The Environment For Signs, Wonders And Healings
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed (Acts 5:12-16).
Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed (Acts 5:12-16).
After God had purged His Church of the defilement that was seeking to penetrate the Church through Ananias and Sapphira at the instigation of Satan, the environment was clean for the Holy Spirit to move in signs, wonders and healings.
It is interesting that the Bible says immediately after the purging, “no one else dared to join them...nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
This is not a contradiction. It simply means because of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, no inauthentic people or pretenders dared to associate themselves with the holy thing God was doing in His Church. This also means, the more and more men and women who believed and were added were genuinely desirous of having an encounter with God.
Peter upheld the holy divine standard; God cleansed the Church and the believers sought God with hungry hearts as they met in Solomon’s Colonnade. As a result, spiritually hungry sinners saw the genuineness of the Church and joined by giving their lives to Jesus.
When non-Christians see that God’s people are authentic, they will be attracted to the Church and give their lives to Jesus. Such an environment enables the Holy Spirit to move in signs, wonders and healings among God’s people as the anointing increases.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He desires to move in our lives and in His Church with signs, wonders and healings. The desire of the Holy Spirit has not changed but there must be a genuine hunger for Jesus, a willingness for leadership to confront sin and a hunger for the Church as a whole for righteousness and continued prayer.
You and I hold the key to creating the environment for miracles. We must be hungry for God, pray for the Spirit to manifest His gifts and believe God to move in his sovereign time.
Without the right environment, God cannot do what He desires. Even Jesus could not perform many miracles in His own hometown because of “their lack of faith (Mark 6:5-6).”
God will move when the environment is right! Let’s facilitate the environment for a mighty move of God in our midst.
It is interesting that the Bible says immediately after the purging, “no one else dared to join them...nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
This is not a contradiction. It simply means because of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, no inauthentic people or pretenders dared to associate themselves with the holy thing God was doing in His Church. This also means, the more and more men and women who believed and were added were genuinely desirous of having an encounter with God.
Peter upheld the holy divine standard; God cleansed the Church and the believers sought God with hungry hearts as they met in Solomon’s Colonnade. As a result, spiritually hungry sinners saw the genuineness of the Church and joined by giving their lives to Jesus.
When non-Christians see that God’s people are authentic, they will be attracted to the Church and give their lives to Jesus. Such an environment enables the Holy Spirit to move in signs, wonders and healings among God’s people as the anointing increases.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He desires to move in our lives and in His Church with signs, wonders and healings. The desire of the Holy Spirit has not changed but there must be a genuine hunger for Jesus, a willingness for leadership to confront sin and a hunger for the Church as a whole for righteousness and continued prayer.
You and I hold the key to creating the environment for miracles. We must be hungry for God, pray for the Spirit to manifest His gifts and believe God to move in his sovereign time.
Without the right environment, God cannot do what He desires. Even Jesus could not perform many miracles in His own hometown because of “their lack of faith (Mark 6:5-6).”
God will move when the environment is right! Let’s facilitate the environment for a mighty move of God in our midst.
Prayer: Father, your word declares that if we cleanse ourselves, we will be vessels of honor for you to use. Help me to contribute to a holy environment by continually cleansing myself. Amen.