LOOK:

Warren Wiersbe astutely points out that “the early church had none of the ‘advantages’ that some ministries boast of and depend on today.” They did not have big budgets provided by wealthy donors. Their pastors lacked credentials from the accepted schools, nor did they have the endorsement of the influential political leaders of that day. Most of their ministers had jail records and would probably have a hard time today joining our churches, let alone leading them.” What they had going for them was their understanding that they had the power of the Holy Spirit and their marching orders to go tell the good news in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. So they prayed to that end regularly in spite of opposition. Satan has been trying to silence God’s people from the beginning, and we are playing into his hands when we become “silent witnesses” of God’s church.

Challenge Application: I have asked you to pray for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit each day since beginning the study of Acts. I now have an addendum: enable me to speak boldly in the name of Jesus to share the good news. Our prayer closet may not shake like the room did when the apostles prayed, but be assured – God has our transcript, and He has a vested interest in assisting us to effectively share the Good News. So let’s go do it for HIS GLORY.

LOOK:

If we’re going to be effective ministers in God’s Kingdom, then we need to follow the lead of Peter and John. They appropriated the power and authority given to them through the Holy Spirit to express compassion to a lame man. They were able to look beyond the physical need of the lame man and invited him to have faith in the name of Jesus to be healed.

They also didn’t hesitate to leverage the opportunity to see a Jewish crowd filled with wonder  and amazement and share the good news with them. Peter and John made sure that the Jewish people heard a message of hope. It was not too late to repent and turn to Jesus who was spoken of by all of the prophets.

Do you really live with a strong awareness that you have the power and authority to make the Kingdom of God a better place to live? Do you see that what we have to offer, i.e. the Good News and the power to invite healing in the name of Jesus, is something an unbeliever can’t offer? If we see someone hungry, both a believer and a non-believer can hand out food, but what separates us from the unbeliever is our ability by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to offer someone a message that offers them eternal life in Jesus. You and I are the ones who are in position to do that. So we need to step it up!

Challenge: “As we are going,” let’s pray that this week God prompts us to show compassion to someone in need and introduce them to the spiritual or emotional or physical healing that is available in the name of Jesus. I have no idea how that will look, but I believe if our hearts are truly yielded to the Spirit’s prompting, the Lord will put us in the right place at the right time to bring about the result He desires through us. Just be committed to be available to be used at all times. Please keep praying for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.

LOOK:

It’s hard to read such an inspiring picture of how powerfully the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and not wonder if we’re missing something. I think we all understand that every believer has the same Holy Spirit we just read about living inside each of us.

God’s Word tells us in Eph 5:18 to be “filled with the Spirit” because we need His power constantly if we are to serve God effectively. This is a request we should be making daily. So the first application is to incorporate into your prayer life the request to have a fresh filling of the Spirit.

The second application requires a viewpoint that the Holy Spirit would love for you to ask Him to be involved in all of your endeavors. Picture the Holy Spirit waiting each day for you to ask Him to empower you. Are we willing to yield to the Spirit every day? Will we allow Him to have all the spiritual space in our lives He wants? So here’s the suggestion: Not only pray daily for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, but specifically ask Him to completely involved in every phone conversation, every meeting, every encounter you have, every email you write. Anticipate his power being released through you!

LOOK:

God has given each of us His authority AND His power through the sealing of the Holy Spirit for each believer. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a gift in order to fulfill the Great Commission. But instead of focusing on possible shortcomings, I would like to focus on how the Holy Spirit is moving among our group right now. So here’s the question:

Q: As you have been processing this lesson, what do you find yourself thirsting for or desiring? Since we invited the Holy Spirit to have free reign in our heart, mind, soul, and spirit, I am going to trust that He is going to show us how He wants to lead us. However we answer this will inform our prayer time as we close today’s lesson.