He Gives You Power
Introduction
I played squash regularly with a group of friends. We were all about the same standard. We almost took it in turns to win or lose. Nevertheless, winning feels good. The feelings of pleasure and satisfaction that accompany victory are quite natural.
This is, of course, a trivial example. The victory that is at the centre of today’s passages is of a totally different order and significance. But even the tiniest and most insignificant victory gives us a taste of its meaning and joy.
The great victory of God that we read about in the New Testament is foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The ultimate victory of God came with the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of his Spirit who gives you power to live a life of victory.
Proverbs 14:9-14
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,
and the good rewarded for theirs.
Commentary
Victory of goodness
The ‘fool’ in the book of Proverbs does not mean someone lacking intelligence. Rather it means the rebel (especially against God and the laws of decency and justice): ‘the mocker… the foolish… the wicked… the faithless’ (vv.6,7,9,11,14) come to a sticky end (vv.11–14). Their path ends in death.
On the other hand, the book of Proverbs is full of teaching about the importance of righteousness and holiness. We read here about ‘a truthful witness… the upright… the good’ (vv.5,9,11,14).
The implication is that the righteous will in some way outlast death and ‘will flourish’ and be ‘rewarded’ (vv.11–14). In other words, they will ultimately be victorious: ‘a moral life is a favoured life’ (v.9b, MSG).
Prayer
Acts 2:22-47
22 ‘Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
36 ‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’
38 Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’
41 Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Commentary
Victory of Jesus
The church should be a place of ‘celebration, exuberant and joyful’ (v.46, MSG). We should be the most positive people in the world – constantly celebrating Jesus and the victory of God.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, explains the great victory of Jesus. He speaks about his life, ministry, death and, in particular, his resurrection. He gives four reasons why you can be sure that Jesus has been raised from the dead and therefore you can be sure that, through his power within you, you will be raised to life with him:
1. Logical
Satan’s power of death could not possibly be stronger than the power of life in God’s Messiah. Peter explains, ‘God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him’ (v.24).
2. Biblical
He points out that the resurrection was prophesied in Psalm 16:8–11 (Acts 2:25–28). Peter says, ‘\[David\] was a prophet and knew that God had promised on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ’ (vv.30–31).
3. Personal
Peter gives his own testimony: ‘God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact’ (v.32). Peter says in effect, ‘We have all seen him.’
4. Experiential
The experience of the Holy Spirit is in itself evidence of the resurrection. After the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus came the final act in his saving ministry: ‘Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear’ (v.33).
This experience was not confined to those who were present on the day of Pentecost. It is for every Christian. It is for you. ‘The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call’ (v.39). Every time someone experiences the Holy Spirit it is further evidence of the resurrection. Every time you see someone being filled with the Holy Spirit or hear their testimony of how the Holy Spirit has changed their life, it is further evidence of the resurrection.
The Holy Spirit enables us to recognise the truth of the words of Peter: ‘You crucified’ Jesus of Nazareth (v.36). Jesus died for my sins. I killed Jesus. My personal sin was present on the cross. The day I recognised this I, too, was ‘cut to the heart’ (v.37). It is this revelation that leads to true repentance.
The way you receive the promise is by repentance, faith in Jesus, baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (vv.37–38). The evidence that you have received the Holy Spirit will be seen in a changed life and a transformed community (vv.42–47). The church is not only a place of celebration, exuberance and joy; it should also be supremely a place of love.
1. Love for God
The church is a place full of love for God. They had a new love for the Bible – ‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching’ (v.42). Much of this teaching is now enshrined in the New Testament.
They had a new love for the sacraments – ‘They devoted themselves to... the breaking of bread’ (v.42). ‘They broke bread in their homes’ (v.46).
They had a new love for prayer (v.42). The Spirit-filled church will be a praying church.
2. Love for one another
The church should be marked by love for one another. They had a new desire to meet together – ‘They devoted themselves... to the fellowship’ (v.42). ‘They continued to meet together’ and ‘ate together with glad and sincere hearts’ (v.46). There was a new release of finances and generosity in giving (vv.44–45).
The Spirit-filled church will be a united church.
3. Love for the world
The church should be filled with a love for the world. They were an outward-focused community performing signs and wonders (v.43). ‘The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved’ (v.47). The Spirit-filled church will be an outward-looking church.
Prayer
2 Samuel 8:18-29
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
‘Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?
22 ‘How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel…, whom you redeemed from Egypt?
25 ‘And now, Lord God, keep for ever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great for ever.
28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your sight…
Commentary
Victory everywhere you go
The victory of Jesus was foreshadowed in the life of David. There are over a thousand references to David in the Bible. He was an anointed (messiah) king. The Lord gave him ‘rest from all his enemies around him’ (7:1). Nathan the prophet said to David, ‘Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you’ (v.3). ‘The Lord gave David victory wherever he went’ (8:6,14).
We see in David’s prayer an example to follow:
1. Praise for God’s greatness
David has both a sense of his own unworthiness in the presence of God (7:18) and at the same time, a realisation of the greatness of God: ‘How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you’ (v.22). He praises God for his redemption of his people (v.23).
2. Passion for God’s name
David is passionate to see God’s name honoured: ‘Do as you promised, so that your name will be great for ever’ (vv.25–26).
3. Promise for God’s family
David trusts in God’s word (v.28). He goes on to ask for one more thing: ‘Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You’ve already as much as said that you would, Master God! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!’ (v.29, MSG).
God made a covenant with David. Whereas God had been dwelling in a tent (7:2), he promises to establish a house for David (vv.7,10–11). He promises, ‘I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever… Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever’ (vv.12–13,16).
Only in Jesus were the promises of the Davidic covenant fulfilled. The human kings failed, but there remained the hope of a future king who would fulfil the kingship ideal. Jesus was the son of David (see, for example, Matthew 1:1). As he entered Jerusalem, the people cried out, ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’ (Mark 11:10).
However, the victory of Jesus and the kingdom of Jesus were far greater than anyone had anticipated. They were achieved not by a conquering king winning physical battles, but by a dying Saviour winning the great spiritual victory over sin, guilt, addiction, fear and even death itself.
We see from the example of Jesus that victory is not always glamorous or even obvious. But God promises you, as he promises David, that his power will be with you wherever you go and that, in Christ, ultimately you will be victorious.
Prayer
Pippa adds
In Acts 2:22-41 we see all Peter’s friends, who must have been so pleased and proud (in the good sense) when he stood up and gave his first sermon. They had been with Peter through all his ups and downs and failures. Now the anointing of God was on him. The last three years had been a preparation for this moment.
It is wonderful to see people who have been through their struggles finding their calling.
Verse of the Day
2 Samuel 7:3
‘The Lord is with you’
Thought for the Day
The church is not only a place of celebration, exuberance and joy; it should also be supremely a place of love.
Action for the Day
Ask God to bring victory.
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References
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.