www.bible.com/111/act.1.8.nivBut 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.-Acts 1:8
In the events leading up this verse Jesus had eaten the Last Supper with his disciples, he had taught his disciples a few key last minute lessons in preparation for what was to come, he was arrested, he was tried, he was crucified, he was buried and he arose up out the grave. During Jesus last few hours with his disciples he taught them things in preparation for what was to come and during these last and final thoughts Jesus made a promise to his disciples then. He promised them that he would send a helper, an advocate, a guide, and counselor to be with them once he was no longer with them. And here in today’s passage we once again see Jesus making the same promise as he about to ascend into heaven. But Jesus now puts a little twist to his promise here. In John gospel Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit in terms of being a guide and advocate, in other words Jesus is saying the Holy Spirit will guide and direct you when you don’t know what to do. However, in Acts Jesus reveals the most important aspect of the Holy Spirit and that is the power you receive from the Holy Spirit. When Jesus said “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” what kind of power was he talking about? Was he talking about physical power? Or is he talking about spiritual power? It most definitely was not physical power because the disciples did not become physical stronger after they received the Holy Spirit, just as you don’t become physical stronger after you have received the Holy Spirit. But they did become more spiritually powerful. In the very next chapter in the book of Acts (Acts 2) we see the results of the power they received when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The very same disciples who hid in the upper room after Jesus’ death, thinking that everything was over and done, were the same people that we see throughout the book of Acts boldly proclaiming who Jesus is and what he can and will do for those who chose to follow him. This same Holy Spirit dwells inside of you, if you are a true follower of Jesus, and he gives you the same power that he gave the first disciples some two thousand years ago. All you have to do is being willing to receive the power he will give you.