Read Living in the Abundance of God Online
Authors: John Osteen
Living in the Abundance of God (15 page)
In the book of Acts, the number of disciples increased, and there arose a problem with serving tables and the distribution of clothing and food. The apostles felt that they should give themselves continually to prayer and the preaching of the Word of God; therefore, they appointed seven men to handle the food and clothing. “Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business’ ” (Acts 6:2–3).
These seven men were not just ordinary men. The Bible states they were full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. They were powerful men, and yet they were chosen to serve tables and distribute clothing. These men could have said, “Look, I am not called to serve tables. God called me to preach.” They could have had an exaggerated opinion of their importance, but they were faithful to do what needed to be done.
God will bless people who are willing to take a lower position in the eyes of men. He will exalt the humble. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
It was not long before one of the seven men began to shine. Stephen became a powerful preacher, who did great wonders and miracles among the people. The Bible says that no one was able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:8–10). Soon Stephen was arrested and taken to the Jewish council, but everyone who looked at him saw that his face was shining like the face of an angel.
God will exalt the humble.
The power of God in Stephen’s life provoked the anger of his enemies, and they dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. The heavens were opened, and Stephen saw the glory of God. “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ ” (Acts 7:55–56).
The person who lives a life of humility is the person who will walk in the supernatural power of God
.
Stephen said he saw Jesus
standing
at the right hand of God, yet we are told repeatedly in Scripture that Jesus is
seated
at the right hand of the Father. I believe that Jesus thought,
In honor to Stephen, I will stand to receive his spirit. I will stand for a man who was faithful to serve tables. I will stand for a man who will give his life for the sake of the Gospel
.
God honors men and women who will do humble tasks for Him.
Philip was another disciple who waited on the tables. He began to preach in Samaria, and the whole city was stirred by miracles, signs, and wonders (Acts 8:6–8). An angel of God appeared to Philip and sent him to the desert to lead an Ethiopian man to the Lord. After baptizing this man, Philip was supernaturally translated to the city of Azotus, where he began preaching.
This is what happens to the person who will walk humbly before the Lord. The person who lives a life of humility is the person who will walk in the supernatural power of God.
Let there be no fighting over the high positions. Give unqualified courtesy and respect to every person. Serve one another in love. Walk humbly before God, and you will be blessed with riches, honor, and life.
We reign in life as kings and walk in the abundance of God through the power of humility.
We reign in life as kings by One, Christ Jesus, who “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross” (Philippians 2:8). Let us follow His example.
J
OEL
S
ome people live in despair and disappointment, all because their circumstances are not exactly what they desire them to be. They are never happy unless everything is going their way, everybody is treating them right, and they are immune from experiencing discomfort. In other words, they never are happy! That’s a very shallow way to live
.
Certainly, none of us enjoy going through struggles, but you have to understand that your struggle may be an opportunity for advancement and promotion. The very thing you are fighting against so tenaciously may be the springboard that catapults you to a new level of excellence. Your challenges may become your greatest assets
.
Without the resistance of air, an eagle can’t soar. Without the resistance of water, a ship can’t float. Without the resistance of gravity, you and I can’t even walk. Without opposition or resistance, there is no potential for progress. There are no shortcuts; there’s no easy way to mature physically, emotionally, or spiritually. You must remain determined and walk humbly with God. Salvation is more than a onetime prayer. It is constantly cooperating with God, dealing with the issues He brings up, keeping a humble attitude, and allowing Him to change you as He sees fit
.
An Abundance
of the
Holy Spirit
for
Changing
the
World
I
n the Introduction, I began to teach about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is, unfortunately, one of the most neglected teachings of the church and is the primary reason that there is so little of the abundance of God and His power in today’s church.
Luke, in writing the Acts of the Apostles, begins: “And being assembled together with them, [Jesus] commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’ ” (Acts 1:4–5, 8).
The book of Acts is a picture of the New Testament church, the body of Christ. It has been called by many names, but God started just one church. This is not a denomination. It is not the beginning of a church that has changed. All believers bear one Name, and that is the Name of Jesus. All people who put their faith in Jesus and have received His Holy Spirit are in the body of Christ, regardless of whatever denomination they have chosen.
The book of Acts is a pattern for the church in every century. Every generation should produce similar acts within the body of Christ. We should continue the record of the book of Acts by doing the same things! The epistles are the instructions for the church, but the primary pattern in the book of Acts is our example for today.
HAT THE
H
OLY
S
PIRIT
D
OES
God wrote the Bible for every person. Every believer in every denomination has a right to know what God has given them as members of His church. None are to be denied the power of the Living God in this dark generation in which we are living. All God’s children have a right to know and experience God’s power.
Jesus spoke in the first chapter of Acts about the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to believe what the Lord Jesus says. Do not make void the Word and commandment of God by what your religious tradition says. God is wanting to pour out a mighty revival of the power of the Lord Jesus that restores the church to what it has lost through the centuries.
Jesus spoke clearly about being born of the Spirit. He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
Jesus also talked as clearly about being baptized in the Holy Spirit, about receiving the power of God, in the verses I quoted previously. When He said, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit,” He was not stating a doctrine for any particular denomination. This is simply a Christian doctrine, a command of Jesus, who is the Supreme Head of the church.
Just because we are born of the Spirit in salvation does not mean we do not need Jesus to baptize us in the Holy Spirit. Just because you get a “well” of salvation does not mean that you do not need to be baptized by the Lord Jesus Christ and have “rivers of living water” flowing out of you to a needy world (John 4:14; 7:38).
In salvation, the Holy Spirit does something to you
. He regenerates your spirit and makes you a new creation. Every believer in Jesus has the presence of the Holy Spirit in their spirit. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). Every believer has the Holy Spirit witnessing with his spirit that he is a child of God (Romans 8:16).
In the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Jesus does something to you
. John the Baptist declared, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). You should not be afraid of what Jesus will do to you or for you.