Empowered to Witness

This message from Acts 1:8 insists that every believer, not only pastors and evangelists, is empowered to witness. It draws three lessons. First, rely on the power of the Holy Spirit: no one comes to Christ without Him, every believer has Him (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9), and He convicts people while we simply tell what we have seen and experienced, like a witness in court. We can be filled again and again. Second, emphasise the person of Jesus (‘witnesses of me’), not a pastor or a church. Third, follow the pattern: start in your ‘Jerusalem’ of family and colleagues, then your community in the coming outreach, then the nation (including prayer for the new Prime Minister), then the world through mission giving. Practical tips: start casual conversations, persist when resisted, speak to people’s spiritual hunger, and avoid religious arguments.