Tag: Acts of the Apostles

Acts 4:21-22 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. (22) For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

The people were glorifying God for what had happened.  The Lord used His disciples and through them, a miraculous work had taken place.  It resulted in the people giving glory to God.

Giving glory to God is acknowledging God, which leads to submission to Him.  This is what the devil does not want to happen. 

In all that we do as His church, our focus is to give God glory.  When we give God the glory, we are going against the devil.  When we resist the devil, he must flee.  James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Submission to God, glorifying Him is the place where we tell the devil that he has no authority to rule.  We are resisting him. 

Our battle is in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Jesus has been glorified because this is the place where the ruler of this world is cast out.  John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (32) And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

This position of Jesus and its cascading effect is given to His church.  Jesus has been raised from the dead to be above every rule and authority. I Peter 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him._*

We, as His church, must know that we stand with Jesus, basking in His authority over all the rulers of darkness. When we give glory to God, the devil trembles and he must vacate that place. 

Ephesians 1:21-23 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (22) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

As His church, we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and we have been moved to the kingdom of the light of Jesus.  Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

The Lord is taking the fight into the enemy camp to chase out the devil in territories that he is occupying by deception.  This task has been given to His church as we give Jesus the glory. Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

We must therefore glorify God all the time for this is the spiritual battle against the enemy.  It is in God’s glory that we rest. I Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

The ministry that we do must bring glory to God. I Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We must glorify God in our body and in our spirit which is God’s.  I Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (20) For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

We as His church, in oneness, must participate with Jesus in His glory.  John 17:22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

The Lord longs to share His glory with His church.  In doing so we are lifting Jesus and the devil will have to flee.  Jesus is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think so that He may be glorified in His church.  Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (21) to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

May we as His church glorify God.  The devil will flee.

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Acts 4:21-22 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. (22) For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Though the leaders threatened, beat, imprisoned, and punished the disciples, they could go no further, because of the people.  The people were glorifying God for the miraculous healing that had taken place.

This was what took place with Jesus, repeatedly. Matthew 21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.  This was the reason why they arrested Jesus stealthily, and tried Him in the early hours when most people would be asleep. 

As the Gospel is shared and miraculous signs and wonders take place, it results in a people movement.  Large numbers of people are drawn to Christ and they worship God. 

The healing of blind Bartimaeus caused the people to give praise to God. Luke 18:42-43 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” (43) And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

We see this taking place again and again.  Matthew 9:32-33 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. (33) And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

Great multitudes came to Jesus and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. (31) So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

What was the Lord doing?  He was drawing people to Himself.  He came to seek and save the lost.  He saw people in their true state of weariness and confusion. The Lord desires that people will turn to Him and find rest for their souls. 

Matthew 9:35-38 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (36) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (38) Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

This is what happened with Jesus and now was beginning to happen through His disciples.  The leaders did not want this to take place and so they were threatening, beating, and imprisoning the disciples so that a ‘people movement’ toward Jesus should not take place. 

What took place then is what is happening today.  The leaders of our world, do not want people to turn to Christ and find peace, joy, and fulfilment in life.  Isn’t this strange?

The world talks of giving people a good life but when Christ gives man, the fullness of life, we see such strong resistance from the leaders.  Luke 19:47-48 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, (48) and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Why do leaders want to destroy what is good for everyone?  This is because the god of this age has blinded their minds.  II Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (4) whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

The Lord did not spare the leaders but He came down heavily on them.  Matthew 23:33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? How did the devil have such a grip on leaders?  It is because they gave a foothold to the devil and he has come in and taken control of their lives. John 12:43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

When we give room to ourselves or the appetites of the flesh then the devil will take control of us and he will cause us to go against the things of God.  Let us ensure not to give a foothold to the devil in any area of our lives.  Let us be yielded fully to the Lord for Him to have complete authority over us.

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Acts 4:21-22 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. (22) For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed._

The Apostles were threatened, beaten, and imprisoned for speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus.  Acts 5:40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

All of these trying encounters are the norm for a child of God, who is witnessing Christ.  This is what our Lord told us would happen in the end times.  Mark 13:9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

Since this is to be expected at the end of the age, we must also be warned of deception during these times. Mark 13:5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

The deception will be that we will be saved from these threats, beatings, and imprisonments.  Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. (18) You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

The Lord is permitting these experiences to His church because the Lord is causing us to be His witnesses to the nations.  The task of being His witness was given to His church as His commission.  

Luke 24:46-49 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, (47) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And you are witnesses of these things. (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.”

When His church becomes lackadaisical and lukewarm, the Lord will allow these difficulties to take place in order that the message of Jesus be given to the nations and those who are His elect will be saved. II Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

The Lord desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  God does not want anyone to perish. II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Though the message of Jesus is ringing out across the earth, we know that many will still reject the love of God. Romans 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Persecution against His church is on the rise, worldwide.  The Lord will hear the prayer of His elect and He will avenge but the Lord wants us as His people to continue in faith till the very end and not be troubled by these trials that we go through.  Luke 18:7-8 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?“

The Lord is building us up in the faith through these trials.  I Peter 1:6-9 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (8) whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9) receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls._*

Knowing all these things, let us not be dismayed but be more determined, in Christ, to share the message of Jesus unequivocally with the world.

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Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. (20) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

It is His Holy Spirit who empowers us to speak His words.  Peter and John were so conscious of God’s work that was happening through them and they were full of the power of His Holy Spirit speaking and witnessing Christ through them.  Acts 1:8 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.”

The Apostles were so full assurance as to who they were and to their witness.  I John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— (2) the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— (3) that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

The purpose of their witness was that those who were impacted through them should have the fullness of joy or experience the Shalom of God.  I John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

What is the substance of our witness? 

It is His Holy Spirit who enables us to be His witnesses and we witness His resurrection power operating in us.  Romans 8:10-11 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Our witness is not by words alone but it is by power.  What is the power that we are witnessing?  We are witnessing the resurrection of Jesus in us, which His Holy Spirit makes into a reality in us.  

This work of His Holy Spirit operating in our mortal flesh is the reality of His righteousness that we witness to the world. Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  We, therefore, witness the righteousness of God revealed in mortal flesh through His Holy Spirit.  We cannot be made righteous by our flesh but this is possible only in His Holy Spirit and this is our witness.  

Constantly, we are witnesses of His resurrection.  The Apostles affirmed this repeatedly. Acts 2:32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. / Acts 3:15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. / Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

This witnessing in the power of His Holy Spirit, causes people to turn to Christ.  Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. / Acts 4:4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Not only is there the impact of people turning to Christ, but this witnessing in the power of His Holy Spirit also raises many others to be witnesses.  

Luke, the beloved physician, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, was impacted by the powerful witness of the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, in the lives of many others.  He in turn raised many others, including Theophilus, to be a witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  

Luke 1:1-4 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, (2) just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, (3) it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, (4) that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed._

May the Lord make us just like Peter and John, who were so full of the confidence of their witness.   It was not about them but His Holy Spirit who was witnessing through them the resurrection of Jesus.

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Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. (20) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John could not but speak of Jesus.  This was because they were the children of God.  As His children, they were led by His Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

In being filled and led by the Spirit of God, they did and spoke as they were led by His Holy Spirit.  Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

It was the Acts of His Holy Spirit in the life of the Apostles. They were compelled and driven by His Holy Spirit. Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

For all of us as His people, ought to have the same testimony as that of the Psalmist. II Samuel 23:1-2 Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: (2) “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.

Our tongue must be yielded to God so that the Holy Spirit can always communicate His message through our tongue.  We must ask the Lord to so bless us that we can continuously yield our tongues to His Holy Spirit.  

Imagine, if this would happen among us in His church.  Imagine the change in our conversation, our responses, our reactions, the views that we present and our sharing with one another.  The change would be so dramatic and phenomenal that all of us will experience God’s wonderful presence and ways amongst us.  

It is very important not to resist God when He chooses us and assigns us the task to speak. Jeremiah 1:5-7 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (6) Then said I: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” (7) But the LORD said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

When the Lord places His message and His words we must obey.  Let us not look at our limitations.  The Lord does call us to speak but when we stay adamant and do not become God’s instruments to speak what He has given for us to speak, then the Lord will pass us by and choose another person to do His bidding.  

When we are led by His Holy Spirit and we speak out God’s word in every situation, let us be warned that there will be opposition to God’s word through us.  The Lord has promised that those who oppose us shall not prevail against us, for He is with us.  Jeremiah 1:17-19 “Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. (18) For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land—Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. (19) They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.”

Jeremiah the prophet could not hold back God’s words which God had placed in His heart.  Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

We must know that when we speak out the words God has put in our hearts to speak, there is great strength in His words. Micah 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.

Let us with boldness, speak the message that God has given us to speak as His church for our times.  

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