Charging the Batteries of Power

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Acts 1:8

“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.”

(ESV)

Corruption and abuse of power is rampant in our culture.  Hollywood producers and actors whom we pay to watch abuse their power in deciding who works in their movies and television programs by requiring aspiring actors and actresses commit immoral acts.  While these revelations are disgusting and alarming, the fact that much of the same behavior occurs among leaders in Congress is even more disgusting and serves to create added distrust in government at a time when this distrust is at alarmingly high levels. 

It is at times like these when ordinary people having morals in our lives feel powerless to stop it.  In our own power, this may be true for each of us is just one vote among millions but there is a power we can tap into, the power of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, I encourage everyone reading this who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in their lives to allow the Holy Spirit to recharge their batteries of power. 

First, however, some clarification.  Every person that has made a profession of faith in their belief in Jesus Christ as their savior has the Holy Spirit living within them.  This is a spiritual possession of sorts but a possession of free will for the Holy Spirit only dwells in those inviting Him in.  While this empowers the forgiveness of sins in a person’s life, there is another work of the Holy Spirit which is what occurred in the upper room in Acts 2:1-13.  Some call this work the infilling or Baptism of the Holy Spirit but whatever one calls it, it is an empowering work in a believer’s life empowering them to live and serve God in a powerful manner.  (1) 

Knowing that His disciples had just had their lives turned upside down over the past few weeks with His death and resurrection, and knowing of the coming persecution and oppression they were about to experience, Jesus commanded His followers to wait for the charging of their spiritual batteries with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).  In these tumultuous times in our society, I believe it is important for every believer in Jesus Christ to go back to their spiritual Jerusalem or prayer closet and wait for the Holy Spirit to charge or recharge their spiritual batteries for more effective living and service for Christ. 

Jesus promised another comforter that would abide with us forever.  Jesus knew he would go away for a time after His ascension, and that times for believers would be tough due to the spiritual warfare we are engaged in (Ephesians 6:12).  However, through the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, he or she has access to a powerful set of spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:13-18).  However, even the most powerful weapon available is useless unless the one using it receives training in its use.  Therefore, the empowering of the Holy Spirit must also include the teaching and study of the truths in the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15, 1Corinthians 1:18). 

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that the true worshipers of God worship in spirit and in truth.  Service to the Lord is more than just singing of songs and includes our service to God (Matthew 4:10).  (2)  However, service to the Lord lacking the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the server’s life can quickly cause the server’s spiritual batteries to be drained rendering them ineffective or worse yet destroying them spiritually.  Even Jesus took time to go off and pray with His Heavenly Father, even just prior to his crucifixion (Luke 22:39).  Let us therefore follow the example of Jesus and insure we take time to allow the Holy Spirit to empower our spiritual batteries by practicing the spiritual disciplines of,

1)      Prayer – What an awesome privilege every believer has in that we can have a personal conversation with our creator.  However, in our busy society it is easy to become too busy to take regular time to talk with God.  No wonder many of us feel powerless.  We therefore must make time daily to talk with our creator.  (3)

2)      Regular time in God’s Word – Much falsehood and untruth exists all around us.  Regular time in the truth of The Word of God helps us discern truth from lies but it also is how God speaks to us, empowering us to serve as the Holy Spirit helps us discern what God is saying.  (3)

3)      Positive Spiritual Accountability – Spiritual accountability is something may men struggle with and something we can learn from our sisters in the Lord.  Society teaches us as men to be tough and independent and as a result we view asking others for help or advice as a weakness.  Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17) and why we need accountability with others so that the Holy Spirit can empowers us both (Matthew 18:20).  (3)

4)      Small Group Involvement – Attending a large church service is encouraging for it shows us we are not alone in our belief in Jesus as our Savior.  However, development of spiritual disciplines is best accomplished in a small group setting.  (3)

5)      Personal Ministry – Jesus parting words to those following Him was to serve by telling others about the message of the Gospel (Mark 16:15).  However, before just leaping into service, Jesus told them to wait for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Acts 1:4).  In obedience to the command of Jesus and spiritual batteries charged with the power of the Holy Spirit, these early believers turned their world upside down (Acts 17:6).  (3)

We as believers in Jesus Christ are not powerless but have access to tremendous power through the Holy Spirit.  However, it is important that we plug into the divine battery charger through the practice of spiritual disciplines.  I therefore encourage everyone reading this to begin regular practice of spiritual disciplines allowing the Holy Spirit to empower, guide, and direct you on where and how to serve in power to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

1. Smith, Chuck. The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Believer (Part 1). www.blueletterbible.org. [Online] The Blue Letter Bible. [Cited: December 10, 2017.] https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/HolySpirit/hs_08.cfm.

2. Bayless, David. Worship and Service. www.dabhand.org. [Online] www.dabhand.org. [Cited: December 10, 2017.] http://www.dabhand.org/Essays/ME511_worship_and_service.htm.

3. Miller, Vince. 5 Disciplines that need to be built into every man, that leaders of men should encourage. beresolute.org. [Online] Resolute, July 8, 2017. [Cited: December 10, 2017.] https://beresolute.org/5-disciplines-to-build-in-every-man/?gclid=CjwKCAiA07PRBRBJEiwAS20SIF1wPGoospvpaoQhq3zKwaqTb9neBgjAgGHm4ysDwCt5LKCGT7FM3BoCHNwQAvD_BwE.