If we to be led by THE SPIRIT then we should take on the characteristics of THE SPIRIT. As mentioned yesterday: As we are led by THE SPIRIT we too will (1) expose sin, (2) guide others into all Truth, and (3) glorify Christ. When we exalt His Name above all names, we are glorifying Christ. Luke wrote in Acts chapter 3 by THE SPIRIT:
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
The lame man went to the temple for money and received healing and restoration instead. He had been in that condition since birth (over 40 years) but the lack of physical development did not keep the healing power from fully restoring his feet and ankles. Peter glorified Christ by proclaiming His Name as the healing power needed for the restoration process to occur. There were no lengthy prayers or formulas to follow but instead Peter called forth the power in The Name of Jesus Christ, pure and simple. Our minds must be cleansed of all the complexities that arise when logic tries to emulate the healing power of Jesus. We try to overcomplicate matters by looking for some hidden key unavailable to those who simply take the Scripture at face value.
When the rulers of the day were given the details of the healing, they wanted to ban the Name of Jesus from being used- Acts 4:18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Who in their right mind would submit to such a demand? It is Love’s desire to heal an infirmity of 40 years whereas the rulers simply wanted to protect their positions of authority. Surely that same power that healed the lame man could deal with the rulers as well. Peter and John responded:
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
Men’s traditions have not fundamentally changed in the last 2,000 years. Those who gain stature by exploiting the masses will do or say whatever it takes to keep their position, even if it causes suffering among the innocent. FATHER is taking all this into account as we move forward toward the fullness of time.
What impact did this healing have on the rest of the people? In Acts chapter 4:
4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
When 5,000 men plus women and children become believers in response to the Name of Jesus, there is no question of where our focus should be placed. As we are led by THE SPIRIT, we too will glorify Christ and produce similar fruit.