Power From On High

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” ---Luke 24:49


As we have watched the disciples walk, talk and live with Jesus Christ, we see that have gone through a tremendous metamorphosis. They began to “know” (in their head) Jesus as a friend and companion. Then they began to “know” (in their heart) Jesus as the Messiah. After Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, He continued to teach and show more on the Kingdom.

As the disciples were sitting in the upper room, they were fearful that the Jews would come after them because of their association with Jesus. Suddenly, He appeared mysteriously in front of them and showed them His hands and side. In John 20:21 Jesus said, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It was at this moment in time that when Jesus presented Himself in front of the disciples, they accepted Him as the Messiah, their Lord, and their Savior. They could do that now because Jesus had completed the redemption of their souls, had conquered Satan and it was now up to mankind to accept Jesus on their own. Jesus breathed on them to receive that initial infilling of the Holy Spirit that we all receive when we believe on Jesus that we can be saved.

In our verse for today, Luke wrote that Jesus said there was to be another encounter with the Promised One, the Holy Spirit that will happen when they reach Jerusalem. Jesus said it would be there they would be “endued” with power. The original word, “endued” means to clothe or cloak. The word power here is “dunamus” in the Greek which means explosive, miracle-working power.

Jesus was well aware that the disciples were only human, that they had issues with fear, timidity, pride, brashness, etc. Look at Peter! He exhibited all those traits while with Jesus, so Jesus knew that in their own human-ness they were weak and would fail in their future development of the Church. They needed a LOT of HELP! So, He sent them to Jerusalem to wait. We pick up the story in Acts. As the “new Church” came together on the day we call “Pentecost” a supernatural event took place. A loud sound accompanied a wind and filled the whole house where they were sitting. “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:3

From that moment on, Peter and the rest of the disciples were bold, confident, and strong in their convictions and saw miracles wrought at their hands. The Holy Spirit that had clothed them gave them what it would take to be “Jesus-in-skin” but multiplied on that very first day by 5,000 when people believe on Jesus after Peter gave an incredibly bold message.

That same experience is available to us today. It didn’t stop when the last disciple died. Remember, Jesus said that it was upon Peter that He would build His church. Peter was a “symbol” of the Church. We are still the Church generations later. When you experience the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, you will have access to the 2nd Key of the Kingdom to make a change in your world. You will become bolder, more confident, totally convinced and have miracle-working power available to you.

Confession: I understand that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from the initial infilling of the Holy Spirit. I rejoice at the knowledge that I can be a strong ambassador for the Kingdom of God and that there is miracle-working power available to me when I accept the wonderful gift of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.