After the resurrection Jesus appeared to the saints and “they
worshiped him.” He “said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” that authority and
power is why you can “therefore and make disciples of all
nations. Jesus ensured us that his presence anoints the faithful with authority;
in turn we can be bold and live with confidence because “I am with you always,
to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:17-20)
As the church grew, the saints prayed, asking our Lord
God “grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your
hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy
servant Jesus.” What a request! They prayed
with confidence to be bold witnesses and enabled to reveal God’s power to heal
and His Spirit’s work by signs and wonders.
It was undoubtedly an answer of yes from God, because after “they had had
prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God
with boldness.” (Acts 4:29-31)
The presence of Christ ensures the enabling of the Holy Spirit
with us—this reveals strength not of this world. The Holy Spirit within and upon us is Christ’s
presence, the endowment of authority “to heal” and witness Christ with “signs
and wonders.” In the same way, we have
confidence to bring the Word of truth. God’s
power enables us to be bold. Christ’s
presence brings authority by his Spirit’s ever present enabling, makes each
follower of Christ a conduit of God’s power—that is why you and I are confident,
therefore, bold in your witness and prayer—“Such is the confidence that we have
through Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:4).
Bold, confident in Christ’s authority,
Owen <><
