Empowered For Persecution

“Houston, we have a problem.” These words, although not an exact quote, came from Astronaut Jack Swigert when an oxygen tank exploded on board the spacecraft Odyssey in April of 1970 during a lunar mission called Apollo 13. Talk about an understatement. This so-called “problem” resulted in dangerously low levels of breathable air and an inability to generate power for their already-damaged spacecraft. Consequently, they were forced to abort their original mission, leaving them with only one goal - to get home.

Many believers today have a problem. They are experiencing dangerously low levels of fresh air for their souls because their theology doesn’t allow for the winds of the Holy Spirit. They have lost their power supply because they are more confident in their human abilities and rationale than they are in contending for miracles, signs, and wonders given through the Holy Spirit. 

Are we really surprised then, that so many believers have aborted the mission? Instead of ministering the transforming hope of Jesus to the world around them, they are just barely holding it together. They are consumed with self-assessing their personal damages. Their primary objective is just getting themselves safely home. All because somebody somewhere decided to make the Holy Spirit optional - even expendable.

Your mission is not just to hang on until you make it to heaven. Your mission is to bring heaven to earth! To fulfill God’s assignment you need God’s power! Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” It’s time for the church of Jesus Christ to once again be filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and empowered by the Holy Spirit so we can get on with the mission of transforming the world.