Luke 10:17-19 
New King James Version
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

This text was the testimony of seventy men whom Jesus sent out to go into cities before Him, bearing His word and the good news. They went in, spoke to men and worked in amazing power and then came back excited by the exploits wrought by their hands.
And the question to you today is, “Is this the testimony of your life?”

One important thing to know as a believer is that before God ever instructs us to do anything, He equips us and gives us the ability to carry out the instruction.
This week, we have begun a series on the Great Commission, which was given to us as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20
New King James Version
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

In God’s plan as He sent us out as town-criers and couriers of His word, he never intended that we would rely only on eloquence, bold personalities, persuasive arguments or exegesis to reach and minister to the heart of men. Rather, He designed that our confidence should come from the Holy Spirit, who gives both the courage to speak and the power that makes the message effective. As believers, we must constantly remind ourselves that the call to evangelism is not a call to struggle in our own strength, but a call to partner with the Spirit of God who works through us.

The word “authority” used in the past two texts we read is the Greek word “exousia”, and it means a legal right or jurisdiction to act while backed by power. God didn’t just send us out with a message; He sent us with Authority and Power by the Spirit!

This was the pattern of Jesus and His disciples. Before His ascension, He instructed them to wait for the Promise of the Spirit:
Luke 24:49
New King James Version
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.

Why was this important? Because Jesus knew that proclaiming His Name and gospel in a wicked and perverse world would require boldness, it would require signs that would show men the efficacy of the gospel that we preach. It would communicate the authenticity of the word of God in a world that is distracted and stiff-necked.

Through and through scriptures, we can see that Jesus always spoke of Power by the Spirit when charging His followers, and by extension, every believer to walk the earth, emphasizing to us the importance of Power in the spread of the gospel. We see it again in:
Acts 1:8
New King James Version
8 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.

You shall receive Power, and then, you shall be witnesses. This shows us that the gospel’s message is backed with God’s power; God’s work is done with God’s power.
Though the disciples had walked with Jesus, listened to His teachings, and witnessed miracles He had done, they still needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in each one of them. And we see that after the infilling of the Spirit at Pentecost, they walked in unbriidled power and boldness, taking the world by storm!

So, we do not witness effectively because we are naturally bold or persuasive, but because the Holy Spirit works through us. Giving us boldness, giving us direction on how to present the word, and then finally, turning the hearts that receive the word into yielded hearts.

Many believers struggle with witnessing for the faith because they focus on their personal limitations: Their fear, lack of confidence, or feeling like they are unprepared. Yet we see Scripture consistently redirects our attention away from self-dependence to Spirit-dependence.
The Apostle Paul understood this properly, though he was eloquent, he understood the gospel’s message and knew he could not rely on what he knew previously or how educated he was. He communicated this in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
New King James Version
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power
5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Apostle Paul recognized that true transformation is not produced by human wisdom but by the Spirit of God. Our role is to share the message faithfully, boldly, unadulterated and let the Holy Spirit do the work of conviction.

When we rely on our own strength, fear and pressure often follow. But when we depend on the Holy Spirit, we find rest, knowing that the results are in God’s hands. God is not asking us to be perfect speakers; He is asking us to be willing vessels. People filled with the spirit and working in Power.

However, depending on the Holy Spirit does not mean we neglect personal preparation. Depending on the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean we shouldn’t play our own part, just like how when God promises us success in our exam, we do our part by reading.

We are still called to prepare ourselves through prayer, studying the Word, and rightly understanding the message of the gospel we are called to share.
2 Timothy 2:15 
New King James Version
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And Peter also encourages believers in:
1 Peter 3:15 
New King James Version
15 sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.

This shows that while the Spirit gives utterance, we must also be ready.
We see the early church demonstrate this.
Even after receiving the Holy Spirit, they continued to pray for boldness:

Acts 4:30-31 
New King James Version
29 “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

When threatened and faced with persecution, they came to the place of prayer and just see the words they spoke to God, “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,”
They prayed for even more boldness by the Spirit!
Today, that same Holy Spirit is active and efficacious in every believer.
As we yield to His leading, He directs our conversations, gives us the right words, and prepares the hearts of those we speak to.
When we step out in obedience, we understand that it is not our ability that makes the difference, but His power at work within us.

Prayer Point
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Teach me not to rely on my own strength or wisdom, but on Your Spirit. I have boldness by Spirit, and I am a faithful and willing witness, with signs and wonders backing my words as I step out to evangelize the world.