“And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).
Two things strike me as I read this sentence. One is great power, and the other is great grace. It seems to be possible to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus without great power, and it seems to be possible, too, to have a body of believers who do not have great grace resting upon them.
There was something special that preceded this statement: “Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).
People were not attached to their possessions, and they were of one heart. Maybe this is why there was great power and great grace? No, this was another evidence of that power and grace.
Here is the reason in verse 31: “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.” The source of this great power and great grace was that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were all filled because they all prayed.
Are you of one heart, one soul? Are you attached to your possessions? Do you speak the word of God with boldness? Do you give your testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power? Maybe you are not filled with the Holy Spirit.
Back when I could get out of the house, a few of us met each week to pray for revival, for great power and great grace to rest upon the believers. We believe that when the believers are all filled with the Holy Spirit, marvelous things will happen in the believers and that hundreds of others will be drawn to the Savior. Will you pray? Will you meet with one or two or more and begin to pray for your community?
Yours and His,
Jim Wilson
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