Tuesday, June 22, 2021
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all. that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Acts 4:32-35
One In Heart and Mind
Prayer - it is an open line to the God of this universe. It is a one-on-one conversation, or a communication between a group of people and the Lord. This coming together in prayer to God as a group, unifies us and brings us together as one. After Peter and John were released from jail and went to their friends and they all entered into a prayer meeting together, they were of one heart and mind. All the believers were one in heart and mind…They were unified in their praise and prayers to God, and that unity extended after the prayer was finished. They were a group working together to spread the gospel, and to take care of one another in the process.
When we are filled with the Spirit, we act like the Spirit. We possess the nature of the Spirit, which is to glorify the Son. In glorifying the Son, in the nature of the Spirit, we will treat others the way the believers in this passage were treating each other - with love and care for one another. They were focused and unified in their purpose and filled with Holy Spirit.
What the best of teaching techniques and the best of inspirational preachers can't do, the Spirit of God can. We can pass on more to people by acting in the Spirit than a sermon can do any day. Real evangelism is not just witnessing, it is God sharing Himself through one person to another. This heartfelt and sincere care for people and their eternal destination will show.…And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all…God’s grace is exactly what we want to impart to a lost world. It is the draw of God’s grace that leads them to salvation.
Those filled with the Spirit pour out the Spirit.
The natural process of things is to spill over when filled up. When it comes to the Holy Spirit, we don’t ever want to just be filled and stop right there. The Holy Spirit inside of us is wonderful, but the purpose of the filling of the Holy Spirit is to overflow that to others around us. He never intended for His Spirit to just fill us to the top and stop. The good news of His mercy and grace and the salvation He has given us, is not ours to keep to ourselves. It is His gift for all, and we are the ones to take it to others who need it. Along with other believers, we need to come together, with a single focus of spreading the gospel, and pray for boldness to carry it out as He has planned. With a lack of knowledge of God and His love, the work of Christ, or the indwelling Spirt how can they believe?
Power and Boldness to Walk Through Anything
Even though they had been threatened not to preach anymore, they didn't stop. They prayed louder, and for boldness to continue to preach the gospel. They prayed for the power and left the rest to God. They didn't pray for God to take the threat away. They prayed for power and boldness to walk through what God had planned for them. I think this is so important to mention because many times, our first request when faced with a threat or difficult circumstances is for God to take it away. They received power when they prayed - through contact with Him. Prayer is the channel, and we too can receive the power to have the boldness to reach others for Christ, and to face whatever comes. He takes care of the details and fills us with His Spirit so we can overflow to others. One on one with Him, and unified with other believers, when we come to Him in prayer, He empowers us to do His work.
