Empowered to Love: Witnessing Through the Spirit
Summary
The journey from the resurrection to the ascension of Jesus is a story of transition—not just for Christ, but for all who follow Him. In those 40 days, Jesus shifted the focus of His disciples from being receivers of miracles to becoming carriers of His presence and power. The question at the heart of this is: What is the power of God, and how is it truly seen in our lives? Many of us, shaped by our backgrounds and experiences, equate God’s power with the miraculous—healings, deliverance, and supernatural signs. Yet, Jesus’ final words before ascending reveal a deeper, more challenging truth: the power of the Holy Spirit is given not just for signs and wonders, but to enable us to be His witnesses, to embody His love, and to live with an excellence of soul.
The disciples, like many of us, were preoccupied with what Jesus could do for them—restoring kingdoms, meeting needs, fixing problems. But Jesus redirects their attention: the power He promises is not for self-fulfillment, but for self-giving. It is a power that sends us into the world, not to demand from God, but to represent Him. Wherever we find ourselves—at work, on a sports team, in our neighborhoods—God has placed us there as witnesses, using even the resources of the world to fund His mission through us.
But the true test of this power is not in the spectacular, but in the ordinary and often difficult work of love. Miraculous gifts can be counterfeited or misused, but the excellence of soul—expressed in patience, kindness, humility, and forgiveness—cannot be faked. The world will not know Jesus is real because of our titles, our gifts, or our revivals, but by the way we love, especially when it is hardest. The Holy Spirit’s greatest work is to empower us to love those who have hurt us, to let go of old wounds, and to bless even our enemies. This is impossible without divine help, but it is the very thing that makes the reality of God visible to the world.
As we go into our daily lives, the call is not just to seek more power, but to seek a fresh baptism of love—a love that lets go, forgives, and endures. This is the witness Jesus asks of us, and it is the greatest miracle of all.
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Key Takeaways
- Power Redefined: From Miracles to Witness
God’s power is not primarily about outward miracles or dramatic experiences, but about being transformed into witnesses who carry His presence wherever we go. The shift from seeking what Jesus can do for us to asking what He desires from us is the beginning of true spiritual maturity. Our calling is to represent Him, not just to receive from Him. [10:44]
- The Excellence of Soul: The True Mark of the Spirit
While miraculous gifts can be impressive, the excellence of soul—characterized by love, patience, kindness, and humility—is the true evidence of the Spirit’s work. Many have been hurt by those who wield spiritual gifts without the fruit of love, but no one is ever wounded by someone with an excellent soul. The Spirit’s power is most authentically displayed in how we treat others, especially in the hidden places of life. [30:40]
- Love as the Greatest Miracle and the Hardest Command
Loving those who have hurt us, forgiving deep wounds, and blessing our enemies is humanly impossible. This is why the Holy Spirit was given—to empower us to love beyond our natural capacity. The world will not be convinced by our gifts or knowledge, but by our supernatural ability to love when it makes no sense to do so. [36:17]
- Letting Go: The Path to Freedom and Peace
Holding onto past hurts, disappointments, or grudges keeps us bound and sick in spirit. True freedom comes when we let go, bless those who have wronged us, and trust God with the outcome. This act of surrender is not a one-time event, but a continual choice, made possible only by the Spirit’s help. [53:51]
- Our Lives as Letters: The World Reads Jesus Through Us
We are living letters, and the reality of Jesus is made known to the world through the way we love. Our workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods are our mission fields, and the greatest testimony we can offer is a life marked by the fruit of the Spirit. The call is not to do more religious activity, but to love well, for this is the unmistakable sign of God’s presence. [24:28]
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Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:14] - Growing Up Pentecostal: Early Experiences of Power
[03:30] - The Book of Acts and the Pursuit of Power
[05:24] - Wrestling with the Reality of Power and Brokenness
[06:43] - Jesus’ Final Command: Wait for the Spirit
[07:42] - The Disciples’ Misunderstanding: Wanting Their Own Way
[09:43] - Jesus’ Expectation: Moving from Want to Need
[12:13] - Pentecostal Culture and the “Power” Verse
[14:47] - From Chasing Jesus to Being His Witnesses
[16:39] - Greater Works: The Shift from Jesus to Us
[18:00] - God’s Mission in Our Everyday Places
[20:38] - The Ascension and the Call to Action
[23:33] - Our Lives as Letters: The Reality of God in Us
[25:24] - Dunamis Power: Excellence of Soul vs. Miraculous Gifts
[31:58] - The Fruit of the Spirit: Love as the Mark of Power
[36:17] - The Impossibility of Love Without the Spirit
[39:36] - Love: The Power the Devil Cannot Counterfeit
[42:54] - The Discrepancy Between Gifts and Love
[46:19] - The Practical Challenge of Loving Well
[49:35] - Love That Endures: The Power to Never Give Up
[53:09] - Summer Mission: Loving Well in Every Place
[55:14] - Personal Story: Wrestling with Hurt and Choosing Love
[58:59] - The Impossible Call: A Fresh Baptism of Love
[01:01:23] - The Dream: Burying the Past, Not Just Hiding It
[01:04:25] - Blessing and Sending Forth to Love Well
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
- Acts 1:4-11 (Jesus’ final instructions and ascension; the promise of the Holy Spirit and the call to be witnesses)
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (The excellence of love over spiritual gifts)
- 1 John 4:15-16 (God is love; living in love is living in God)
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### Observation Questions
1. In Acts 1, what did Jesus say the disciples would receive, and for what purpose? ([[10:44]])
2. According to 1 Corinthians 13, what is the value of spiritual gifts or great acts if they are not done in love?
3. In 1 John 4, what is the connection between loving others and God’s presence in us?
4. The sermon described the disciples’ response to Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit. What were they focused on instead of His mission? ([[07:42]])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon says that God’s power is not just for miracles but for being witnesses and loving well. Why might this be a more challenging definition of power for us? ([[10:44]])
2. The pastor described “excellence of soul” as the true mark of the Spirit. What does this phrase mean, and how is it different from outward spiritual gifts? ([[30:40]])
3. Why is it “impossible” to love our enemies or forgive deep wounds without the Holy Spirit’s help, according to the sermon? ([[36:17]])
4. The sermon says, “Our lives are letters” that the world reads to see Jesus. What does this mean for how we live in our workplaces, schools, or neighborhoods? ([[24:28]])
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### Application Questions
1. The disciples wanted Jesus to “fix” things for them, but He called them to be His witnesses instead. In what areas of your life are you more focused on what Jesus can do for you, rather than what He wants to do through you? ([[07:42]])
2. The sermon challenges us to move from seeking miracles to seeking “excellence of soul.” Is there a situation or relationship where you have been more concerned with outward results than with showing patience, kindness, or humility? What would it look like to shift your focus? ([[30:40]])
3. Think of someone who has hurt you or someone you find difficult to love. What is one practical step you could take this week to “let go” or bless them, even if it’s just a prayer? ([[53:51]])
4. The pastor shared a story about struggling to forgive and finally praying blessing over the person who hurt him. Have you ever experienced a moment where choosing to bless someone brought you unexpected peace? If not, what holds you back from trying? ([[57:07]])
5. The sermon says, “The world will not know Jesus is real because of our titles, our gifts, or our revivals, but by the way we love, especially when it is hardest.” Where in your daily life do you have the opportunity to show this kind of love? ([[24:28]])
6. The call is to seek a “fresh baptism of love.” What would it look like for you to ask the Holy Spirit for help to love well in a specific area of your life this week? ([[58:59]])
7. Is there a “hurt, disappointment, or grudge” you are still holding onto? What would it mean for you to “bury it” instead of just hiding it away, as the pastor described in his dream? ([[01:01:23]])
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Devotional
Day 1: The True Purpose of Spiritual Power: To Be Christ’s Witnesses
Jesus promised His followers power through the Holy Spirit, not simply for personal benefit or miraculous displays, but so that they would become His witnesses to the world. This power is not about fulfilling our own desires or seeking spiritual experiences for ourselves, but about being equipped to represent Jesus wherever we are placed—at work, in our schools, on our teams, and in our neighborhoods. The shift Jesus calls us to is from asking, “What can You do for me?” to “What do You want to do through me?” The Holy Spirit’s power is given so that, wherever we go, the reality of Jesus can be seen and known through our lives. [12:49]
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: Where has God placed you right now to be His witness, and how can you intentionally represent Jesus in that place today?
Day 2: Excellence of Soul Over Miraculous Power
While many seek the Holy Spirit for miraculous signs and wonders, Scripture and experience show that true spiritual power is not just about outward demonstrations but about the inward transformation of our character. Excellence of soul—living with integrity, humility, and love—matters more to God than any display of spiritual gifts. Miraculous power without a heart of love can wound and mislead, but a soul shaped by the Spirit’s excellence brings healing and reflects Christ’s true nature. The Spirit’s greatest work is to help us love well, even when it’s difficult, and to cultivate a life that is patient, kind, and free from pride or bitterness. [30:40]
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV)
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need the Holy Spirit’s help to choose excellence of soul over seeking recognition or power?
Day 3: Love as the Full Expression of God’s Presence
The world does not recognize God’s reality through our spiritual gifts or religious activities, but through the way we love. When we declare Jesus as Lord, God lives in us, and His love is meant to be brought to full expression in our relationships. Loving others—especially those who are difficult or have hurt us—is impossible without divine help, but it is the clearest evidence that God is real and present. The Holy Spirit empowers us to love beyond our natural capacity, making God’s love visible and tangible to those around us. [32:54]
1 John 4:15-16 (ESV)
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to love, and how can you ask the Holy Spirit to help you express God’s love to them this week?
Day 4: The Fruit of the Spirit: Living Out Love in Daily Life
The evidence of being filled with the Spirit is not just in spiritual gifts, but in the fruit of the Spirit—especially love. Love is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful, not rude or self-seeking, not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. This kind of love is impossible to live out in our own strength, but the Holy Spirit enables us to forgive, bless, and show kindness even to those who have wronged us. When we let go of hurts and choose to love, we experience freedom and peace, and the world sees the reality of Jesus through us. [46:19]
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Reflection: What is one hurt or offense you are holding onto, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you let it go and love well today?
Day 5: Letting Go and Burying the Past for a New Future
Holding onto past hurts, disappointments, or grudges keeps us from living in the fullness of God’s love and power. True freedom comes not from hiding our pain or using it as an excuse, but from burying it—letting it go completely and allowing God to bring healing. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to bless those who have hurt us and to move forward in love, no longer defined by our wounds. When we choose to let go and trust God with our pain, we find peace and become a living testimony of His grace to the world. [58:04]
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Reflection: What is one specific hurt or disappointment you need to bury today, and what step can you take to release it fully to God?
Quotes
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