If it’s of God...
Acts 5:38-39
The setting of the text is at a time of great excitement in the life of the church and the disciples. Pentecostal power had recently exploded on the 120 in the upper room, and thousand’s of folks had been getting saved on a daily basis. Sick people were being healed, and demons were being cast out. The empowerment of the Spirit had definitely made its mark on those who had received it.
Bible says in V.12 that the apostles were performing many miraculous signs/wonders among the people. They would meet in a place called Solomon’s porch (Colonade). *This area had become a meeting place of miracles. For, in 3:11 it was the place where Peter & John held to the lame man that was healed while all the people came running to them in amazement at what they had just witnessed. It was where the believers would meet up and listen to the wonderful word of God, while their sick and demon possessed were being delivered/set free. As a matter of fact, V.16 says crowds began to gather from towns around Jerusalem, bringing those who were bound with these physical/spiritual afflictions, and ALL of them were healed.
After a while the high priest and all his associates began to be filled with jealousy. They didn’t want this sort of change because they felt threatened. This stuff went totally beyond their belief systems; they couldn’t comprehend all that was going on. Not to mention the fact that these apostles, who was labeled as ’ignorant and unlearned men’, were doing things for the Lord, that was bringing Him praise/glory, instead of the Sanhedrin.
So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But suddenly, during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors and got them out, saying "Go stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life". So at daybreak, they entered the temple courts and did as they were told.
When the high priest arrived, he called for the Sanhedrin to meet together so they could decide what to do about the apostles. He wanted to get rid of them for good. But when they went to get them out of the jail for the trial, they were gone. The jail was securely locked, and the guards were standing at the doors, but no one was inside. They soon found out that these crazy preachers were in the temple courts declaring the word of the Lord.
They immediately went and got the apostles and brought them before the Sanhedrin, saying "We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of Jesus, but you have done it anyway". Peter & the apostles: "We must obey God rather than men!" *When they heard this, they were furious and decided to put them to death.
There was one Pharisee however who didn’t think this was such a good idea. His name was Gamaliel. He was greatly respected amongst the high council for his wisdom. (teacher of Saul) He was so highly respected that he gained the attention of the Sanhedrin, which was something usually only the High Priest could do. *He had the apostles taken outside for a while, so he could talk about them/this situation in privacy. "We need to carefully consider what we are going to do to these men. You remember when the man named Theudas appeared, claiming to be a real somebody, and about 400 people followed him. It wasn’t long and he was killed and his people dispersed, and his work came to nothing. Remember Judas the Galilean? He appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in a revolt. He too was killed and his people scattered. Therefore in the present case I advise you to leave these men alone and let them go. For, if their purpose/activity if of the flesh, it will fail. But if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop these men anyway. All you’ll be doing is finding yourself fighting against God!"
As I read this, I began to think about our present state of a church. We are here in aticipation of a great revival, of a great awakening, of a great outpouring, a great move from Heaven. And I’ve got to tell you, it’s not only coming, but it has already started. There is a sensation of his presence that is beginning to fill this house, and we better jump in while we can!
But when we get to thinking about wanting revival, we think about wanting to see more people come, anointed singing/preaching, altars filled, etc. And no doubt the fruit of revival is souls. But in the midst of all that, there are manifestations of God that transpire. No, they’re not what you’d typically see, they’re not common to our every church service, but it is the HG of God showing himself to all of us.
When it comes to manifestations, it is easy to immediately say, "that can’t be God. God doesn’t do that stuff". But ask yourself, when did Jesus ever do anything ordinary in the Bible? (1)made mud-blind man’s eyes, (2)told a leper to present himself to the high priest: something unheard of. (3)cast demons into a bunch of pigs, (4)took 5 loaves/2 fish fed 5000+ people, (5)he rose from the dead for crying out loud!
But what about the falling out, the shaking/quivering, speaking in tongues, dancing, etc. Let me give you some Biblical examples of these types of manifestations in the Bible:
(1)John 18-soldiers came looking for Jesus, "who do you seek?" "Jesus of Nazareth", "I am he", they fell down backwards, (2)Acts 9- Saul of Tarsus, upon coming into the presence of Jesus, he fell to the ground and began to hear the voice of the Lord, (3)Rev.1, while in the spirit on the Lord’s day, John saw the Lord in his glory, and V.17 says he fell down as dead, (4)Acts 2-tongues of fire physically set upon them each, a loud sound of a rushing/mighty wind, outsiders thought they were drunk, (5)Acts 10-Peter at Cornelius’ house, preaching and in middle of his sermon Cornelius’ & others there were filled with the HG: knew it because they heard them speak in tongues & praise God, (6)Acts 19-Ephesian believers... receive ye the HG, spoke in tongues/prophesied, (7)Acts 3:8-lame man was jumping & walking, (8)2 Chron. 5:14-glory cloud of the Lord was so great the priests could not stand up anymore to do their ministry, (9)Ezek. 44:4-while being shown the temple of God, the glory of the Lord filled the house and Ez. fell down on his face, (10)Acts 4:31, after a prayer meeting the bldg. began to shake, (11)1 Sam. 19:23-24 "Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But spirit of God came upon him and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He LAY that way all that day and night...", (12)Dan. 10, he saw a great vision, V.8 says he had no strength left, and his face turned deathly pale and he was helpless. Then he heard the Lord speak, and while listening he fell into a deep sleep and his face hit the ground. After this a hand touched him and set him trembling on his hands and knees.
**And even in the modern days of revival, many of these same manifestations have transpired: Welsch, Azusa, Brownsville, Toronto, Smithton, Russellville, etc.
Why would God do these things? What’s the purpose? (1)tongues-speak to his people, to show that he has dominion over the tongue which no man can tame, (2)fall out-rest in his presence, body comes into such close contact to his glory it can’t even stand up, (3)shake/tremble-again, in close presence of the Lord, in light of our human failures we are in the presence of a perfect/holy God, (4)laughing spirit-let the joy of the Lord become present inside those who have been full of hurts/pains... (5)Often he will even perform these manifestations in people just so they can clearly know that he is real, and his power is real, and to prove the skeptics wrong!
Let me clear something up: manifestations don’t make you any more holy than the next guy. and I shouldn’t necessarily be seeking just after a manifestation. However, if they happen, I shouldn’t be fighting against it. I should just release myself and let him do his work. *And if you are resistant because you don’t want folks to talk about you, when the spirit of God takes over your body/mind, you won’t care one bit what everyone else is saying.
