Empowered Witnesses: Living Out Our Faith Boldly

Devotional

Day 1: The Power and Calling of the Holy Spirit

When Jesus ascended, He promised His followers that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, enabling them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This power is not just for a select few, but for every believer, equipping each one to share what they have seen, heard, and experienced in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the source of strength, courage, and effectiveness in living out the Christian life and fulfilling the mission Jesus gave. Without the Spirit’s filling, we cannot live powerfully for God or accomplish the ministry He calls us to. [44:00]

Acts 1:6-11 (ESV)
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Reflection: Where do you most need the Holy Spirit’s power today to be a witness—at home, at work, or somewhere else? Will you ask Him to fill you and give you boldness in that place?

Day 2: Witnessing: Sharing What You Have Seen, Heard, and Experienced

A true witness for Jesus is someone who simply tells others what they have seen, heard, and experienced of Him. You don’t have to be an expert or have all the answers; you just need to share your story and the story of Jesus. This is how the early disciples proclaimed the message—by testifying to the reality of Christ in their lives, so that others might also enter into fellowship with God and His people. Joy is made complete when we see others come to know Jesus through our testimony. [51:00]

1 John 1:1-4 (ESV)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Reflection: Who is one person you can share your story of what Jesus has done in your life with this week, and what would it look like to start that conversation?

Day 3: The Mission: Go and Make Disciples of All Nations

Jesus’ final command to His followers was to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything He commanded. This mission is not optional or reserved for a few; it is the calling of every believer. As we go—wherever we live, work, shop, study, and play—we are to help others know Jesus, walk with Him, and do what He says. The promise is that Jesus is with us always as we step out in obedience. [55:00]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Reflection: What is one step you can take today to help someone else grow as a disciple of Jesus—whether it’s inviting them to church, praying with them, or sharing a truth from God’s Word?

Day 4: The Urgency of the Gospel: Being Lost Is the Only Problem That Doesn’t Go Away

Physical needs like hunger, homelessness, or poverty are real, but the greatest need every person has is to know Jesus. Being lost—separated from God—is the only problem that doesn’t go away when someone dies. Meeting practical needs is important, but if we never share the gospel, lives remain unchanged for eternity. Our calling is to bring Jesus to people, knowing that only He can save and transform. [57:16]

Luke 19:10 (ESV)
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Reflection: Is there someone in your life whose practical needs you’ve been meeting, but you haven’t yet shared the gospel with them? How can you lovingly bring up Jesus in your next interaction?

Day 5: Breaking Barriers: The Gospel Is for Everyone, Everywhere

The call to be witnesses extends beyond geographical boundaries and cultural barriers. Jesus commands us to take the gospel to people who are like us and people who are not like us—across the street and around the world. This means intentionally reaching out to those who may be different, overcoming pride, prejudice, or discomfort, and recognizing that the gospel is for everyone. It is our responsibility to make sure everyone hears the good news, not just to hope they do. [01:08:44]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Who in your community or city have you overlooked or avoided sharing the gospel with because of cultural, social, or personal barriers? What is one action you can take this week to reach across that barrier?

Sermon Summary

Today was a day of celebration and transformation, as we witnessed several individuals publicly declare their faith in Jesus through baptism. These moments remind us that no matter our position, history, or how long we've been part of the church, obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is essential. Pride has no place in the family of God; what matters is our willingness to respond to His call, to surrender, and to follow Christ wholeheartedly.

We reflected on the power and necessity of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Without His filling, we are empty, worn out, and unable to live the life God calls us to. The promise from Ezekiel that God will remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh, filled with His Spirit, is not just a theological idea—it is the daily reality we are invited into. The Christian life and ministry are impossible apart from the ongoing, daily filling of the Holy Spirit. When we are filled, we are empowered to be witnesses, to overflow with His presence, and to impact those around us.

Acts 1:6-11 was our focus, where Jesus tells His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The disciples, like many of us, were tempted to focus on timing and control—when would God restore the kingdom? But Jesus redirects them (and us) to the mission: to be witnesses, to testify to what we have seen, heard, and experienced in Christ.

Being a witness is not reserved for those with a special gift; it is the calling of every believer. Our stories—what we have seen, heard, and experienced—are the means by which God brings others into fellowship with Him. The need is urgent, because being lost is the only problem that does not go away after death. We are called to break through not only geographical boundaries but also cultural and relational barriers, sharing the gospel with those near and far, like the early church did.

To live a life that turns the world upside down, we must be a church turned inside out—no longer content with comfort, but compelled to take the gospel wherever we live, work, shop, study, and play. The call is simple but profound: know Jesus, walk with Him daily, and do what He says. As we respond, may we lay down our pride, be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, and step boldly into our calling as witnesses.

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Key Takeaways

1. Obedience Over Position or History No matter our role or how long we've been part of the church, God calls us to humble obedience. Pride can keep us from responding to the Spirit’s prompting, but true transformation comes when we surrender, regardless of our past or status. The willingness to follow Christ in believer’s baptism or any act of obedience is a powerful testimony to others and a step into deeper fellowship with God. [18:57]
2. The Necessity of the Holy Spirit’s Filling We cannot live the Christian life or fulfill our calling without the daily filling of the Holy Spirit. When we feel empty, dry, or worn out, it is often because we have neglected to seek His presence. The Spirit empowers us not just for personal renewal, but so that we can overflow into the lives of others, living out the life and ministry of Jesus in our world. [39:29]
3. Every Believer is a Witness Being a witness is not about having a special gift or title; it is about sharing what we have seen, heard, and experienced of Jesus. Our personal stories, combined with the truth of the gospel, are the means God uses to draw others into relationship with Him. The call to witness is universal and urgent, because spiritual lostness is the only problem that remains after death. [57:16]
4. Breaking Barriers for the Sake of the Gospel Jesus calls us to take the gospel across geographical, cultural, and relational boundaries. This means reaching those in our immediate circles, our communities, and even those we might naturally avoid or misunderstand. The early church modeled this by moving from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, and we are called to do the same—starting where we are and going wherever God leads. [68:44]
5. A Church Turned Inside Out Changes the World If we want to see our world turned upside down by the gospel, we must be willing to be a church turned inside out—focused not on our own comfort, but on the mission of Jesus. This requires us to know Him, walk with Him daily, and do what He says, taking the gospel into every sphere of our lives. When we live this way, God uses us to bring real, lasting change to our city and beyond. [105:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:57] - Baptism: Gloria’s Step of Obedience
[19:51] - Kay’s Testimony and New Life
[21:02] - Jayani’s Journey and Baptism
[39:29] - Prayer for Filling and Renewal
[42:00] - Acts 2:42-47 and the Church’s Commitments
[46:30] - Midweek Opportunities and Discipleship
[49:00] - Acts 1:6-11: The Call to Be Witnesses
[53:00] - What It Means to Be a Witness
[57:16] - The Urgency of the Gospel
[61:00] - Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Ends of the Earth
[68:44] - Breaking Cultural and Relational Barriers
[75:00] - The Power of the Holy Spirit for Mission
[85:00] - Turning the World Upside Down
[103:36] - Liz’s Baptism: Choosing Jesus
[105:19] - Responding to the Call: Next Steps

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 1:6-11 (ESV) — > 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
> 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
> 8 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.”
> 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
> 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
> 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV) — > 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
> 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV) — > 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
> 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Observation Questions

In Acts 1:8, what does Jesus say will happen when the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples? What is the specific mission he gives them?
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the order “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” in Acts 1:8? [49:00]
In Ezekiel 36:26-27, what does God promise to do for his people, and how does this relate to the Christian life described in the sermon? [39:29]
What examples did the pastor give of people in the church taking steps of obedience, regardless of their position or history? [18:57]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus redirects the disciples’ focus from “restoring the kingdom” to being his witnesses? What does this reveal about God’s priorities for his followers? [49:00]
The sermon emphasized that being a witness is not about having a special gift, but about sharing what we have seen, heard, and experienced of Jesus. Why is this distinction important for every believer? [53:00]
The pastor said, “Pride has no place in the family of God.” How can pride keep someone from responding to the Holy Spirit’s prompting or taking steps of obedience? [18:57]
The sermon mentioned that spiritual lostness is the only problem that doesn’t go away after death. How does this truth affect the urgency of our mission as witnesses? [57:16]

Application Questions

The pastor shared stories of people who took steps of obedience in baptism, even after many years in the church. Is there an area in your life where you sense God prompting you to obey, but pride or fear is holding you back? What would it look like to surrender in that area? [18:57]
When was the last time you intentionally asked the Holy Spirit to fill you and empower you for daily life and ministry? What difference did it make, or what difference do you hope it would make? [39:29]
The sermon challenged us to be witnesses by sharing what we have seen, heard, and experienced of Jesus. Can you think of a recent moment where you could have shared your story with someone but didn’t? What kept you from doing so? [53:00]
The call to be witnesses includes breaking through cultural, relational, and geographical barriers. Who in your life might be “Samaria” to you—someone you find it hard to reach out to? What is one step you could take to build a bridge? [01:08:44]
The pastor said, “If you want to live in a world turned upside down, you have to be in a church turned inside out.” What would it look like for our small group to be “turned inside out” for the sake of the gospel in our community? [01:45:19]
The sermon described the Christian life as “know Jesus, walk with Him daily, and do what He says.” Which of these three do you find most challenging right now, and what is one practical way you can grow in that area this week? [01:45:19]
The pastor mentioned that being a witness is not optional for believers. What is one specific way you can share your faith story with someone in your life this month? Who is that person, and how can the group pray for you as you take that step? [53:00]

Sermon Clips

Some of us might be running on empty because of evaporation, because we’ve just not maintained, we’re not coming to God on a regular basis. I pray today you change that, you show us that what you’ll do in us when we come is you will fill us to overflowing, and then we will be able to see Holy Spirit living that life inside of us, overflowing to the people around us. [00:38:53] (20 seconds) #OverflowWithHolySpirit

Cultural barriers don’t go away accidentally. If you decide, “I’m going to break a cultural barrier,” then you’ve got to go break it. You don’t get to sit back and go, “Boy, I wish someone would break that cultural barrier.” Somebody’s got to be the one to go and say, “You know what, we’re done with this, we’re moving forward.” [01:07:05] (17 seconds) #BreakCulturalBarriers

You know what they had done to turn the world upside down? They had shared the gospel. They had told people in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth as far as they could get so far. They had told them about what they had seen and heard and experienced in Jesus Christ and lives were being changed and the church was exploding. [01:14:48] (27 seconds) #GospelTurnsWorldUpsideDown

If you do those three things—you’ve got to know Christ, you’ve got to be walking with Christ on a daily basis, and you’ve got to be willing to say, “Jesus, what do you want me to do today?”—and you’ve got to do that. That is what it looks like to be a disciple. When you are a disciple, God is going to use you to go and find people and help them walk with him, know him, walk with him, and then do what he says to do. You are making a disciple. [01:18:32] (29 seconds) #DiscipleToMakeDisciples

Our part—God’s going to grow his church—our part of that is to know him, walk with him, and do what he says. What he says is you will be witnesses. If you don’t know how to do that, you come see me, come see one of our counselors down here in front, you come find somebody and say, “I don’t know how to be a witness, let’s walk through it.” [01:19:16] (23 seconds) #KnowWalkObeyWitness

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