Theme scripture

Acts 4:13-16 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it”.

 

The Lesson

Oftentimes we lose sight of the fact that our spirituality; our identity as Christians must reflect not only by us professing we are Christians but in our utterances, in our actions or conduct and in the way we carry ourselves.

What is your evidence of having been with Jesus? We go about telling people that we are Christians but there’s nothing that suggests that we truly are. For most people it is just a check in the box – but what really shows that you have been with the master?

It is about time that we walk the talk and that we carry the aura of the Master – it must be sensed, it must be seen, it must be felt by the people around us, so much so that we do not need to tell them we are Christians. But by us opening our mouths; by our actions or the way we carry ourselves, they should be able to tell that we are Christians – that we have been with the Master.

Now think about this carefully – When do you think was the last time that someone looked at you and thought to themselves this is a Christian? This is something we need to reflect on. This is something we need to think about. We go about our daily lives and this important thing does not occur to us. We’ve lost consciousness of the fact that we need to represent Jesus and represent him well. We need to move from being comfortable just expressing the fact that we are Christians to a point where it reflects in our lives. We need to move from that point of stagnation. For some of us we have been at the same level for years – we have not grown spiritually- it’s like we are at the same spot marking time in our spiritual walk.

But let’s have a look at Peter and John and the signs that people saw that made them say that they had been with Jesus. The Bible says the people understood that Peter and John were uneducated and ignorant but they were amazed by their confidence in teaching, their confidence in the way they carried themselves, in the miracles they were performing and their confidence in speaking about Jesus. For some of us Christians no one can look at what we do and say we are Christians. We are not teaching anybody the word, we are not performing signs and wonders, we are not doing anything! But the scripture is the standard and the standard is that once you have been with the Master then people must testify to it. What can people testify to about you? That you have a foul mouth? That you say you are Christian?

For Peter and John, they were not educated but just by being with Jesus they spoke like learned people and that is the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. You do not need formal education – the Holy Spirit has that ability to teach. John 14: 26 says “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you”. So the Holy Spirit has that ability. So let us make it a point to fellowship – fellowship with the Holy Spirit; let us commune with the Holy Spirit. Also, let us study the word – that is the only way that we can grow and it is the only way that we can speak with the boldness of Peter and John. Just as we eat to feed our physical bodies it is the same way we need to feed on the word to grow spiritually. We cannot continue to feed our physical beings and leave our spiritual beings behind. So if we want to grow, we need to be serious with the Word – let us start – let us have the discipline – let us take the Bible and read every day. You can start small – one verse, then one chapter a day, then two, and that’s how you grow!

1 John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. So we see that the Word is God. So being with the Word, reading the Word is actually being with Jesus – it is being with God – It is communing with the Holy Spirit. So this is how we get that boldness- this is how the Holy Spirit teaches us – through the Word! Once the Word registers in your spirit you become more spiritually sensitive, especially to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4: 14-16 says “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it”. 

Another thing that shows that we have been with Jesus or that we are his Children or followers is in the operation of spiritual giftings. 1 Corinthians 12:1 says “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. As Christians’ we are not supposed to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. We must know them and we must operate in them. Verse 8 continues to say “for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills”.

What we need to do is to register our desire for these gifts by praying for them. These are the sort of prayers that pleases the Master. Trust me when you have these gifts, you don’t need to be praying for material things all the time because by the operation of these gifts, you will have the tools to navigate life. 1 Corinthians 14:1 says “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy”. So let us desire the spiritual gifts. 

Another thing we learn from our theme scripture is the power of fellowship. At the beginning of Acts 3 we read that Peter and John healed the lame man, as they were on their way to the temple to pray. Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend”. Matthew 18:20 says “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them”. Ecc 4: 9-12 also says Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. What we learn from all these scriptures is that when we fellowship together, we build each other up. It is therefore important for you to fellowship with your brethren so that you get all the spiritual support that you need. There are people in church who know more than you know. They have deeper revelation than you, they operate more spiritual gifts than you. Draw close to these “irons” in the faith and be sharpened so that you do not need to tell us you are a Christian; we will see it just by observing you – your lifestyle, your utterances, etc. 

I hope you have been blessed and more importantly challenged to move your spirituality up a notch. Turn on the heat and pursue these things we have spoken about. I pray that a holy agitation is provoked in your spirit so you can begin to yearn a deeper fellowship with your Lord and Saviour Jesus and get to know Him more. I pray that you get to the point where people can testify that you have been with the Master. He is waiting for you. Speak to Him!

 

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I yearn for a deeper relationship with you. I want my walk with you to be backed by evidence – evidence that I have been with the Master. Give me an appetite for your Word. Lord, I want to operate the spiritual giftings that you promised for those who desire them – pour out your spirit upon me that I may see visions, dream dreams, prophesy and operate in the miraculous. Set me on fire so that I may bring people to the Faith. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen

 

Now go ahead and pick up that Bible and commune with your maker!