspective of watching the signs pointing to the soon return of Christ for His Bride, many Christians are caught up with watching several other things. Some are watching news and politics to see how it will impact them and their standard of living, or even how it will impact them living as Christians. Some are caught up with looking for the prosperity and material gain they think they are entitled to as Christians. Some are caught up with spiritual manifestations and the feelings associated with them, even if false doctrine is present and promoted alongside such manifestations. Some focus on building the kingdom of God here on earth and establishing a strong Christian presence in the “seven mountains of influence”, forgetting that this is not our home to create a “Christian Utopia” in. Some even focus on and take the role of what I’ve called for years, the doctrine police, focused more on identifying and exposing false doctrine than pointing people to truth and the need to be prepared for Christ’s soon return. Amid such distractions, Christians in America seem to lose sight of what we are to be focused on, and that is to live a life pleasing to God while actively watching the signs for His imminent return for us.

We are clearly living in the last days, and the signs we’ve been given in Scripture to be watching for are clearly converging together for their ultimate fulfillment. It is imperative that we be paying attention to them. Some see the signs but have become desensitized to them because their fulfillment is not happening as quickly as they want or in the manner that they anticipated, and that is something we need to be guarded against happening within our own heart and mind. We’re told in 1 Peter 3:3-4 that in these last days’ people would mock and scoff of the fulfillment of God’s promise to us because that’s all we’ve heard about since the beginning but nothing has happened so far. We live in a “microwave” society, where we think things should happen quickly and in a preconceived manner, and because of it many are becoming disillusioned to the reality of the days we are now living in. Unlike any other time in history, all the signs we’re given pointing to the last days are happening all at once, and we need to be aware of them and making sure we’re prepared as we ought for when Christ returns for His bride.

Are you watching the signs, or are you distracted with other things of life, or have you been choosing to “stick your head in the sand” because you don’t want to see or hear them being fulfilled. Jesus makes it very clear, that those who are not watching but are otherwise distracted with life and other pursuits will be left behind when He returns for His Bride, and I don’t want that for you. That doesn’t mean we stop living and sit in a chair watching and waiting, but that rather in all we do it is with the awareness that the signs being raised all around us are pointing to His very soon return, and our life needs to reflect that as we live in a way that is pleasing and honoring to Him in every way, not being ashamed to live for Him even if it means offending those who don’t understand or feel the same way. Our eternity hinges on it.

Mark 13:37 – WATCH!

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Is It of God?

Do you have any pet peeves? Things that just irritate and frustrate you without measure? I think we could come up with a pretty long list of things that people could give as a pet peeve of theirs. I have one that just drives me silly sometimes, and that is when people either put words in God’s mouth that He has never said, or they try to say that God doesn’t always mean what He says or the way He said them. When people begin to put words in God’s mouth, or to downplay or change what He has said to mean something other than what He clearly said, they are in essence changing God into a God that fits the way they want to live or believe, and that is very dangerous.

In Revelation 22:18-19, the Apostle John gives a stern warning about taking away from or adding to what is written in the book. While I believe it is dangerous to do that with any of the books found in the Bible, we need to remember that John is very specific in that his warning is in regards to the Book of the Revelation, and not the Bible as a whole as there was no “Bible” at the time. Again, even though there is a strong warning not to take away from or add to the Book of the Revelation, it is still a dangerous thing to do with any of the books or letters found in the Bible.

In the past several decades we have seen and heard a lot of things within church circles. We’ve heard of “holy laughter”, gold teeth and dust, just to name a few. There has been a lot of discussion as to whether or not any or all of these things are of God. Some would argue that with God all things are possible and we should be open to such manifestations of His power. Others, still, argue that if it’s not in the Bible then it’s simply not of God. I take a different approach to this, an approach that many of you might also embrace.

I agree that with God all things are possible, and He’s free to manifest Himself in any way He chooses. When we look at the various reports of different manifestations that have apparently taken place, we need to test them and whether or not they conform to the heart and nature of God towards us. For example, there was a time when people would begin to act and behave as animals, making animal noises as they did so. I think it would be safe to say that this wasn’t of God for the simple reason that God looks to exalt us above the animal kingdom, not to lower us to that level. In fact, God created mankind to have dominion over the animal kingdom, but to have us act and behave as animals would contradict the very nature and mindset of His creating us. While God can, and does, have a free and sovereign will to do as He pleases, He’s not going to say or do anything that goes against His very nature or His plan for humanity.

As a result of those who try to remain open to any manifestation being of God, and even defending it with passion, others go to another extreme that would be viewed as a safe approach to the subject. They say that if it’s not in the Bible then it’s not of God, but is that true, and is it something that we can rely upon as a test of what is and is not of God? Some would say that because God giving people gold teeth is not in the Bible, then it surely can’t be of God. While I have to admit that I may not understand why God would give people gold teeth, as one example, I think one would be hard pressed to arbitrarily conclude that it isn’t of God simply because it isn’t in the Bible. Let me explain.

In John 20:30-31, after the resurrection of Christ, the Apostle John tells us that Jesus did many signs in the presence of His disciples, “which are not written in this book”. Later in John 21:24-25, the Apostle John goes even further by letting us know that there were a lot of other things that Jesus did that was not even written in the book, so much so that all the books in the world could not contain them if each one was listed. So, to say that something is not of God simply because it’s not in the Bible is a dangerous thing in that in doing so we could be limiting God by putting Him in a box. God is greater than any box we may create and try to keep Him inside of. However, many people attempt to do just that simply because they are too uncomfortable with a God that is free to move and operate in whatever way He chooses, or as a means of controlling how and when God is free to move.

So, where does that leave us? How can we know whether or not something is of God? The first test, of course, is whether or not it conflicts with Scripture. If it conflicts with Scripture, then it’s not of God, but if it doesn’t then we need to be open to the possibility that it is of God even though we may not understand or agree with it. If it doesn’t conflict with Scripture, we have to consider whether or not it goes against the heart and nature of God. While I may not understand the phenomenon associated with gold teeth, or why God would cause an iron axe head to float, or even change water into wine, I have to be open the possibility that if it is of God there is a pretty good reason for it whether or not I know what that is. Another test is in the area of the leading of the Holy Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit telling us about it, if anything? Or I should first ask, are you even open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, or have you already made a judgment on the subject based on the box you created or your comfort level that hinges on your understanding of it?

While we need to be alert to manifestations that are not of God that some are attributing to Him, and to subsequently have no part of, we need to be equally cautious to not be so quick to discount something as not of God simply because it isn’t in the Bible or goes beyond our understanding or comfort levels. Jesus told us that the time leading up to His return would be filled with deception, and the enemy of our souls is the great deceiver in so many subtle and not so subtle ways. Let us not be deceived in either extreme as we look forward to His soon and imminent return for His bride.

John Johansson

Power To Be Witnesses

I recently heard someone share on what the phrase “power to be witnesses” found in Acts 1:8 means. As he spoke I began to ponder within myself what that actually means as I’ve never really given it much thought in the past. As I asked the Holy Spirit to direct my thoughts on this He pointed me in two directions to look. No, these two directions do not conflict with each other, but instead confirm and validate the other. Follow with me as we take a brief look at what it means to have power to be witnesses for Him.

The Spirit first directed me to look at the life and ministry of Jesus while He was here on earth. He reminded me that Jesus did not live His life here according to His own deity, something that would have both negated the sacrifice of His life for our sins as well as negated His example of how we should live. In Philippians 2:5 we are told to have the same mindset as Christ, and in the subsequent verses were shown the example Christ left us to follow. In 1 Peter 2:21 we are told that Jesus left us an example for us to follow. Even though the passage in 1 Peter refers to suffering, we have to remember that to be a disciple of someone means we are to be like them in all ways, and so being a disciple of Christ means being like Him in more ways than just how He handled suffering. In John 5 Jesus tells us that He only did what the Father showed Him, and what the Father was doing. In Matthew 4:1 we see that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, and that is what we need to do as well.

The Holy Spirit then directed me to look at the early church and not just the apostles. The lives of those in the early church after Pentecost should give us a good picture of what it means for the power of God to make us His witnesses. Just in case people want to argue that what Jesus did was done out of His own deity and not by the leading of the Holy Spirit and what the Father showed Him, what we see from the early church should silence any argument of how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses as none of them had any deity to fall upon. Yet, what we see in the lives of the early church are very similar to what we see in the ministry of Jesus, and therefore what we see in both should give us a clear indication of what it means for the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses of Christ.

There are four characteristics found in both Jesus’ ministry and the lives of those in the early church that we can attribute to the empowering of the Holy Spirit. There may be more, but these were the ones I believe the Holy Spirit showed me as I pondered the above question, what does it mean to have the power to be witnesses of Jesus?

Four elements of a person empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a witness;

Boldness to “proclaim the gospel”

The first element was the boldness to proclaim the gospel. In Acts 4:23-31, after being commanded by the religious leaders to no longer proclaim the name of Jesus, Peter and John went back to their companions explaining all that was said to them. It is believed that while their companions may have included some of the other apostles, it no doubt included those who were not. After sharing with their companions all that was said to them, they immediately went to prayer asking Jesus for boldness to speak His word. What was God’s response to this prayer? The place where they had assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, after which they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Just in case you’re thinking it was just the apostles, we have to remember Stephen in Acts 6-7. Stephen was not an apostle, but the Spirit of God gave him boldness to proclaim God’s word with authority, and the religious leaders did not like that. We, too, should have this kind of boldness to proclaim Christ to those around us. It’s not just the commitment to share the gospel whenever the opportunity presents itself, as we can see anybody can do that, but there is a boldness that goes over and above just a commitment to share.

Leads us to speak to the heart of an individual

The underlining point in all of this is that we are to be led by the Spirit of God in all that we say and do. As we are open and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and grow in that, there will be times when we will speak right to the heart of an individual. We see many instances when Jesus did that with others, including the Samaritan woman, but we can also see multiple instances in the book of Acts and other parts of the New Testament. While it is true that Stephen was not talking to an individual in Acts 6-7, the things he spoke did pierce the heart of individuals as he spoke.

There were times when Jesus or those in the early church spoke to the heart of an individual bringing them hope and deliverance, among other things, but they also spoke to the heart of individuals whose hearts were wrong and wanted nothing to do with the truth. The Spirit of God leads us to speak to the heart of individuals in ways that only He can, as He is the only one that truly knows the heart of each person. He can reveal things to us about someone that only that person knows, and that in itself shows that God is acutely interested in them.

To do signs, wonders, and the supernatural

The third point that the Holy Spirit showed me was that a life that has been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ will do signs, wonders, and the supernatural. If we want to truly be His witnesses then we need to be open to allow Him to do these things in and through our lives for the benefit of the Kingdom of Christ. A person that is closed off to that being a part of being His witnesses is limiting God in their own lives, and are presenting Christ as someone less than all-powerful to those who we are reaching out to.

The apostle Paul, who was very learned being a Pharisee, in I Corinthians 2:1-5 indicated that he did not seek to reach people through his excellent words and speech, but instead through the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Many times we limit ourselves to proclaiming the gospel through our words and intellect, but Paul who was well trained chose instead to proclaim the gospel through the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power.

When we go back to when Peter and John, and those who were with them, prayed for boldness, we see that they also prayed that God would stretch out His hand to heal, and that they would do signs and wonders through the name of Jesus. This was something they recognized as essential to being His witnesses to a lost and dying world.

Now before you think that was limited to the apostles, let’s go back to Stephen. In Acts 6:8, we see that Stephen, who was not an apostle, was full of faith AND power, and that he did great wonders and signs among the people. This is something that should be a part of every believer that has been baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire as John the Baptist said Jesus would do in both Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16. If the early church, both apostles and those who were not, prayed that they would do signs and wonders to proclaim the gospel in demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, then who are we to say that we shouldn’t do the same thing?

When Jesus sent out the disciples to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 10 to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and to cast out demons”. In Mark 16:15-18, Jesus told them not only to go and preach the gospel to everyone, but He also told them that signs would follow those who believe.

There is nothing wrong with asking God to do signs and wonders to validate and promote the gospel He’s called us to share with others. It’s part of being His witnesses, ambassadors of His eternal kingdom. Many are closed off to this aspect of being His witnesses, but as we see in scripture not only should it be a part of our life, but just as the early church did we must also be open to and asking God for this to be evident in our lives for Him. To deny this element, or any other for that matter, basically expresses an attitude and mindset making ourselves superior to Christ and the early church, when in reality they should be an example to us of what it means to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus.

To be martyrs for Christ and the kingdom

Finally, to be His witnesses means that we are willing and ready to die a martyr’s death for Him. All the apostles except for John are believed to have been martyrs for Christ. One of the signs that we have been empowered by His Holy Spirit is that we’re willing and able to be martyrs for Him. The word translated as witnesses in this passage means to be martyrs, so this is important for us to understand. There are many people in the world who are willing to die for a cause, but this goes beyond that. We are willing to be a martyr for Christ, the gospel, and for the Kingdom of God. We’re not trying to make a statement as many martyrs do, but instead we are willing to die for the one who gave His life for each of us, knowing that eternity with Jesus is far greater than anything we may ever experience in this life.

The apostle Paul in Romans 8:18 tells us that the sufferings of this present life are not even worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. And, it is the empowering of the Holy Spirit that enables us to have the ability and resolve to give our lives for Him no matter what the cost. Not only is it believed that the apostles died a martyr’s death for Christ, but history shows that countless numbers of believers in the early church died a martyr’s death for Christ, some of which were even thrown to the lions in the Roman coliseums. Even in the day we live in now we hear of Christians who are dying a martyr’s death for Christ, something that requires the empowering of His Holy Spirit in our lives.

Have you received the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus? Do you see the above elements active in your life as a disciple and witness of Him to a lost and dying world around you? I have to admit that in looking at the above attributes of one empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to be witnesses, I find myself falling short. Just as the church in Acts 4 asked God for boldness and to perform signs and wonders in His name, I need to seek Him more to fill and empower me to be the witness of Him He’s called each and every one of us to be. How about you? Are each of these elements an active part of your life as a witness of Him, or do you need to seek God for more of that empowering in your life. If you find that you lack in any of these above areas, then I encourage you to begin seeking and asking God to manifest each of these in your life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Time is short and the world needs to know and see that the power of God is more than sufficient to meet their every need.