November 10, 2010

How to Withstand With Those Who Contend With You?

Acts 6:8 "And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people."
Acts 6:9 "But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen."
Acts 6:10 "And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke."

Pastor's Blog

While serving the widows and preserving the unity some come along who are bothered by what Stephen is saying. What are we to do and where do we find the ability to handle those who are causing trouble in or to the body of Christ?

It starts in verse 8 when we see Stephen was full of grace and power. The power must have given great proof of the truth of the message but the grace is what drew the people in. No wonder Stephen is listed at the top of the men chosen to lead this task. Yet at the same time it is not Stephen at all. Stephen has no claim to the grace for it too, is a gift of God just like faith, wisdom and the Spirit. Stephen is surrendered by the Holy Spirit for Him to do His blessed work from. The same is true of the power; it is not of or from Stephen. It is of the Holy Spirit and directed from Him. It is important for us to remember that it is not in our own strength that we are to stand but in HIS! Praise God then we can do it!

Luke has much to say about this in his Gospel in the 21st chapter and the 14th and
15th verses:

"Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand what you shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to contradict nor resist."

It is not Stephen’s faith, wisdom, spirit, grace or power that he is operating in it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. This is the heart of Galatians 2:20 …”the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of Christ”. It is not Stephen’s life we are looking at it is Christ’s life lived out through Stephan. This has everything to do with focus, our focus.

It is not Stephen’s words or wisdom but Christ’s, so we should be able to be rest in this promise but only if we are already at rest in Him with our focus on Him.