Dr. Paul Fritz from Trinity College (Florida) emphasizes the need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In the Holy Spirit you have the power to choose to be His witnesses. The Holy Spirit enables, enlightens and engages you in all kinds of ways that are supernatural if only you will appropriate them. Recharge through reconfiguring ways that you can be a better…witness for Jesus Christ to your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the utter most parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
In his book “Sit, Walk, Stand”, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes….
Preaching seemed quite fruitless on the island, and Nee discovered it was because of the dedication of the people there to an idol they called Ta-wang. They were convinced of his power because on the day of his festival and parade each year the weather was always near perfect.
“When is the procession this year?” young Wu asked a group that had gathered to hear them preach.
“It is fixed for January 11th at 8 in the morning,” was the reply.
“Then,” said the new convert, “I promise you that it will certainly rain on the 11th.”
At that there was an outburst of cries from the crowd: “That is enough! We don’t want to hear any more preaching. If there is rain on the 11th, then your God is God!”
Watchman Nee had been elsewhere in the village when this confrontation had taken place. Upon being informed about it, he saw that the situation was serious and called the group to prayer. On the morning of the 11th, there was not a cloud in the sky, but during grace for breakfast, sprinkles began to fall and these were followed by heavy rain.
Worshipers of the idol Ta-wang were so upset that they placed it in a sedan chair and carried it outdoors, hoping this would stop the rain. Then the rain increased. After only a short distance, the carriers of the idol stumbled and fell, dropping the idol and fracturing its jaw and left arm.
A number of young people turned to Christ as a result of the rain coming in answer to prayer, but the elders of the village made divination and said that the wrong day had been chosen. The proper day of the procession, they said, should have been the 14th. When Nee and his friends heard this, they again went to prayer, asking for rain on the 14th and for clear days for preaching until then. That afternoon the sky cleared and on the good days that followed there were thirty converts. Of the crucial test day, Nee says: “The 14th broke, another perfect day, and we had good meetings. As the evening approached we met again at the appointed hour. We quietly brought the matter to the Lord’s remembrance. Not a minute late, His answer came with torrential rain and floods as before.”
The power of the idol over the islanders was broken; the enemy was defeated. Believing prayer had brought a great victory.
Are you ready to be empowered by the Holy Spirit? Don’t be just half-charged or even 75% charged. Instead, be “Fully Charged” by His anointing on you. Be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Let Him change your life.
This Sunday, March 17, we will conclude our teaching series, “Going Deeper!”, with the wonderful truth that, by the Holy Spirit, we can be “Fully Charged!” (Acts 1:4-8). Please invite someone to join you at 10:35am in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We livestream every Sunday to both locations and would love to have you join us.
Coming Up: Palm Sunday is March 24 and Easter Sunday is March 31. An island-wide, interdenominational Good Friday service will be held at 1st Assembly (Red Hill) March 29 at 4pm and 6pm. Our next Fellowship Lunch (potluck) is scheduled for Sunday, April 7, after the 10:30am service.
Aloha ke Akua!
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