Relying on the Gift of the Spirit's Power

In the book, The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper, he discusses how he seeks to rely completely on the Spirit's power during the preaching event. Now, I know most people who will read this are not preachers, so naturally, you are thinking, "how does this apply to me?" I believe that the insight Piper gives in this section can apply to whatever God calls you to do, whether it be teaching Sunday School, at home Bible study, or even witnessing to a lost person. Anytime you seek to share with someone else the truth of God's Word, this information is important because you must learn to rely on the gift of the Spirit's power.

To help him rely on the Spirit's power, he uses an acronym, APTAT:

First is to Admit that you can do nothing apart from Christ, just as John 15:5 teaches, "apart from me you can do nothing." This step helps to humble us to the point to where we must rely on God.

Second is to Pray for help. Knowing that we cannot do anything on our own, we seek God's power in the words that we speak to others. It is God's power alone that can raise the dead and give sight to the blind. Likewise, it is only God's power that can take His Word and open the hearts of those who hear it.

Third is to Trust in a specific promise of God. Take a Scripture in which God has promised His power and help and bank on that specific promise as you seek to share the Word God has put on your heart.

Fourth is to Act in that confidence. Knowing that God has and is enabling you to speak His Word, we must carry through in obedience knowing that He will be faithful.

Finally is to Thank God for His help and presence in the work He has called us. When we get done and look back, we know that our effort is feeble and unworthy, but it is powerful because of what God is doing through it. Thank Him for His Spirit and His promise.

This is a great acronym for all Christians as they follow Christ in obedience to Go into all the world making disciples!