Anglican Devotional 24 August 2022 – It Is Not By Your Power

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 24 August 2022 – It Is Not By Your Power

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TOPIC: It Is Not By Your Power

TEXT: Acts 5:12-16 (NKJV)

12. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
13. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
14. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15. so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid [them] on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

THE MESSAGE:

The Apostles did many miracles, and the Church of God under their watch increased. This was definitely the fulfilment of the promise Jesus made to them in John 14:12: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” They preached and taught every day from the Solomon’s porch of the temple where they regularly met for evangelistic outreach (Acts 3:11). The temple was a location for evangelism because religious people continually came there for prayer and sacrifices. Those who believed the witness of the Apostles were added to the body of Christ (the Church) by God upon obedience to the Gospel. God allowed greater miraculous testimony to accompany their ministry.

He allowed unique healing to take place by their hands in order to reaffirm that they were special witnesses of Jesus and His resurrection. In their missionary journey, Bartholomew was not left out (Acts 1:13-14); he played a pivotal role among the Apostles and became one of the recognised voices. The most important and interesting part of the ministry of the disciples was the fact that with all that God made them to achieve, they did not ascribe the glory to themselves rather, they returned it to God (Acts 3:12). This should be a lesson to us as men of God or ministers not to take the glory that belongs to God. We should not see ourselves as solution providers to people’s problem and not God who has called us into the ordained ministry. God can perform His miracle through anybody, so if He has decided to use us, we must endeavour to give all the glory to Him and not ourselves. Regardless of your status, influence and personality, it is important we know that God has placed us where we are for a purpose and that purpose is for us to be light in the midst of darkness; not to take the glory that belongs to God.

PRAYER: It is not by power nor by might but by my Spirit, says the Lord.