Don’t fight it
So I concluded that if God is pleased to give them the same gift of the Holy Spirit that he gave us after they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who am I to stand in the way of God?” Acts 11:17
So I love this passage. It reminds me of what Gamaliel told the Jewish leaders when they had arrested Peter and John for preaching in the name of Jesus back in Acts chapter five. He said: “…but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” It is such an important thing to remember. Don’t fight against what the Holy Spirit is doing in the church and don’t object to His working in other lives or ministries. Who are we to stand in the way of God?
This brings up the question of: How do you know when God is working in something or if it is just made up by a person for personal gain? The first thing to do would be to ask. Ask your Father in heaven to show you if this business is God ordained or not. In Peter’s case, he knew that he was following the direction of God’s Spirit, but when he returned to Jerusalem, he was met with questions and accusations from his closest friends, the apostles. After he told them all the events that took place leading up to him going to Cornelius’ house, they were convinced that it was truly something that God was working and opening salvation up to the whole world.
Maybe you are in a position that you are not able to ask the person or people, but when you ask God, He will show you if it is His work and give you peace about the work He is doing there. Instead of being concerned with what other people or ministries are doing, keep your focus on the mission and assignment you have been called to. If you determine to complete all that is in God’s heart for you, then you will have all you can handle to be praying out and working on. Who knows, maybe God is working on a plan for you to work together with other ministries to get His purpose accomplished.
Today I want to encourage you to ask for a refreshing in the things that you have been called to walk out in your life. Get a new perspective on the vision God has for your life. Then, check in with Him each day to see who He may be connecting you with to accomplish that work. Ask Him to make it plain and clear any next steps that He may be directing you to. Most of all, don’t fall into the trap of jumping to conclusions about what God may be doing someplace else. Keep your heart fixed on His plan for you and that will keep you in His perfect peace.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 11:1-18
1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:
5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.
6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’
9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’
10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
The Daily Dose 