“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized
that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took
note that these men had been with Jesus” Act 4:13.
As Christians we rarely face situations when our spoken faith in Christ Jesus could end our lives. The passage above was just that as the rulers, elders and high priest demanded to know some information from Peter and John. This confrontation happened as a result of Peter and John healing a crippled man. The confronters asked in whose name the man was healed. Boldly and unapologetically, Peter spoke up in one of the most courageous phrases penned. ‘If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.’ Acts 4:9-10. Now that is spiritual courage! These men who had Peter and John’s lives in their hands stood amazed by the men’s courage. It was obvious that the two men had received a portion of the power and authority of Jesus Christ. The group of men associated their power with their association with Jesus.
If Peter and John possessed the power of a resurrected Jesus Christ, don’t we also have access to the same? Once we become Christians the spirit of God is placed within us but that is not enough. We must associate with Jesus, not just think about Him. The miraculous acts performed by Peter and John were performed in the name and power of Jesus. They called on this because they knew how to access the mind of Jesus since they hung out with Him for over 3 years.
We will never be filled with the power and authority of Christ until we begin sharing fellowship with Jesus. Thinking of Him and praying to Him is not the kind of fellowship that accesses total power. True fellowship is walking with Him during the day…watching for His activity and joining Him … giving Him the time and space to speak to us. When thinking of my marriage, if we only spent time together when we needed something from each other I doubt our marriage would grow. But a healthy relationship is one walked out in the joyful…the tearful…the calm…the rocky…the boring and the exciting. The same is essential with our relationship with Jesus. It is sharing every detail of our life with the One who is in charge of our life. Once we begin living in constant communion with Christ people will ‘take note that we have been with Jesus.’
As Christians we rarely face situations when our spoken faith in Christ Jesus could end our lives. The passage above was just that as the rulers, elders and high priest demanded to know some information from Peter and John. This confrontation happened as a result of Peter and John healing a crippled man. The confronters asked in whose name the man was healed. Boldly and unapologetically, Peter spoke up in one of the most courageous phrases penned. ‘If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.’ Acts 4:9-10. Now that is spiritual courage! These men who had Peter and John’s lives in their hands stood amazed by the men’s courage. It was obvious that the two men had received a portion of the power and authority of Jesus Christ. The group of men associated their power with their association with Jesus.
If Peter and John possessed the power of a resurrected Jesus Christ, don’t we also have access to the same? Once we become Christians the spirit of God is placed within us but that is not enough. We must associate with Jesus, not just think about Him. The miraculous acts performed by Peter and John were performed in the name and power of Jesus. They called on this because they knew how to access the mind of Jesus since they hung out with Him for over 3 years.
We will never be filled with the power and authority of Christ until we begin sharing fellowship with Jesus. Thinking of Him and praying to Him is not the kind of fellowship that accesses total power. True fellowship is walking with Him during the day…watching for His activity and joining Him … giving Him the time and space to speak to us. When thinking of my marriage, if we only spent time together when we needed something from each other I doubt our marriage would grow. But a healthy relationship is one walked out in the joyful…the tearful…the calm…the rocky…the boring and the exciting. The same is essential with our relationship with Jesus. It is sharing every detail of our life with the One who is in charge of our life. Once we begin living in constant communion with Christ people will ‘take note that we have been with Jesus.’
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