The power of prayer provides the energy to equip the Christian soldier with armor and to wield the sword. James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. [1] We cannot win battles using only our own strength, regardless of our talent or power. When Amalek attacked Israel, Moses climbed the mountain …
Paul gives us valuable tools for the battle against satan. Ephesians 6: 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [1] Shield …
Paul wanted the Galatian churches to know that through the mercy and grace of Jesus, we have freedom with a purpose. Paul had risked his life to preach the Gospel and plant these churches, and now false teachers were leading them astray. These people wanted the Gentiles in these churches to follow the Jewish laws …
Spirit-filled authority is available to every believer and demonstrated by Paul on the island of Cyprus. Sergius Paulus, the proconsul, wanted to learn more about the Gospel, but an advisor tried to distort its message. Acts 13: 9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the …
Shortly after his conversion, Saul began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. But what led up to that? Before his conversion, Saul was on his way to persecute believers when God suddenly interrupted him. A blinding light stopped him in his tracks, and he heard the voice of Jesus calling him by name. …
Peter proclaimed the urgency of the last days on the day of Pentecost, quoting the prophet Joel. ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will also pour …
Peter explained the curious scene of uneducated men speaking in languages they never learned by saying this was prophecy fulfilled. If a crowd asked me to explain why my friends and I were acting drunkenly, I don’t think I would use Scripture. But Peter was beginning to understand that this was the Spirit that Jesus …
Misunderstanding the moves of God on Pentecost came from viewing them through the lens of sin. Sin always clouds God’s works. Devout Jews from many nations were in Jerusalem when a loud noise drew a crowd together. They were amazed and bewildered to hear the believers from Galilee speaking in their own native languages. People …
Being a witness to what God has done was the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s effects on believers on Pentecost and part of the transition of the early church. Although many associate Pentecost solely with the New Testament era, its origins are in the Old Testament. Specifically Leviticus 23, where God established the seven biblical …
The Holy Spirit helped move the disciples from fearful to bold. At the Last Supper, Jesus had predicted that all the disciples would desert Him. Peter responded by declaring that He never would, and the other disciples vowed the same. (Mat. 26:31-15). At Jesus’ arrest, all the disciples scattered. Peter followed Jesus to the courtyard …