SPIRITUAL POWER INCREASE

The day after Pentecost Sunday, God took us through an object lesson with spiritual implications.

My broadcast engineer son Rick was helping a new Christian radio station obtain a power increase from the F.C.C. The station's start-up wattage was only strong enough to reach the local, adjacent population. It was imperative to apply for, purchase, and have engineered a new antenna which would enhance its signal to cover parts of four states and greatly increase the gospel outreach to the ears of thousands of additional listeners. It was a costly project monetarily that had to be handled in a precise, technical manner.

The installation of the antenna to the 150 foot tower on the top of the highest mountain (2700 feet above sea level) in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia coincided with Pentecost Sunday. The original Pentecost two thousand years ago was the point of “power increase” Jesus promised His disciples. This gave us pause.

An increase of power was sorely needed by the disciples whom Jesus commissioned to go to all the world and preach the gospel. They were a band of rag-tag fragile and flawed men whom Jesus trusted to become apostles to all mankind. Even after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection they still did not fully understand God's Kingdom plan and were hiding away overwhelmed by fear and weakness. Their human strength was limited and their spiritual insight was out of focus. They were instructed by Jesus to “wait for their power increase” before they ventured to carry forth the gospel to people immersed in the pagan culture of the times.

It would be costly—all but one of the disciples would be martyred as they carried out His Great Commission. Nevertheless, from the blood of the martyrs sprang the Church that “the gates of hell could not prevail against” to this present day.

Nor do we, as Christians living in this equally pagan world, dare to “live and move and have our being” according to our calling or state of life without the power increase of the filling of the Holy Spirit day by day. It grows more necessary and more costly as time goes on to follow Christ because this wicked generation seeks to stamp out the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. Just as “the Light shown in darkness” at the first coming of Jesus (John 1:4,5) and “the darkness did not overcome it,” so we who belong to Christ must boldly and without fear carry forth His Light until His return to earth again.

Christ has commissioned each of us to place His Light on the Lamp-stand of whatever place in life He has planted us or through whatever platform He has given us. It may not be from a high tower on top of a mountain, but to the precious people in our immediate orbit of life.

Let's not try to do so without the “power increase” of the Holy Spirit's fresh anointing day by day—cost what it may! God's Kingdom work is at stake and Jesus is trusting us!