Hosanna Restoration Church

Psalm 62 says, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.”

Stephen was one of the men that they commissioned to take care of things like distributing food and settling conflicts among the people so the disciples could keep on with more important things. It would seem that Stephen did his job well. He was a man full of grace and power and performed signs and wonders as he moved among the people.

He attracted so much attention that some folks from the synagogue started and argument with Stephen. They soon found that they could not win an argument and as we read on, we see Stephen pouring out more and more of the revelation of Jesus Christ until finally, they stone him to death. Stephens ends asking God to forgive them and telling them about seeing Jesus high and lifted up and seated at the right hand of God.

This wisdom from the Spirit is the same Spirit that works in us and gives us wisdom to declare the Good News of Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus promised that we would receive wisdom and power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. This is the same Spirit that came upon the followers in the upper room. The Spirit Paul spoke of when the people asked what they must do to be saved in Act 2. We sing a song that says, “You’ve got to repent and be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost according to Acts two and thirty-eight! It is a fun song about a serious subject!

No weapon formed against you can prosper when the wisdom that the Spirit gives is allowed to flow in your life. The same Spirit that flowed in the apostles was flowing in Stephen. That same Spirit is living in you. Let Him flow.

Stephen knew that his boldness was taking him into deep trouble, but he was not about to compromise what he knew to be true. Holy Spirit was leading him, and he was willing to follow. There is a cost to following Jesus.

We all have many choices to make. We all have opportunities to follow the Spirit or quench Him. He is gentle and will not force us. Jesus is so wonderful that it takes far more effort to hide Him than it does to just praise Him. Lift Him up for the world to see.

Some might think that Stephen would have been better off if he just stayed in the group and did what he was supposed to do with the food distribution. But people needed other things and so Stephen provided great signs and wonders among them and attracted the attention of people outside the group. We all can follow the leading of Holy Spirit. Let’s do it!