But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth – Acts 1:8.

Lately, you hear about conferences on empowerment: political, economic, social, etc. Another phrase for the same cry is advocacy. That’s why you hear about human rights advocacy groups all over the place. What is it all this about?

It is all about seeking the conditions and environment necessary to do the right things to make things better for some specific groups of people we perceive as abused. For example, women and children advocacy groups see abuse in the conditions these groups live under, and they set out to conference and dialogue to change the mindset of government and civil society so that we will do the right things for them to live in decency and honor. These conditions could be health, economic, social, or politically related. They seek laws and policies that will empower women and children and give them the ability to rise above the inhuman conditions in which they live. These are all good. The problem arises when we raise the question of how we got there.

We cannot accept that the total depravity of man is the root cause of all these abuses. This failure has its roots in the denial of creation against evolution. But it can never change what God has done by any means. Therefore, if we want to restore our natural freedoms, abilities, and dignity, we have to refer to the creator of all things — God Almighty.

God knows the failures, inabilities, indignities, and cruelties that permeate our lives. He understands it is all because of sin, and it calls for empowerment. The only way to do this was to deal with sin that had enslaved humankind and made us fearful since Adam (Heb. 2:14-15). Over the years, the human effort has failed to restore things. Musicians and Poets have sung and written about love as the answer, but we realize that our love is hollow, self-seeking, conditional, and disappointing. Genuine love is God Himself, revealed to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Yet pride does not allow a man to give up on his abilities and turn to the creator. But God still loves the world and has provided the very empowerment man seeks.  

In Romans chapter eight, God declares our freedom from the power and enslavement to sin and death (Rom. 8:2). To live in this deliverance from fear, God has given us His Spirit—the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry Abba, Father (15). Paul reminds us in 2 Tim. 1:7 that God has given us a spirit, not of timidity, but power, love, and self-discipline—the Christian life and witness. This power is what Jesus promised His disciple before His ascension (Acts 1:8)—the Holy Spirit who came in all His glory and might on the Day of Pentecost (2:1-4).   

That is our empowerment to rise above the abusive and inhuman conditions in which people live! It comes only by trusting Jesus with your life and living for Him. Then we can walk and live in the freedom the Holy Spirit provides and enables to live joyfully in the Lord always.