Message by Ps. Levi Saerang (Sunday 23 September 2018)
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:54-60 NKJV
Stephen was willing to die. He had faith and his faith made him mighty. Problems don't discriminate. They don't care who you are. The Lord that Stephen prayed to is the same Lord we glorify and worship today.
God is working in your life. Be faithful and keep working for Him.
How did Stephen overcome his problems?
He was intimate with God.
He was full of the Holy Spirit. When you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you will be able to overcome all your problems, even the hard and tricky problems.
He was focused on God.
Look only to God. Don't look to the left or the right, but keep focused on Christ. When we look up to God, we receive the glory.
He surrendered himself to God.
Surrender does not mean defeat. Stephen had bigger problems, but he didn't let himself be defeated. He surrendered himself to God.
We need to learn to forgive and to be grateful to God. God's forgiveness is unlimited and amazing. But we find it hard to forgive others.
Be like God and forgive each other.