Surrender Brings Power: Letting Jesus Live His Life Through You

Summary

The book of Acts shows that what Jesus began on earth, He continues through believers by the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not rule-keeping but Christ living His life through surrendered people. Most spiritual barrenness comes from self-control rather than Spirit-control. Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost continues through those who yield leadership of their lives to Him. New life, kingdom impact, and lasting fruit flow only from daily surrender, not self-rule.

From Resurrection Lightning to Pentecost Thunder

You can locate thunderstorms by counting the seconds between a lightning flash and its rumbling thunder. Sound travels a mile in about five seconds. A ten-second delay between the flash and the rumble indicates the bolt struck about two miles away.

The beginning of Acts describes the period between the lightning of the resurrection and the thunder of Pentecost. Luke reminds Theophilus of the Gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1), where he sets forth all that Jesus began to do and teach.

Letting Jesus Live His Life Through You

Began is the keyword. What Jesus began during his 33 years on earth, He continues through you and other believers until the end of the age by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Christianity is letting Jesus live His life through you, not a bunch of rules.

Why Good Intentions Fall Short

You are trying to live for God. How is it going? A woman described her life to me: “My intentions are good, but the results are poor.”

Few Christians have introduced a single person to faith in Jesus Christ. That is part of God’s kingdom work. Few are doing it. Luke’s good news is that Jesus, through His Spirit, wants to build His kingdom through you.

The Battle for Control

Our greatest weakness is wanting to control our lives. That desire prevents us from being spiritually fruitful (John 15:5).

Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, entered your life to empower you to make an eternal difference. Is He in the driver's seat of your life?

Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus commanded His apostles to be His witnesses (Acts 1:2). Jesus promises to be with you and, through the Holy Spirit, to be in you. Christians have a vital relationship with Him.

His mission was and still is to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He wants to seek and save your lost friends, relatives, and associates through you.

His highest priority should be yours as well. You cannot be Jesus’ disciple with some other primary life objective.

Jesus offers you a cascading river of new life. Before Pentecost, His disciples hadn’t yet experienced the fullness of that new, abundant life (John 10:10). Now it can be yours. However, you must surrender control of your life to get it.

God’s Kingdom and Your Priority

God’s kingdom includes those who acknowledge His rule. History is the story of the kingdom’s emergence and full development. Everything else is secondary.

You enter the kingdom through the new birth (John 3:1-8). You are born again by God’s undeserved favor through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Surrender That Releases the Spirit’s Power

Jesus came to earth to call out from the world a people in whom He could live. Surrendering to His leadership precedes the rushing river of the Spirit’s power.

That truth never changes. Every day you have a choice. Surrender brings power. Self-rule accomplishes nothing eternally significant.   

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