7/6/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Stephen - Full of Faith and Power

    Power is an amazing thing.  With the right kind of power we can accomplish many things.  What if you had to cut a large log?  How would it go with a very small hand saw?  What if you had a large chain saw?  The power makes the difference.
    People can do amazing things when adrenalin kicks in.  Just recently in the twin cities a man stopped to help at a burning vehicle.  The driver was trapped.  The stranger who stopped literally bent the door frame with his hands and pulled the man out.
    I have experienced a unique form of power.  Modern airports are huge, and my flight usually is on an end gate.  But, many airports have moving sidewalks that get you to your destination quickly with much less effort.  It is power to make you walk much faster.
    We are familiar with many forms of power in the physical world.  There is also spiritual power.  The Bible tells us there are two kingdoms that wage war against each other.  When we get drawn into the spiritual battles, we must use God’s power to win.  We can’t do it on our own.  The Bible tells us that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood and but against principalities and powers.
Power Encounter in Ghana
    A Christian from Ghana, West Africa, was studying at the School of World Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary. During a trip home, he attempted to share the gospel with several people who lived in his community. Although they listened respectfully, no one turned to Jesus Christ. He later learned that they were intimidated by a witch doctor who lived nearby. The witch doctor kept a symbol of his authority hanging outside his home: a lattice basket, filled with water, that never leaked.
    This believer decided to pray that God would empty the basket.
    He stayed outside the home of the witch doctor and prayed all night that God would demonstrate his power. At some point he fell asleep. The next morning he was awakened by a commotion. The basket was empty. That town saw a mass revival as people learned about the God who caused the water to come out of the basket. There had been a power encounter—and God had won.
Brenda Salter McNeil, "Behold, the Global Church," Christianity Today (November 2006), p. 45
    God has the power and He wins the power encounters.  HE is greater than the forces of evil.
    The Bible tells us that God will empower those who believe in Him.  Christians can and must walk in God’s power.
    Last week we looked at the selection of believers to serve the needs of the widows in the church.
Acts 6 Amplified
3 Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty.
5 And the suggestion pleased the whole assembly, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith (a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah) and full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte (convert) from Antioch.
    What was happening in and through the church at this time?  Amazing and powerful things were happening and there were many who were getting saved.
7 And the message of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem; and [besides] a large number of the priests were obedient to the faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom is obtained eternal salvation in the kingdom of God].
    The things we long to see were happening.  Many were coming to Jesus.  They were making a powerful impact on the city and the surrounding area.
8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people. 9 However, some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (freed Jewish slaves), as it was called, and [of the synagogues] of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and [the province of] Asia, arose [and undertook] to debate and dispute with Stephen. 10 But they were not able to resist the intelligence and the wisdom and [the inspiration of] the Spirit with which and by Whom he spoke.
    There is a strong spiritual battle. And, the enemy fights dirty.  We see it here in this passage.  We see the mean and nasty spiritual battles in our world today as well.  Satan is a liar and deceiver.
11 So they [secretly] instigated and instructed men to say, We have heard this man speak, using slanderous and abusive and blasphemous language against Moses and God. 12 [Thus] they incited the people as well as the elders and the scribes, and they came upon Stephen and arrested him and took him before the council (Sanhedrin). 13 And they brought forward false witnesses who asserted, This man never stops making statements against this sacred place and the Law [of Moses]; 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear down and destroy this place, and will alter the institutions and usages which Moses transmitted to us.
    The Bible says Satan is the father of lies.  If he has to, he will simply make something up and convince people it is the truth.
15 Then all who sat in the council (Sanhedrin), as they gazed intently at Stephen, saw that his face had the appearance of the face of an angel.
    The power and presence of God in a person changes them.  The circumstances can’t destroy what God has done in a person.  When they looked at Stephen they saw that he was different.
    Accusations were brought against Stephen.  When given an opportunity to defend himself, he didn’t plead for his life. Instead, he showed them that God’s plan pointed forward to Jesus.  He proclaimed God to them through their history as a nation.
    This godly man became the first Christian martyr.  He saw Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand to welcome him.
    Let’s look at the application of this story and biblical principles to our lives today.
**What spiritual battles does the church face today?
**What made Stephen stand out from the body of believers?
**Can God use YOU as He did Stephen?
**Apply what we saw in Stephen to each one of us today in the battles we face.  We know in theory that God wants to use us all.  What do we have to do so that God will use us?
    The Battle and the Weapons
Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--