Evidence of the Spirit

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33 NKJV)

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 without “great grace” resting upon them.
There was something special that preceded this statement:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32 NIV)

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 it is in verse 31:

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31 NIV)

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.

(An excerpt from On Being a Christian by Jim Wilson)

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Roots by the River

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