“‘You are My witnesses,’ saith the Lord, ‘and My servant whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe Me’…” Isaiah 43:10
Dear Ones:
What is a witness? It is first of all one who has seen or heard something. From a spiritual perspective, it is one who by faith has looked into the invisible, and seen the reality of God. Those who “witnessed” Christ, were those who saw and heard Him, God in the flesh. It is only AFTER the encounter with Christ that one “witnesses,” that is, declares the wondrous works of God, and the reality of Christ. What makes Christianity particular with regard to “witnessing,” is that we are carried beyond just beholding, and declaring what we know to be true. The Christian “witness” is one who has the witness of Christ within him or her, the very life of the Spirit in the heart and soul. There is the testimony and expression of the very life of Christ in the life of the one who KNOWS and BELIEVES in Him. This brings us to consider Pentecost because the outpouring of the Spirit that day was so significant with respect to BECOMING and BEING Christ’s witnesses. What really occurred?
The Lord Jesus, before His crucifixion, had communicated to the disciples that the Father would send “another Comforter”, the Holy Spirit. , (Jn. 14:16) Concerning the Spirit, for which the Son would petition His Father, Jesus will say: “…(He the Spirit) will abide with you,… forever,”… being the Spirit of truth, DWELLING in the believer. In John 15:26, we find that the Son will “send” this Comforter…from the Father. Again He is declared to be the “Spirit of truth,” who comes from the Father. He then says, “HE, the Spirit, shall testify of me.” In other words, the Spirit of God will declare, or proclaim, reveal and convict concerning the truth of Christ. Because He is in the heart of the believer, Jesus says, “…And you also shall bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” (v. 27) Not only does the reality of the indwelling Spirit “…bear witness with our spirit,” (Rom. 8:16), but when He is poured out on the day of Pentecost, that witness becomes magnified in and through the disciples. How does this apply to us?
There were about eight hundred years that passed between the time Joel was given the prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Spirit, until the day of Pentecost. I’m sure that a great many believers lost sight of such a glorious hope, and ceased to live in the perspective of it. It has now been about two thousand years since the outpouring on that eventful day. Have we lost sight of this very present promise from the Father, sent by the Son, and just as real “IN TRUTH” today, as it was so long ago? Jesus said, “But you shall receive POWER (authority), after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall BE My witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) Are we seeking and believing the Lord Jesus for a clear understanding of what it means to “receive” the power of the Spirit? Paul prayed for it, and lived it. We have not because we ask not!!
Dear Father, most things are far too great for us to truly understand, and this matter of the Spirit dwelling in our heart, is one of them. And yet, You have called us to BE Your witnesses, not only to KNOW and BELIEVE, but to LIVE by the Spirit, proclaiming Christ by word and deed every day. Give us to live in the quiet, profound reality of Thy presence and power, so that the world may KNOW that You are the only true and living God, and there is salvation in Thee. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad