Success Follows Cleansing

1. One might think that after the dramatic deaths of Ananias and Sapphira many would have hesitated to become involved with the Christian church ö however, just the opposite occurred. Instead of the judgment creating panic, the church experienced an extraordinary period of success. The growth of the church was never better as the gospel went forth with great power.

Let us remember that contrary to popular opinion, God’s ways are always perfect and He knows what the church needs to make it successful.

Ask the Lord to help you learn from correction so that your fellowship can experience the best of Godâs blessings, growth and success.

2. Cleansing was necessary for the church to rid itself of any vestiges of greed, avarice or selfish ambitions. No doubt the sinister element in the church suddenly became aware that any signs of deception would meet with Godâs wrath. Thankfully, the believers humbled themselves and used this experience to help make the church better rather than bitter.

Trust the Lord to help all of your members to learn how to get better rather than bitter from every God given discipline.

3. Great fear came upon all as a result of the cleansing from God. Sometimes God chooses to use swift measures of adversity in order to warn us from committing sins of deception. The Lord knows that an ounce of preventative medicine is worth a ton of curative treatment.

Ask the Lord to help you grow in your fear and reverence for the Lord as result of chastening experiences.

4. A trimming of the fat is often necessary for success in the church to happen. Often God will remove elements of slander, greed, clamor, lust, abuse, malice, envy, jealousy or complacency in order to make the church more spiritually successful.

Do not be surprised if those who appear to be humanly successful are dealt with by God so they can find their success in Biblical values. Ask God to help your people learn the meaning of Biblical success.

5. Success in the church often comes after there is confession of sin and a rededication to Godâs purposes. Now that the believers were aware of Godâs high standards they genuinely approach Him with greater contrition and commitment to His high moral standards.

Ask the Lord to help your fellowship experience periods of confession and rededication to Godâs purposes, priorities and moral standards.

6. Success in the church only happens when people of Godliness are in leadership. The Lord wanted to purged the fellowship of any persons who might seek leadership who could not meet the qualifications of I Timothy 3:1-6.

Ask the Lord to help you find and keep Godly leaders in all areas of your fellowship.

7. Success in the church only came as a direct result of the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual prosperity cannot be manufactured by human efforts.

Ask God to give you the patience to wait on His blessings.

8. Success in the church came as a result of spiritual, social and physical healing. The apostles gave particular attention to the ministry of healing so the love of God could be communicated in terms everyone could appreciate. Never limit the ways that the church can bring about success through healing ministries.

Ask God to give you the kinds of people who are blessed with talents, callings and gifts in these areas.

9. Success in the church came with signs and wonders as a result of the sanctified fellowship. A part of being cleansed is the act of consecrating oneself to the service of Godâs purposes. God only works through clean vessels. If necessary, ask the Lord to help your people to confess their sins privately or publicly to experience the benefits of a sanctified, cleansed and pure fellowship.

Success breeds success as the cities all around Jerusalem embraced Christ.

Trust God for ways to multiply your success to other fellowships as evidence of what is possible with the Spirit’s cleansing power.