The Power of the Holy Spirit

I thank God because I have witnessed what the power of the Holy Spirit can do for someone. I have experienced physical and verbal testimonies of people who have had dramatic changes in their lives after accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior. I believe that manifestations of the Holy Spirit can be experience in many different ways. I've witnessed people speaking in tongues and I have observed the laying of hands. I'm not sure that I am ready to make a decision on whether I believe these are true manifestations of the Holy Spirit, but there is one manifestation that I believe. I believe the power of a personal testimony, can be a powerful result of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 4:7 Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin because Peter healed a crippled man in the name of Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrin are the same people who condemned Jesus to his fate on the cross. This is the same Peter who after pledging to never leave Christ denies him three times. This is the same Peter who walked on water and then started to sink after taking his eyes off of Jesus. This is the same Peter who Jesus rebukes with the phrase, "get behind me Satan." With all of these weaknesses and flaws something seems to have changed in Peter. V8 tells us that Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to address the people in manner that seems very bold. He wants everyone to hear and calls out, "Rulers and elders of the people!" Now, Peter no longer cares who knows that he proclaims the name of Jesus. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, I believe the presence of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ no matter who is present. We are given the strength to testify to what Christ has done for us in our lives. V10 Peter announces the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the power behind the healing. Peter knows that announcing this may cost him his life, but he doesn't care. He seems to have found a strength he did not have before when he failed his master so miserably. He accuses the builders which are the Sanhedrin of rejecting the messiah. He accuses them of murdering an innocent person who happens to be the hope and savior of Isreal. If anything could get Peter killed this is it. I don't think Peter does this with a total absence of fear, but he is filled with a power greater than any of his fears. He is filled with a divine spirit which gives him the strength to proclaim the only true, resurrected, Savior.

Because of their courage everyone realized that Peter had been with Jesus. It took courage for Peter to speak in this way. It took courage he did not posses before, but the Holy Spirit can give us the courage to proclaim his name in any circumstance. May the Holy Spirit fill us and may we proclaim the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in any situation. May it give us the courage to testify in word and deed through out our lives. May we always find the courage to proclaim that there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved. It is my prayer that all humanity will take note that we have been with Jesus.

Blessings in Christ,
Joel M. Saucedo