Key verses: Acts 8:9-24

Key thought: Effective soul winning is one that happens in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are in a position to bring greater results as we go in the power and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Soul winning is a confrontation of the powers of darkness, light reveals the filth of darkness. For every soul is won to the Lord, the implication of this is victory over the devil. The enemy has power even though limited, the enemy will not easily release people from bondage; his house has to be plundered with power. The key to witnessing in power is being covered by heavenly authority, this is why soul winners have to leverage the authority that Jesus gave the church.

Four things about witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit from the passage

1. Signs and wonders can open closed spaces
   • Witnessing in power opens doors that would be difficult to open, people are always inquisitive and attracted to the miraculous.
   • An impactful church or believer is one that operates in the word and in the power of God.
   • The anointing on us creates space for ministry and impact.
   • Our communities and nation need a church that can witness in power, we need believers that are able to plunder the strongholds of the enemy.
2.  The power of God cannot be bought
   • God gives power so that we can serve Him and his people. Acts 1:8 
   • The power of God cannot be bought, and neither should the power of God be used for selfish reasons.
   • Salvation is not for sale but a gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the power of God is not for sale
   • We must also check our motivations for seeking the power of God. God is willing to give us the power, but under his laid down protocols and for the right purpose.
   • We must be hungry for God’s power but at the same time walk in humility and contentment.
3. The power is in the good news
   • The power of God is in the preaching of the good news, it is a red flag when we just talk about power without sharing the good news.
   • Power encounters must never be divorced from truth encounters, genuine miracles stand in the context of the word of God.
   • The most powerful and important miracle is when one is moved from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light through the power of the gospel.
4. Witnessing in power is possible when we are endued with the power of the Holy Spirit
   • The source of the power is the Holy Spirit, Jesus gave the commission to the disciples but told them to wait until they are endued with power
   • The power of the Holy Spirit is remarkably unique, it exposes the fake.
   • One way to confront falsehood is to counter with the truth, but that becomes even more effective when we bring the authentic power of God. 
   • Spirit filled sharing of the good news releases the demonstration of the power of God.

How do we prepare ourselves to witness in power?

a. Be set apart from sin

• Simon believed and was baptized, but somehow he did not fully handle his heart.
• If we are going to walk in power then our readiness to deal with sin matters.
• If we are going to see the power of God, then we cannot afford to play with sin.

b. Be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit

• Baptism or being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit enhances the operations of the power of God in lives.
• The source of the power is the Holy Spirit, being filled with Holy Spirit, walking in his power was one big difference between Peter and James, and Simon

c. Exercise our faith

• The apostles prayed and laid hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit.
• We have to switch on the power for there to be light, many of us are sitting on the power.
• We are indifferent to the power in us, or we want to get using shortcuts like Simon the sorcerer

Prayer

• Repentance, surrender and ask God to take away every vice that we are playing with or has already taken hold of our lives
• Pray for the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit
• Pray that we will take over territories where falsehood is reigning, and we will do so by going in the authentic power of God