“And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4).
Yeshua commanded the apostles to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). But these men are the same apostles who, though confident they would stand with Yeshua, fled for their lives on the night he was betrayed. Peter was so fearful he even denied his faith to a young girl (see Luke 22:56). So, in reality, Yeshua gave an impossible commandment (i.e., to be my witnesses) to people least qualified to carry it out.
But this is the whole point of being born from above. Yes, God commands “red-neck” Galileans to go into all the nations as his witnesses and then provides them with the languages to do it! We finally get to the point where we realize that a life of obedience to God’s commandments is impossible. For God doesn’t command us to live natural lives. That would make faith in Yeshua no different than any other religion! God commands us to live supernatural lives. But then he gives us the supernatural power to do it! And this is why the new covenant through God’s Spirit is so much better than the old covenant written on stone!
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances” (Ezek 36:26-27).
