ACTS ~ IntroductionSample
Power of God’s Holy Spirit-Rapid Multiplication
A quick perusal of Acts will show how thousands were responding to Christ. There was an explosion of growth. In the last chapter of John, we find the disciples in doubt and fear behind closed doors. However, soon after the Holy Spirit came upon them, no power on earth could stop them. The same Peter, who had once denied Jesus, boldly proclaimed aloud, without fear, that Christ is indeed Lord and Saviour—in the very place where leaders had plotted to kill Jesus.
There was addition.
Acts 2:40 (NIV) Three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 5:14 … more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
There was multiplication.
Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied.
Acts 6:7 ...and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly
Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
There was growth
Acts 4:4 .. the number of men grew to about five thousand.
Acts 9:31 It (the Church)was strengthened; .. it grew in numbers…
Acts 16:5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Many more lives were radically transformed – think about Paul. At one time he was trying to curtail the spread and growth of the gospel, but when God got a hold of him, he eventually became a leading proponent of the gospel. This is the evidence of God’s Holy Spirit at work.
Our methods and ideas can turn out to be wood, hay, and stubble. Without Christ and without His power we can do nothing. But with God and His power, we will see much fruit.
About this Plan
In thirty years, the good news of Jesus Christ which had begun in Jerusalem had reached the pinnacle of power in the then known world. A quick overview of the book will show that rapid growth occurred largely due to the working of God’s Holy Spirit, the availability of sincere people, and the simple pattern that was employed.
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