L15 – Let Him Continue...
(31) And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
After we have yielded our all to God and Jesus has poured forth the Baptism of the Holy Spirit upon us, we need to continue to yield our all to God and allow Him to continue to have complete control. Remember, we always have complete control over whether or not He can have complete control of our faculties. He prompts, we yield, He controls.
Facing Persecution:
The Lord Jesus, at work through the disciples via the Holy Spirit, was performing great things in word and deed. The religious leaders were getting upset and concerned because "they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." ( Act_4:2 ) They put them in jail and then brought them before the council to examine them. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, responds. ( Act_4:8-12 ) The elders, not finding anything they could punish them for, commanded them not to speak any longer in the name of Jesus. ( Act_4:18-22 )
Facing persecution and having to make a choice between obeying God or the religious rulers, the disciples got together and with one voice sought God. The first thing they did was look at the scriptures and acknowledge to God that what they were experiencing was in His plan and according to His Will and written Word. ( Act_4:23-28 ) They then made a commitment to continue to follow God and not the commandment of the elders. They also asked for help and asked God to continue to do what He was doing...
Act_4:29-31 ( NASB )
(29) "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
(30) while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."
This is what we should do when we face testing or trials as a result of participating in the work of Jesus Christ though us via the Holy Spirit. We will face such trials. We need to make a decision to allow God to continue to have His control and request Him to continue His work whatever the cost. ( Mat_10:27-33 ) The disciples asked Him to grant to them that they might continue to "speak Your word with all confidence" and He responded, "the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness."
How the disciples responded to their circumstances caused the Work of God via the Holy Spirit to continue in and through their lives. Not all events in our lives are as clear cut as this one. Let's look at challenges that we face that can stop the Work of God in and through our lives.
Snares that Cause God's Work In and Through Us to Be Unfruitful:
(22) "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
There is a danger, during our lives here, for us to partake of the "worry of the world" and/or "the deceitfulness of wealth" , causing us to place our affections on the things of this world instead of God.
The Snare of Everyday Life:
There is a danger of becoming to preoccupied with the everyday details of life and place them before our relationship to the Lord. Everyday life is not intended to distract us, but it can. Having confidence in our Heavenly Father to supply our needs protects us from worry over our needs being met. This trust in God keeps us from trying to provide for ourselves in excess and take to ourselves the burden of care for things which we have no control over. Our Trust in Him also provides for us the opportunity to give attention to the matters we do have control over. ( Mat_6:19-34 ; Phi_4:4-13 )
The Snare of Relationships:
There is a danger of placing our relationships with others before our relationship with the Lord. ( Mat_22:37-40 ) God wants us to love Him first and then have loving relationships with all those around us. If we are not careful to keep God first, our hearts can be drawn away by other relationships. ( 1Ki_11:4 ; Jam_4:4 ; 1Jo_2:15-16 )
The Snare of Possessions:
The bounty and blessing of earthly things from God is for us to enjoy and fulfill our needs during our life here on earth. We must never become too attached to this life or the possessions we have been entrusted with. Everything here is temporary and transient. Being content with what we have protects us from covetousness and discontentment. ( 1Ti_6:6-12 ) Being thankful to God for all things and in all things keeps us in the correct place spiritually and acknowledges Him as our source for all benefit, blessing, strength, provision, protection, etc. ( Eph_5:20 ; Col_3:14-15 ; 1Th_5:18 )
The Snare of Spiritual Apathy and Complacency:
Our hearts passion and love for the Lord can grow cold. We can go through the mechanics of being disciples of Christ, but have our hearts be somewhere else. ( Rev_2:1-5 ) We can also become non-committal and indifferent, not deciding either way what we are going to do or who we are going follow, because life has allowed us to remain in the middle. ( Jos_24:14-15 ; Jer_29:13 ; Rev_3:14-19 )
The Snare of Spiritual Pride and Arrogance:
If we are not extremely careful, we might end up taking credit for things that God does in and through us via the Holy Spirit. Jesus, when called, "Good Teacher" ( Mar_10:17 ) responded by saying, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." ( Mar_10:18 ) Paul stated that, "there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!" ( 2Co_12:7 ) This speaks to the danger of such things. Our weakness and frailty is our greatest gift and protection against this. Paul said that he rejoiced in his weaknesses and that they forced him to be utterly dependent upon God's strength, and he who's strength is from God, is strong indeed! ( 2Co_12:8-10 )
The Snare of Spiritual Selfishness:
I, Me, My, Mine. That is what the world teaches. In God's Kingdom it is the opposite. If you want to get, you give. ( Pro_11:24 ; Luk_6:38 ) The way up is down. ( Luk_14:11 ) The most subtle form of selfishness is found in the church. It is that form that does good for God and others, but under the surface is for self. Spiritual power, blessing and good deeds without Love is as empty an annoying as a car horn to those around us, and it profits us nothing. A dangerous snare. ( 1Co_13:1-13 )
Conclusion:
We must come to a place in our everyday lives where we can say with Paul, we live, yet we don't live, but Christ lives within us and our lives are hid with Christ in God. ( Gal_2:20 ; Col_3:3 )
The Holy Spirit's presence within us makes this possible, only if we continue to yield ourselves to His rulership of our lives and continue to live in utter dependence upon Him.
We have been entrusted with the true riches ( Luk_16:10-13 ) of eternal life and we are going to be held accountable to God for our lives here on earth. ( Ecc_12:13-14 ; Mat_12:36 ; Rom_14:11-12 ; 1Co_3:1-23 ; 1Co_9:24-27 ; Phi_3:7-21 ; Heb_9:27 ; Heb_13:17 ; Rev_20:11-15 )
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