Bold Witness

 

Seeing the Kingdom By T. M. Moore | Published Date: November 10, 2012 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8 The Kingdom of God suddenly broke into human history on a Pentecost morning 2,000 years ago, when the Holy Spirit from God invaded the hearts of all who were gathered, seeking the Kingdom Jesus had promised. The Kingdom of God comes with power, Paul wrote (1 Cor. 4:20), and that power is embodied in the Holy Spirit of God. He is a power from beyond this world and brings into our experience a realm of righteousness, peace, and joy that makes all things new. He begins to work within the lives of those who have been transferred into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, making them willing and able to do what pleases God, leading them beyond any of their previous experience or hopes into greater glory and transformation (Phil. 2:13; Eph. 3:20). One of the primary means whereby the power of God’s Kingdom – the power of the Holy Spirit – is expressed in those who have come to know it is through bold witness on behalf of the Kingdom and its King. We see this consistently throughout the book of Acts. Not only the apostles, but even the humblest believers could not contain the proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom of God. They spoke to neighbors, they testified to authorities, they bore witness to strangers, and everywhere they went, talking about Jesus and the Kingdom seems to have been an integral part of their daily lives. We can know that we are in a place where the Kingdom of God has come and is advancing when we see people from every walk of life talking about Jesus, encouraging others to consider Him, and leading friends, neighbors, and strangers to a saving knowledge of the Christ. The power of the Spirit, Who brings the presence of the Kingdom, flows like a river of living water through the lives and words of those who have truly entered the Kingdom of God (Jn. 7:37-39). So rich, full, and real is their experience, that they cannot help but talk about it with others. Why don’t we see more of this particular evidence of the Kingdom in our day? Why are Christians today so reluctant to talk freely, boldly, and consistently about their faith in the Lord? There are at least two reasons. First, our culture has informed us that it’s not interested in our message. At least, that’s what we’ve come to believe. Why bother talking to unsaved people about the Lord if we have already concluded they don’t want to have anything to do with Him? For most of us, I suspect, this notion is based on an assumption and provides a convenient excuse for not talking to others about our faith in the Lord. The fact is that people today are just as willing to talk about the Lord as they’ve ever been. An outspoken and intimidating few may give a different impression, but most people will be more than willing to consider what we have to say. If only we could muster the courage to speak with them. The second reason we don’t bear bold witness for Christ is because our churches have told us, implicitly or explicitly, that they’ll take care of witness-bearing for us. Just let them make a few adjustments here and there, so that their unsaved neighbors feel more at home, and soon enough any real “seekers” out there will find their way here, and then we’ll win them. You don’t have to go tell them; just help us encourage them to come here and see for themselves. But if you’ve really tasted of the power of the Holy Spirit, and if you truly delight in the glory of God and the all-things-new way of life which is the Kingdom of God, no threats from the culture – real or perceived – and no discouragement from church leaders will be able to keep you from bearing bold witness to Jesus and His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.