Holy Spirit in Missions

Discover the role of the Holy Spirit in Missions

Jesus speaking to His disciples says:
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

Jesus gave them the mission. However, He didn’t send them out immediately, He specifically told them to wait in Jerusalem until He sent they received the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.” (Acts 1:4)

Jesus has already passed on to them their commission but he says I don’t want you to leave Jerusalem without the power of the Holy Spirit. They already had the message, they had the mission, they had the personnel, they had all but the third Person of the Trinity!

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

They received the power after they received the Holy Ghost. It was then they were to be witnesses in all the world. The first requirement to accomplishing the mission is the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the essence of power in ministry. Without Him, all of our efforts are worthless.

In John 15:1-5 Jesus said without me you can do nothing. Yet without Jesus people build large churches but what is lasting is done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit in missions and working in the lives of people, there is no genuine conversion and no genuine fruit.

The goal is to make disciples of Jesus, not us. Sometimes people go and make disciples of being a Baptist. Just like we can quench the Holy Spirit of God in our lives, we can quench the work of missions as we do missions.

* The Holy Spirit is the key to measuring success.
None of us are in competition with any other believer or any other church. Our job is to take the gospel and make disciples in the power of the H.S.

* The Holy Spirit is the key to beginning new missions.
Planning is important but the best plan in the world without the Holy Spirit is worthless.

* The Holy Spirit is the key to finding one’s place in ministry.

* The Holy Spirit is the key to reproduction of a church’s life.
The Holy Spirit sent missionaries working through the leadership of the local church. (Acts 13:2)

Note in Acts 13:9-52 and Acts 11:2-24 the Holy Spirit working in this period of church history. There is no genuine fruit in the church apart from God’s Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not in control, the church becomes an organization. Hmmm, could this be the reason for so many mega church organizations today?

The Holy Spirit was the essence of God’s leadership and power in Paul’s ministry. Paul’s success in ministry was not due to methodology or technique. It was because of his walk with God. Even though Paul had a reputation, he came from a wealthy, influential, spiritual family and had all the right stuff going for him, he made clear in Philippians that his power was not in his background, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul had guidance because of his relationship with the Spirit of God.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit in missions, the church will not be empowered. If the Holy Spirit is not involved, whatever the church does will not last.

Learn More:

• Great Commission
• Church Missions
• Missionary Church
• World Missions

Posted: 12|24|09 at 12:12 am. Filed under: Christian Missions.
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