A Faith That is All Shook Up
Acts 4:29-31 NLT
And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
I heard a story about a train traveling through the night in a very violent rainstorm. The lightning flashes were almost blinding, the rain hitting the windows was deafening and the strong gust winds rocked the train from side to side. When the lightening flashed and lighted up the darkness, the passengers could see the rising water along the tracks. This created terror in the minds of the passengers. Several passengers noted that through all the noise, lightening and wind, one of the passengers, a little girl, seemed to be at perfect peace. The adult passengers couldn’t figure out why the little girl was so calm during all this excitement. Finally, one passenger asked her, “How is that you can be so calm when all the rest of us are so worried about what might or could happen?” The little passenger smiled and said, “My father is the engineer.”...
Our faith must be radically secure in whom we are believing.
I. Must clearly state who we believe…
Acts 4:10-12 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
There was no question that Peter and John knew Jesus.
The question is; “How can we know that we are in Jesus?”
Galatians 5:22-24 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Those who belong to Christ have done what? nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Galatians 6:14 NLT As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
It is not always by what I say, but it is always by the way I live that shows who I have my faith & belief in.
II. It puts God & His Word first no matter what…
Acts 4:19-20 NLT but Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
This was not human arrogance; this was a persuaded heart that he must deliver this gospel no matter the cost!
Matthew 6:33 God says He has got our back!
Matthew 4:4 NLT Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
We can do without a lot of the stuff we grown accustom to or even spoiled to have, but we cannot live without God & His Word.
Disciples were ridiculed, beat, whipped, stoned, & left for dead. They never backed off from the mission of Jesus.
Hebrews 12:4 NLT After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
Not one person in here knows anyone who has given their life in the struggle against sin. We sure not anyone here has or you wouldn’t be here.
III. Its not a one time filling…
Acts 4:29-31 NLT And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
After just speaking with all boldness & courage anyone could want, we find him at prayer with other believers crying out for God to give them great boldness to preach the word.
Elijah standing against 850 false prophets & all Israel called out to God & the power of God fell & destroyed the enemy.
He prophesied the rain to stop & it did for 3 yrs.
But yet Jezebel threatens him & he runs. He got still where he could once again receive that anointing to do God’s work.
Mark 16:15-20 NLT “And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.
Conclusion:
Where is your faith at today?
• It takes Faith to believe Jesus did what He said He did!
• It takes Faith to follow the commands of the Word of God!
• It takes Faith to begin to do the things the Word of God says we should!
• It takes Faith to commit to the Vision of this ministry & follow where it may take us!
Hebrews 11:6 NLT But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
