I Truly Prefer Spiritual Power

Scripture: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:6-8

Observation: The disciples have been with Jesus, observed his works, and personally witnessed his resurrection from death. And what do they now ask him? They ask him ... if he is going to NOW fully restore Israel. Somehow, they still think that the primary mission of the Messiah is about the sovereign authority and capability of the Jewish people.

And once again, Jesus gives quite the interesting answer ... they don't get to know specific timings of future events, but they WILL receive "power". However, that power won't be about national governance or military liberation, it will be about heavenly authority to carry out the ministry of Jesus.

This answer is consistent with a key fact, which is that "power" is actually a spiritual force that comes from Yahweh. It always has been. This was true for Moses, who liberated and then defended a million people but in truth it was the Lord who brought down the plagues and split open the sea. This was true for judges like Gilead who defeated enemies without even a true army. This was true for Solomon who ruled over a time of peace without ever fighting simply because his father loved the Lord so much.

So the disciples ask Jesus if he will be giving the Jews earthly power, and he responds ... he is actually going to give believers spiritual power.

Application: Multiple times again recently, I have been thinking about the 'battles' we have all around us, and the fact that they are really all spiritual. It doesn't matter if it involves middle eastern war and terrorism, or local protest conflicts, or trolls on social media, all of these look like fights that are occurring around us and affecting our lives in the material world, but the truth is they are spiritual conflicts that would be best resolved by love, faith, hope, and yielding to the Holy Spirit.

Yes, there are two sides to every 'fight' and in almost every case one side isn't going to yield to the Holy Spirit because they don't believe the Lord, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, even exists. That doesn't much matter. When we lean in on our true source of power, we win because the world cannot defeat it. And again, it might sometimes look like the ways of the world - the evil that exists is this material existence - sometimes wins individual fights, but the Lord is and will win the war.

Prayer: Lord, may I have and rely more and more on spiritual power. I desire more of your Holy Spirit, so please help me make my body and my heart and my soul and my mind a vessel worthy of such power. I see the spiritual challenge, and I both see and hope for your kingdom here on earth. Amen.