SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/22/2017
11:27 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Be Filled with the Spirit
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 4:8a
Message of the
verses: “Then Peter, filled with the
Holy Spirit,”
It was because Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit that
he was able to face persecution triumphantly.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance (Acts 2:4).” “But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled
with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him (Acts 13:9).”
Jesus has spoken to His disciples about these kind of
situations when He was on earth, and perhaps Peter and John remember His Words
from Luke 12:11-12 “11 “When they bring you before the synagogues and the
rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in
your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in
that very hour what you ought to say."”
John MacArthur writes “All Christian ministry and witness depends on the
filling of the Holy Spirit. The passive
voice of the verb translated ‘filled’ shows Peter’s yieldedness to the Spirit’s
control. He did not become filled by
lengthy prayer or an emotional experience.
The filling of the Spirit occurs when the believer walks in obedience to
the Word and the Spirit (cf. Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:16). Yielding to His control releases His power in
the believer’s life.
“This principle is foundational to all the rest;
yieldedness to the Holy Spirit is the key to successfully handling
persecution. Because Peter was
Spirit-filled, persecution merely drove him closer to the Lord. Lack of being filled with the Spirit is the
reason the church today has difficulty facing opposition.
“A Spirit-filled, uncompromising church will be uncomfortable
in the world, since it will be a rebuke to it.
It will, however, be a powerful, victorious church. Peter and John confronted the world head-on,
with a boldness and eloquence that caused their opponents to marvel (cf. v.
13). They were victorious because they
were Spirit-filled.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: The words that
John MacArthur wrote that I quoted here speak to my heart in that there are
probably too many times in my life that I am too caught up in the things of the
world, things like cars, and other things that fit into that category that I am
too concerned for, and should be concerned about doing what the Lord calls all
believer to do, telling others about Christ, and helping them grow after they
become believers.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust that the Lord will use me to tell
others about who He is and what He did for them.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Rachel” (Genesis 29:30).
Today’s Bible
question: “Which book tells of the birth
of John the Baptist?”
Answer in our next SD.
9/22/2017 11:58 AM
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