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The Power in Belief
Andrea Lende • September 14, 2021
Acts 14:8-10
The Power in Belief
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/The-Power-in-Belief-e17br4m
Acts 14:8-10
“Now at Lystra a man sat who found it impossible to use his feet, for he was a cripple from birth and had never walked.”
“He was listening to Paul as he talked, and [Paul] gazing intently at him and observing that he had faith to be healed,”
“Shouted at him, saying, Stand erect on your feet! And he leaped up and walked.”
Oh, to be granted this kind of faith!
Paul could see the faith in the man who was unable to walk.
And he knew this man had the faith to be healed.
So, he shouted at him.
He yelled, Stand up!
Sometimes we need a jolt from the Lord.
A loud Word to change us from the inside out.
In this case, the man obeyed his command and was healed.
God’s Holy Spirit healed him.
Interestingly, after the crowd tried to worship Paul for this healing, they just as quickly turned on him and began to stone him.
I am amazed at how life changing miracles happen inside of belief.
And I am equally amazed at how quickly the human mind is swayed into unbelief.
I pray the Lord keeps me in a state of belief today and every day.
I pray He keeps my mind on Him.
I pray He increases my belief and faith in Him.
As the world is swayed into unbelief and develops a lack of faith in the God Who made us, I pray He keeps us His.
And I pray for God’s power to reside within us.
The kind of power that changes lives.
Today I choose faith in God over faith in the world, and pray He keeps me looking to Him for all I need.
May you find the Lord is faithful to you and you are able to look to Him for all you need instead of looking to the world.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me to keep my eyes on You today. Thank You for showing me I need to look to You for all I need instead of looking to the world. Father, increase my belief and faith in You. Do not let me waiver and bend to the world and be troubled by the chaos therein. Help me know You are watching over and protecting me. You are my Shield. You are my Protector and Defender. You guard me on every side. Lift me into Your presence for a moment, Lord. Let me receive the fullness of Your Holy Spirit as I sit with You. Make me whole once again and then strengthen me to do as You ask. Keep me seeking You today and all the days I am separated by earth from heaven. Keep me Yours for eternity, Lord. May Your power reside within me. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and I strengthen you in all ways to serve Me and My people.
Response: Help me receive all You have to give, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.