Acts 1:8, “8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

In verse 8 you see the anchor for the book of Acts. You should memorize verse 8 because when Jesus lists off Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth He is broadening the scope of Christianity.

When you look on a map you see each of those areas expand larger and larger like Austin, Texas, the U.S, to the remotest parts of the world, so that Jesus is telling the Apostles, “The Holy Spirit is coming. Power is coming. Don’t just keep this in Jerusalem. Take this message to the world.”

That means Christianity isn’t just a message for some people that grew up in the south and kind of think a certain way. It is a message for all people, all places, and all times, and it is a message being empowered by the Holy Spirit.

It is why verse 8 Jesus says, “I am not going to tell you about times and places, but you need to know when the Holy Spirit comes there will be power.”

It isn’t the beginning of power, a dose of power, a hope for power, or a sample of power. There is power in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Therefore, when you think about the Christianity in your life you need ask, “Do I see power?” Do I see the power of Jesus in my life?

Let me give you two quick ways to see the power of the Holy Spirit in your life through faith in Jesus: First, there is power of the Holy Spirit in your life when you see yourself through in the past and present.

In the past you thought of yourself as successful, athletic, funny, black, female, but then you meet Jesus and now you’re different.  Scripture calls it being “Born again” but that creeps people out.  But, in Jesus the old things have passed away and new things have come.  You are a new creation in Christ. You might still do those things, or be those things, but they are not your identity because there is a past and there is a present.

Second, there is an intentional tearing down of that old life. You are fighting sin through confession and repentance. You are growing in courage that you are no longer afraid of that old life. You are no longer held in bondage to that old life.  There are things in life that use to control you, scare you, or dominate you, but now in Jesus there is power to break through those things.

Do you have power like that? I don’t say these things to offend. I say those things because maybe you have forgotten? Maybe you have become stagnant, or lulled to sleep, or become so comfortable with Jesus that you have overlooked His power?

If so, turn to Jesus today.  Even if you have turned to Jesus before, turn to Him again and humble yourself, seek His face, and turn from your sin by turning and trusting in Him because there is power.