THE TWO SIDES OF THE CROSS - How to Survive the Rough Side of the Cross (Part 4)



“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.”
 Act 1:8

We cannot draw the curtain to a close on this epic journey without talking about the Holy Spirit, our days is the era of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ told his disciples to wait in the upper room until the person who is supposed to replace Him comes, according to Act_1:8A (KJV) “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you……………….” This singular statement accentuated the important role of the Holy Spirit in our walk as Christians. If we are to experience any victory and survival on this faith journey, then it depends so much on how we depend on the third personality of the Godhead, which is the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus Christ, the person we are emulating came to the earth through the workings of the Holy Spirit according to Mathew_1:18(KJV)  “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” At the age of 30 Jesus began his earthly assignment with the help of the same Holy Spirit according to Luke 3:22 -23  “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli”. 



He had the empowerment of the Holy Spirit throughout his ministry days with his disciples. Jesus Christ underscored the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian and reiterated His place in helping the believer to be as successful minister of the Gospel. He told his disciples that as they go about preaching the gospel and they hit a snag, they shouldn’t be worried about what to say, because the Holy Spirit will tell them the exact thing to say, Mark_13:11(KJV) “ But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.”


The Holy Spirit is the one called alongside a Christian, He is supposed to help the believer to live a victories life on this earth. The disciples at the instruction of their master Jesus waited for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit before they began their assignment according to  Act 1:4-5(KJV) “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. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” 


Although they had been taught by Jesus Christ for 3 years, they needed to wait for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, before they can start effective ministry. You will notice when Jesus was going through the rough side of the cross, all the disciples abandoned Him; they did not have the inner strength to stand with their master as he was being led as a sheep to the slaughter. Their strength failed in times of adversity; they did not have that big heart to do that. 

Before his eventual arrest and crucifixion, Jesus Christ was telling his disciples what would happen to him; He was telling them about the tragedy that awaits Him, yet Peter and the other disciples swore that they would be with the Lord even in death according to Mathew 26:35(KJV) “Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.” 

Jesus, knowing that they did not have what it takes to stand by their words when things gets rough for Him, told them how they will all deny Him and he specifically told Peter that before the cock crows  he Peter will deny him three times -Mathew 26:33-34 which he did. However, the situation was different when the Holy Spirit came upon them in the book of Acts; this timid disciples led by the same Peter became empowered, emboldened and effective Apostles. They turned the whole city of Jerusalem upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

But what fits into this narrative as far as their attitude was concern was the boldness and the effectiveness with which they went about discharging the work that the master had given them. Just like their master, the Apostles’ ministry was birthed and sustained by the Holy Spirit; the same Holy Spirit helped them survive the rough side of their assignments according to Acts 4:18-32.

With all these evidences of the role of the Holy Spirit in carrying out the command of Jesus Christ, it just beats my imagination that some group of people want to carry out this command without believing in the Holy Spirit and its workings. All the how’s of surviving the rough side of the cross  will elude us without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit; it will be a case of having the knowledge of how to survive it, yet one is always flawed when the going gets tough.

Apostle Paul said “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” Ephesians 3:16 (KJV). It is the Holy Spirit that can strengthen the believer to (1) make time for God’s word (2) make time to pray (3) Grow in Grace (4)Be weary of bitterness (5) forgive and let go and (6) Deal with offence. Jesus Christ Said that without me you can do nothing according John 15:5B (KJV) “…………………………… for without me ye can do nothing.” 

Without the Spirit of Christ the believer is as powerless as someone who is not saved. It is the spirit of Christ which is the Holy Spirit that will make the difference in our lives during the rough times of our faith, the bible said in Romans_8:9(KJV) “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” It is the Holy Spirit that can cause the believer to do the impossible; it is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that will enable us to take our cross and survive its rough side.  

We must make time to know the Holy Spirit and develop a relationship with Him. If you do not know or have the Holy Spirit, just ask the heavenly father and he will give Him to you according to Luke_11:13(KJV)  “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”. If we desire and sincerely ask of the Holy Spirit we will have Him alongside with us. The strength of a Christian comes from the Holy Spirit, without Him he is ineffective.
Do you want to know more about the Holy Spirit? Get in touch via email: wisafawubo@gmail.com


WATCH OUT FOR NEW SERIES, NEXT WEEK CALLED
“THE NEGATIVE EFFECTIVE OF PORNOGRAPHY- A CASE STUDY OF KING DAVID”


Please if you have any comments or questions kindly leave it below, thank you.
Location: Accra, Ghana

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