He's Got Your Back

As I meditated on today’s passage for this message: It became very clear to me that this deacon Stephen (full of faith and the Holy Spirit) understood what Jesus was saying in

Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Power – The Grk word dunamis [doo-nam-is] means miraculous power. (The kind of power we can have to say, “honey, I’m sorry or forgive them Father.”) Or the kind of power that Wes Hatch has to say “I don’t have much time on this earth but that is ok.” When I went to see Wes I asked all the ministerial questions to see if he was OK with his prognosis. He is. His concern is for people in the church who only think they are saved.

You will be my Witnesses- The same name Jesus gives himself as martyr He gives to those of us who are faithful followers and willing not only to die for Him but to begin by dying to ourselves and to our fleshly desires that enslave us and be filled by and listen to His Holy Spirit.

You need to know that Stephen didn’t go to Jerusalem Bible College or to seminary.

Stephen should be our model regarding the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us, teach us and remind us what to say, how to live Godly lives using the Holy Spirit’s power, and how to die!

Stephen’s story in Acts 6 and 7 bears witness to the power the dunamis of the Holy Spirit in His life.

He was strong in the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit guided him and reminded him of everything he needed to say to the Sanhedrin.

As a matter of fact because he had done his part in study and learning under the apostles that his Jewish opponents in debate could not refute him.

They who had all the power were powerless. Why? Because Stephen had the paraclete the powerful person of the Holy Spirit covering his back and they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke (Acts 6:10) as he argued that Jesus was the Messiah.

Christians are you here today still believing that you are powerless, that you need the world’s resources to cover your back and refusing to witness for Christ because evangelism scares you?

Then we need to let the self go- and the Spirit cover our back!

These Sanhedrin conspired secretly against Stephen and got false witnesses to say that he was a blasphemer against Moses and God (Acts 6:11). Yet they could not deny that when they looked at Stephen what they saw was the face of an angel (Acts 6:15). Chapter 7 is living proof of Jesus’ promise that He would send the Counselor and the Counselor would guide us into and remind us of all truth. Stephen’s knowledge and accuracy of the Scripture is simply flawless and eloquent.

In Acts 7:51-54 Stephen points out to these the synagogue of the freedman (actually they are the synagogue of satan) the difference between them and the Christians. “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.” “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.”