WHEN WE LIVE LIFE ‘FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’ IT OPENS DOORS FOR US
Stephen was a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. When it came to appointing people to handle the responsibilities and functions of ministry he was the obvious choice because of this qualification.
WE SHOULD DESIRE TO BE ‘FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’
Acts 6:5 ‘…and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…’
What an awesome thing for people to be able to say about you. Can people say this about you? Is one of the ways that people describe you as ‘full of the Holy Spirit’? This is a wonderful compliment. I pray that others would be able to say this about my life. Stephen must have been a man who desired and pursued this aspect in His life. It did not happen by accident or by default, but rather by quality decision and choice. We can also make those quality decisions and choices for our own lives.
SPIRIT-FILLED LIVING
The role that the Holy Spirit plays in our lives, if we will give Him right of way, is greater than we could ever imagine. In this study we are looking at the life of Stephen. He was considered to be the first martyr and stood out because he was described as a man who was “Full of the Holy Spirit.” Stephen was a man whose life was transformed and changed by the Spirit of God. We even see similarities between his death and the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Although we do not know much about him, his life leaves an example for us. You can read the story in Acts chapter 6 and 7.
HE GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH TO BELIEVE
In the issues and challenges of life we can sometimes be left struggling to believe. In my own life I have held on and trusted God for some things, only to later discover that God had something different in mind.
THE LORD IS BY YOUR SIDE, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE
Loneliness and abandonment are 2 of the most basic fears that human beings face. It is a very real fear that people grapple with. Perhaps you are facing divorce and the thought of being alone is unbearable. Perhaps you have lost a loved one and everything seems so empty and alone.
HIS ANSWER TO YOUR STRUGGLES
In my interactions with people, I have seen how the struggles that people face affect them. The truth is that we all face challenges and issues that come along life’s path. At this time in history there are many things that can challenge us.
OUR BIRTHRIGHT IS TO KNOW THE SAVING POWER OF JESUS
The salvation that Christ offers us and the joy of being in right-standing with God is a birthright, available to us all. This great benefit or birthright opens the door to us being able to know God and to experience His gift (our birthright) of eternal life.
OUR BIRTHRIGHT INCLUDES FORGIVENESS
When we were born as infants, we came into this world with a clean slate. We did not arrive with bad habits and evil intents. But from the moment of birth, we were exposed to all manner of things that human beings are capable of.
DON’T GIVE UP YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
Every person is born with a birthright. There are things that each individual is entitled to simply because they were born. The word ‘BIRTHRIGHT’ is made up of two words: ‘Birth’ and ‘right’. In its simplest form it means the rights you are entitled to because you were born.
ETERNITY WILL REVEAL THE REASON FOR ALL THINGS
Sometimes when we look at things from our earthly perspective it is difficult to see the purpose in all things. My great-grandmother married at a young age (18) and had five children. One day her husband became ill at the age of thirty-six. He died within 7 days. He had contracted the Spanish Flu of 1918.