Acts 6:10
"And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he
spake."
There it was in Acts 5:33- those who heard the gospel were cut to the
heart. I recall it again in Acts chapter 2. The crowd was pricked in the
heart at the hearing of the word. Of course the results were polar
opposites. One group wanted to know more, and one group wanted to stone
the messengers.
There was,however, another uniting factor. The message of the gospel
could not be resisted.
Why? Acts 6:10 tells us the hearers in yet another witnessing
opportunity could not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he
spake.
At first glance one would assume it to be directly the Holy Ghost or
Holy Spirit that could not be resisted. A closer look reveals in fact
this spirit, being written with a lower cased 's', indicates something
else.
He, in this case, Stephen, whom the bible declares as "full of faith,
and of the Holy Ghost" and "full of faith and power",is undeniably under
the influence of the Spirit of God. It is his human spirit,however, in
recognition of the voice of the Spirit of God,that enables him to speak
with wisdom. He also spoke with spirit-with passion and enthusiasm. It
was this passion corded with wisdom, that was irresistible.
Many christians claim to be Spirit-filled, yet they lack spirit. The
Holy Spirit is a leader and guider, not a pusher or prodder. It takes
passionate interest in Christ to be effective- in this walk and our
witness.
Stephen was FULL of faith. Full indicates no room for anything else.
Faith births passion,and passion births power. Stephen was FULL of the
Holy Ghost (Spirit). Again, he made room for nothing else, but the
Spirit of God.
Stephen's passion or spiritedness, if you will,was his link to divine
wisdom. Who can resist such a thing coupled with the gospel?
Acts 6:4 shows that the apostles gave themselves continually to much
prayer and ministry of the word-they continually prayed and read the
word. They made no room for nothing else unapproved by the Spirit of
God.
What non-edifying things are we making room for? What is rendering us
less effective and easier to resist?
Prayerfully, once we identify and resist those things, God's message
will,from us, be simply irresistible.
-Chantel
"Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in good
health, even as thy soul continually prospers" 1 John 3:2
"And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he
spake."
There it was in Acts 5:33- those who heard the gospel were cut to the
heart. I recall it again in Acts chapter 2. The crowd was pricked in the
heart at the hearing of the word. Of course the results were polar
opposites. One group wanted to know more, and one group wanted to stone
the messengers.
There was,however, another uniting factor. The message of the gospel
could not be resisted.
Why? Acts 6:10 tells us the hearers in yet another witnessing
opportunity could not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he
spake.
At first glance one would assume it to be directly the Holy Ghost or
Holy Spirit that could not be resisted. A closer look reveals in fact
this spirit, being written with a lower cased 's', indicates something
else.
He, in this case, Stephen, whom the bible declares as "full of faith,
and of the Holy Ghost" and "full of faith and power",is undeniably under
the influence of the Spirit of God. It is his human spirit,however, in
recognition of the voice of the Spirit of God,that enables him to speak
with wisdom. He also spoke with spirit-with passion and enthusiasm. It
was this passion corded with wisdom, that was irresistible.
Many christians claim to be Spirit-filled, yet they lack spirit. The
Holy Spirit is a leader and guider, not a pusher or prodder. It takes
passionate interest in Christ to be effective- in this walk and our
witness.
Stephen was FULL of faith. Full indicates no room for anything else.
Faith births passion,and passion births power. Stephen was FULL of the
Holy Ghost (Spirit). Again, he made room for nothing else, but the
Spirit of God.
Stephen's passion or spiritedness, if you will,was his link to divine
wisdom. Who can resist such a thing coupled with the gospel?
Acts 6:4 shows that the apostles gave themselves continually to much
prayer and ministry of the word-they continually prayed and read the
word. They made no room for nothing else unapproved by the Spirit of
God.
What non-edifying things are we making room for? What is rendering us
less effective and easier to resist?
Prayerfully, once we identify and resist those things, God's message
will,from us, be simply irresistible.
-Chantel
"Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in good
health, even as thy soul continually prospers" 1 John 3:2
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