Our freedom
in Christ is not for our personal gain, it was never meant for us to use it as
a tool against others or as a source of pride that we have the revelation of
Christ and we can live in freedom while the rest of the world goes to hell in a
handbasket. Freedom in Christ is for us
to recognize that we have the answers for people who are lost, we have the
roadmap to heaven which many desperately need.
This text
above has a more explicit meaning if we look deeper, in the Aramaic language it
reads: “For it is God’s will for you to silence the foolish who do not
know God.”
The only way to
silence unbelievers is by speaking the truth, but truth alone isn’t always just about
speaking the gospel message, sometimes demonstrating truth is being led by the Holy Spirit in
recognizing that others bear the pain and trauma of past hurts and we can be the
conduit healing for that pain for them.
Other times we may need to speak out concerning progressive liberal or a deeply conservative ideology which may seem the right direction for others, however,
our truth doesn’t lie in political agendas or focus groups but resides in a person named Jesus Christ. Being led by
the Holy Spirit and speaking truth is what we are called to do in all situations,
no matter where we are we are a voice for the hope that resides within us.
What Peter
is saying here is God raised us up for a time such as this, to be a voice for
truth in the middle of a world of chaos.
We are in this world, but our true residence is a kingdom which is not
made with hands, a kingdom which is eternal and has at its center a King which
desires His love to permeate this earth release a new paradigm which is based
in love.
Peter is telling
us to silence the unbelievers even as Jesus spoke out and shared His stories
and parables about the Kingdom with those who would listen. We may not always have a captive audience as
Jesus did, and sometimes laws and ordinances prevent us from speaking freely
and openly like in a workplace setting, but we can have one on one conversations
with others outside the workplace which are less restrictive and open.
The days of ministry
as we have been accustomed to are coming to an end, and preaching from a platform
and leading hundreds to Christ are also coming to an end. There is a move in our country to silence the
word of God and silence the preaching of the Gospel. This is being led by Satan as a last attempt
to thwart any end-time revival by leading people to Christ. But what Satan hasn’t planned on is what
Peter is speaking of here, our ability to be led by the Holy Spirit into
different situations and speaking truth.
“Peter and John, looking straight
into the eyes of the crippled man, said, “Look at us!” Expecting a gift, he
readily gave them his attention. Then Peter said, “I don’t have money, but I’ll
give you this—by the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up
and walk!” Peter held out his right hand
to the crippled man. As he pulled the man to his feet, suddenly power surged
into his crippled feet and ankles. The man jumped up, stood there for a moment
stunned, and then began to walk around! As he went into the temple courts with
Peter and John, he leapt for joy and shouted praises to God. Acts 3:4-8
(TPT)
The Holy
Spirit wants to lead us into different situations where He can demonstrate His power
and testify of Jesus. We seem to think
that it is all about us and our abilities but it's not, it is about what Christ
will do through us if we are willing to be led.
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
answered, “Respected elders and leaders of the people, listen. Are we being put on trial today for doing an
act of kindness by healing a frail, crippled man? Well then, you and everyone
else in Israel should know that it is by the power of the name of Jesus that
the crippled man stands here today completely healed! You crucified Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, but God raised him from the dead. This Jesus is ‘the stone
that you, the builders, have rejected, and now he has become the cornerstone!’ There
is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom
God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of
Jesus.” Acts 4:8-11 (TPT)
Peter
describes us as “God’s loving servants”, we are only loving servants if we have
been apprehended by the love of Christ. Knowing that we have been apprehended by His love
makes all of the difference and us silencing unbelievers isn’t about shaming
them, but by loving them and demonstrating the love Jesus has to offer.
That is
the example that was given in the book of Acts, it was all about being led by the
Holy Spirit and demonstrating the love of Christ to others.
Do you have
the desire to share the love of Christ with others? It's not that difficult to show love even when
love is missing from others.
“For it is Christ’s love that fuels
our passion and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that he has
given his life for all of us. This means all died with him, so that those who live
should no longer live self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for
him—the one who died for us and now lives again”. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
(TPT)
Be Blessed;
Stephen
Barnett
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