Devotional #13
“But the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which goeth forth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 “And we are his witnesses of these things: and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” Acts 5:32 “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak;” 2 Cori 4:13 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come”. 1 Cor 11:26
Our Lord has told His disciples that the Holy Spirit will be sent after His departure and He will witness to Christ, and the Apostles also will bear witness to the truth because they were with Him.
Holy Spirit witnesses Christ as a revelation to our inner man. Those who received the revelation about Christ from the Spirit will also bear witness to Christ. A sinner received the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, is convicted of sins, and accepts the Lord as his savior. When he obeyed baptism by identifying by faith with Lord in His death and resurrection, he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in him. Such are empowered by the Holy Spirit will bear witness about the Lord. (Acts 1:8)
Peter and other Apostles appeared before the council a second-time bearing witness that God of our fathers raised Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree and we are witnesses of these things.
Peter and others gave witness to the things that they have seen and experienced. Their witness was attested by the Holy Spirit by doing wonders and showing forth divine power while witnessing the resurrected Lord. Holy Spirit and Apostles jointly gave witness to all those who gathered in Jerusalem and to the council.
Holy Spirit is given to all those who obey him. Peter and other apostles answered and said, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Those who initially obeyed in baptism and continued obeying in following the Lord, even the threats of the council did not deter them in giving witness about the Lord.
Apostle Paul writing to Corinthians testifies that having the Spirit of faith, he spoke in his ministry after the Lord separated him by giving the revelation. He carried the experience of death in his body to manifest the life of Christ.
As in the case of Peter and others, Paul along with the Holy Spirit testified with power because of obedience despite multiple situations of danger to his very life.
We also proclaim or testify that the Lord died and rose again as Peter and Paul did in their times. This proclamation should not be simply with mere words but with real experience of carrying the cross every day with cheerful obedience to Him.
This kind of testimony carries weight and power from the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who show obedience to the Lord. Where the Holy Spirit jointly testifies along with chosen people there is evidence of boldness. And we also see the wonderful work of pricking and conviction in the hearer’s hearts. We need to examine whether we show obedience in our lives the way the Lord expects of us, when we do not see the power in our witness and ministry or preaching and
teaching.
It is a great blessing to be used as a witness unto the Lord with the attestation of the Holy Spirit.
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