Filled with the Spirit and Faith

I had a friend called Kev. His brothers were big and tall and Kev was pretty short. But whenever someone reminded him of his lack of height, he’d invariably reply, “It’s not the cards you’re dealt, it’s the way you play ‘em.”

One of my favourite Bible characters is Barnabas. He was such an encourager and a prominent leader. When he was in Antioch, large numbers of people came to faith and many were taught (Acts 11:22-26).

Then you get a character like Stephen. He was chosen to be in charge of waiting on tables and making sure food was distributed fairly while the apostles focused on prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).

The question is, who had the more important role? Who was dealt the ‘best hand’ in terms of the gifts God had given them? In many people’s minds, I think someone like Barnabas is seen as more important than Stephen.

But take a closer look and you will find a profound similarity. Both men are described as being full of the Spirit and faith (Acts 6:5; 11:24). In fact, this was the reason Stephen was chosen even though his role was really practical. It reminds me that what is most important is not the role we play but whether we play that role in a faith-filled and empowered way. It’s not about prominence, a roster, or the size of the group. It’s about the supernatural enabling of the Spirit. Are we filled with faith and the Holy Spirit?

And so today, I simply want to give you three things to help that happen:

Come prayed up.
Take some time to pray for the group or gathering you’re a part of. Pray for everyone who’ll be there, pray that people will encounter the power and presence of Jesus, pray that God will empower you to play your part.

Come with open ears.
Be attentive to the whisper or nudge of the Holy Spirit. Maybe you’ll notice someone that needs encouragement or prayer. Maybe he’ll help you see something that needs doing. Maybe God will nudge you to do something you’ve never done before. The point is to be attentive to his prompting.

Come with expectation.
We know that God is at work in building His church and He has gifted us to participate. We know that He is faithful to give the Spirit to those who ask. When we posture ourselves to say, “Lord, would you help me be a blessing to your church today,” we can be sure he’ll answer.

Imagine how we’ll grow as each one of us plays the part God has created us to play in a spiritually empowered way. Imagine the things God will do amongst us and the stories we’ll share. Let the most important thing not be the cards we’ve been dealt but the Spirit-empowered way in which we play them.

Much love,
Simon


This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Andrea MullerSPblog, City, East, Night