Acts 1:8 (NKJV): But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
The Holy Spirit brings along with Him the anointing (i.e. power). The word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, from the word 'dunamai', meaning 'to be made able (i.e. to be enabled), or to be of power (i.e. to be empowered)'. This 'power' speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit (i.e. enabling/empowering of the Holy Spirit) that has been released to the church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
Recently, I heard these words, and I'm releasing it to you prophetically:
"The Lord is going to remove and break the 'lid' that has been covering you for some time, and He is releasing you into a new level of prosperity, revelation, and boldness, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit."
Receive this by faith as you enter into your new season. This is also a time to 'forget (let go of) the things behind you, and reach (look) forward to the things ahead of you' (Philippians 3:13).
There are also some of you who felt that you have reached the 'optimum' or 'maximum' in your life, and you're afraid that you're beginning to go 'downhill' from now on. If you are reading this (& I believe you are reading this by His divine appointment), the Lord is also saying, "I'm not done with you yet." So, do not believe this lie that you're already 'over the hill'! In fact, this is only the beginning of greater anointing and greater grace being poured out upon you! And mind you, He is not looking at your age, your background, or even your past mistakes! Peter thought God's already done with him the moment Jesus died on the cross, but little did he know then that greater things (even things so great he couldn't imagine) were about to happen to him just in a matter of weeks!
There are definitely more to come, and I declare that greater and better things are ahead of you. Amen!
This is also a time for 'taking off' for many of you, and as you begin to 'soar', the Lord will also give you the authority to move in a 'higher plane'. There's an anointing for you to move into new ventures. If you are one of those who are about to move (or moving) into a new venture, receive this also by faith.
To receive 'power' is to be enabled or empowered to fulfil God's calling in your life and to do the work of His kingdom. Jesus began His ministry after the anointing had come upon Him (Luke 4:18-19). Likewise, Peter's ministry also really began when this same anointing came upon him on the Day of Pentecost. Receive it for yourself as well!
Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV) reads:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me ...
a) To preach the gospel to the poor (i.e. salvation),
b) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted (i.e. restoration),
c) To proclaim liberty to the captives (i.e. renewal),
d) And recovery of sight to the blind (i.e. healing),
e) To set at liberty those who are oppressed (i.e. deliverance),
f) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (i.e. prosperity).
This same anointing also flowed and worked in Peter and through Peter upon the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Read Acts chapters 1 to 4.
a) Salvation (see Acts 2:37-41) - where about 3,000 souls saved in Peter's one impromptu preaching,
b) Restoration (see Acts 3:19-21) - healing of the soul, that brings times of refreshing,
c) Renewal (see Acts 2:42) - through his teachings (i.e. the apostles' doctrine),
d) Healing (see Acts 3:6-7) - when a notable miracle of healing happened to the man born lame,
e) Deliverance (see Acts 2:43) - with many signs and wonders in his ministry,
f) Prosperity (see Acts 4:34) - where no one lacked.
Note: 'Signs and wonders' = 'anything beyond the logics, and beyond scientific/medical explanation that God works/demonstrates'.
Have you noticed that this very same Peter was a greatly-changed man upon receiving the anointing? Well, we are talking about the same man who was so easily shaken and then cried out to Jesus for help in the midst of storm, who denied Jesus three times, and the first who hid (by plunging into the sea) when the resurrected Jesus appeared!
However, the 'lid' over Peter was being removed and broken when the anointing of the Holy Spirit came upon him on the Day of Pentecost, and he was a different man since then! In fact, he began to move in even greater manifestation of God's anointing and grace from that point onwards, i.e. in a 'higher plane'! Notice this anointing also came with great authority, and even the authority in the land those days (i.e. rulers, elders, scribes, and the priests) marvelled at this new authority and boldness in him! (Acts 4:13)
Matthew 16:18-19 (NKJV) says, "And I also say to you that you are Peter ('Petrus', meaning 'a piece of rock', speaking of the believers today), and on this rock ('Petra', meaning 'mass of rock', speaking of the revelation of who Jesus is) I will build My church (i.e. My people), and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This prophecy was being fulfilled from Acts 2 onwards (i.e. the beginning of church age), and it will still be even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).
People of God, today, and in this end-time, He is also in the midst of raising up many who'll walk in this anointing that's upon Peter. This is the time to let go of the old, and start walking in the new, as Peter did! Fear not, because great grace is also upon you, not just great anointing. And as He has said, He will be with you till the very end. Receive in Jesus' name. Amen.
