One of the greatest gifts we can share with others is the good news about Jesus. We read in Matthew 10:5-8 how Jesus sent out his 12 disciples and told them in verse 8: ‘Freely you have received; freely give.’ And that’s what they and the early Christians did so effectively after they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Great things can happen in families, cities and nations when ordinary Christians decide to share the good news of Jesus.
In Acts 8, we read how a great persecution took place against the church, so much so that they couldn’t stay together and had to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. Even though they were forced out of their homes and effectively became refugees, they continued to share their faith. Acts 8:4 says “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
One of these men was Philip. He was an ordinary man who had been given an operational role to help oversee finance and food distribution, but he was so full of the Holy Spirit that he was also used by God to bring many people to know Jesus. We can each become effective sharers of our faith by looking at 3 things that Philip did:
1. He reached out to preach about Jesus (Acts 8:5; Acts 1:8; John 4:13-14)
2. He reached out in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:6-13)
3. He reached out to people as he was led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:26-29)
Apply
Do you share the word of God and reach out with compassion and courage? After being scattered due to experiencing persecution Philip travelled to Samaria (Acts 8:5). In a time where Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another, Philip courageously pursued the teaching of Jesus to go there (Acts 1:8). Philip wasn’t timid but announced and publicly declared who Jesus was. There was great joy in Samaria because of Philip's ministry just as there had been after Jesus had visited before. Jesus had travelled through Samaria and met a woman by a well who had a very messy life. He quickly saw her needs and encouraged her that He was the living water she needed (John 4:13-14). This woman understood Jesus’ message and went and shared it with her whole town, and many came to believe in Him. We too can make a great impact for the gospel when we reach out in the midst of our everyday lives to share how God cares for us, wants to know us and wants to satisfy our needs. In a time of lockdown, we must continue to engage those around us with the gospel, sharing the Word, your testimony and the great things God has done for you and can do for them, and inviting people to watch the online services.
Do you rely on the power of the Holy Spirit as you reach out to people, or do you try and reach out in your own strength? Philip performed many miraculous signs and saw many miracles of healing (Acts 8:6-13). The miracles that happened were not a result of Philip's personal charisma but the authority of the Holy Spirit. When we also know the presence of the Holy Spirit with us, we too can be used to do to bring a release of the power of God that will draw many people to Christ. God doesn’t just want us to know about him but wants to use us to manifest the power of his Spirit so that all can see and believe. When we receive the fire of the Holy Spirit and allow him to work through us, many will experience the Holy Spirit for themselves.
Will you be fully available to God and share the good news with your generation as you are led by the Holy Spirit? God had a divine appointment for Philip with this important official, someone from another racial and national background. We see here that Philip was obedient to the prompting of the Spirit, he did not follow his own agenda or ideas, but was led by the Lord (Acts 8:26-29). And so he was able to tell this man that what he was reading from Isaiah 53 was all about ‘the good news of Jesus’ the promised Messiah who suffered and died to free us from sin and bring us new life. God has divine appointments for each one of us. There are people that the Lord will lead us to and prompt us to minister to. We need to surrender our will and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. In order to be led by the Holy Spirit, we need to learn how to hear the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to His voice. We do this by spending time with the Holy Spirit and praying and reading the word of God, the Bible. When we step out in faith and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will see first-hand how God can work through us. There is no limit to what God can do through you or how many people you can bring to Christ if you are willing to make yourself fully available to the Lord.
