Post by Zac Loh on Dec 2, 2008 6:58:37 GMT -5
Believe In Miracles
Acts 1:2 – 2:47
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.” (Acts 1:8)
At the very beginning, Jesus had laid down the principal way of evangelism: by the Holy Spirit’s power. We cannot substitute this way because we do not have power in our Christian experience. We cannot substitute this way for the lack of power.
Jesus substantiated the good news of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven - the gospel - by miracles, signs and wonders.
Even in one-to-one evangelism, Jesus was helped by supernatural knowledge: He ministered to the Samaritan woman by the well through the gift of the word of knowledge. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed, and later, even more came and believed. (John 4:3-41; 1 Corinthians 12:1-8)
Jesus’ statement which most Christians called The Great Commission included these words: `And these signs will follow those who believe.’ (read Mark 16:15-18).
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— (Acts 2:22)
If Jesus was attested by God to the people by miracles, wonders and signs …don’t we need the same …or even more?
Like it is often said, “no argument can win over an experience.”
People are looking for the supernatural, they are looking into the spiritual, and they want a powerful experience from God.
Should the church, then, be devoid of power? Should the church remain incapable of functioning in the realm of the spirit, by the power of the Holy Spirit?
Obeying The Specific Directive Of The Holy Spirit
until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (Acts 1:2)
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (Acts 1:4)
The disciples obeyed the directive of the Holy Spirit to wait at Jerusalem. And the power came.
My friend Wilson shared how he struggled to obey the Holy Spirit in delivering the message that God wants in a church service at Philippines.
He argued with the Holy Spirit. Yet he finally relented.
After the message was delivered, there was such a marvelous move of the Holy Spirit, and people were touched by the power of God.
Atmosphere Of Miracles
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (Acts 2:46)
One necessary ingredient for miracles; is the atmosphere of miracles.
What causes the atmosphere of miracles?
It is the simplicity of heart.
May our heart be simple to the fact that GOD IS WHO HE IS, AND HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO.
It’s time to get away from the sophistication and complication which arises from an unbelieving heart!
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
We sometimes struggle. Are we the one adding to the church? It has to be as it was written in Acts 2:47. God is the One. It has to be God. We are only to co-operate with Him. He has more desire to add to the church than we do.
“Lord, how can I co-operate with You?”
This is the question we must ask.
Acts 1:2 – 2:47
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.” (Acts 1:8)
At the very beginning, Jesus had laid down the principal way of evangelism: by the Holy Spirit’s power. We cannot substitute this way because we do not have power in our Christian experience. We cannot substitute this way for the lack of power.
Jesus substantiated the good news of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven - the gospel - by miracles, signs and wonders.
Even in one-to-one evangelism, Jesus was helped by supernatural knowledge: He ministered to the Samaritan woman by the well through the gift of the word of knowledge. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed, and later, even more came and believed. (John 4:3-41; 1 Corinthians 12:1-8)
Jesus’ statement which most Christians called The Great Commission included these words: `And these signs will follow those who believe.’ (read Mark 16:15-18).
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— (Acts 2:22)
If Jesus was attested by God to the people by miracles, wonders and signs …don’t we need the same …or even more?
Like it is often said, “no argument can win over an experience.”
People are looking for the supernatural, they are looking into the spiritual, and they want a powerful experience from God.
Should the church, then, be devoid of power? Should the church remain incapable of functioning in the realm of the spirit, by the power of the Holy Spirit?
Obeying The Specific Directive Of The Holy Spirit
until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (Acts 1:2)
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (Acts 1:4)
The disciples obeyed the directive of the Holy Spirit to wait at Jerusalem. And the power came.
My friend Wilson shared how he struggled to obey the Holy Spirit in delivering the message that God wants in a church service at Philippines.
He argued with the Holy Spirit. Yet he finally relented.
After the message was delivered, there was such a marvelous move of the Holy Spirit, and people were touched by the power of God.
Atmosphere Of Miracles
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (Acts 2:46)
One necessary ingredient for miracles; is the atmosphere of miracles.
What causes the atmosphere of miracles?
It is the simplicity of heart.
May our heart be simple to the fact that GOD IS WHO HE IS, AND HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO.
It’s time to get away from the sophistication and complication which arises from an unbelieving heart!
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
We sometimes struggle. Are we the one adding to the church? It has to be as it was written in Acts 2:47. God is the One. It has to be God. We are only to co-operate with Him. He has more desire to add to the church than we do.
“Lord, how can I co-operate with You?”
This is the question we must ask.