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Don't be afraid, God is with you

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Don't be afraid, God is with you

One night, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and said, “Don’t be afraid. Keep on speaking. Don’t be silent, for I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city. I was extremely conscious of that in my own ministry. I spent 30 years working in communist countries, and another 30 years afterwards – 60 years in all working throughout the former Soviet Union. And during those years, there were four attempts to assassinate me. Yet I was always conscious that God was protecting me.

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God can be found

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God can be found

Acts is the record of the early Church – not just the ministry of Jesus. It gives us a pattern for how we should live and minister today. I believe we should be living according to this biblical pattern.

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The Power of Prayer

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The Power of Prayer

This is the only occasion in Scripture where prayer is answered by a literal earthquake. I wish more of us would pray with that kind of faith and expectancy today. This was no routine prayer meeting – it was prayer that shook the earth, broke chains, and opened doors. That is the kind of praying the Church needs once again.

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Jesus is the healer

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Jesus is the healer

At the end of Acts 5:16 we read these remarkable words: “All of them were healed.” What a challenge that is to the Church today. God's power has not diminished. His ability to heal has not weakened. Sadly, it is often our expectation and our faith that have diminished – not His power.

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Salvation by faith alone

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Salvation by faith alone

The believers in the Old Testament were saved by looking forward in faith to the coming Messiah. Today, we are saved by looking back in faith to the finished work of Christ. The object of our faith is the same Saviour; only the direction in which we look has changed.

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The Power of Expectant Prayer

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The Power of Expectant Prayer

For many people, prayer becomes little more than wishful thinking. I can’t stand that kind of praying. When I pray, I pray with conviction and determination. I know what I'm asking God to do, and I pray believing that He hears and answers.

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The Gospel is for all

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The Gospel is for all

Jesus came into the world to save the lost. He came to die for sinners. He did not come for one group of people or another. He did not come only for the Jews or only for the Gentiles. He came for all people, so that everyone might have the opportunity to be saved. And today, our calling is to take that message of salvation to everyone.

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Led by the Spirit

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Led by the Spirit

I believe that God has also chosen you and me to be His witnesses today. Just as the early disciples were called to testify of the greatness of God, we too have been chosen to declare what we have seen and experienced of His transforming power.

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God still transforms lives today

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God still transforms lives today

If you are a believer, you too are called to be a witness, just as Peter, John, and the other disciples were. As Acts 10:39 reminds us, we are witnesses to what Jesus has done. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God still transforms lives today, and He invites every believer to testify to His saving grace and His mighty power.

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God works healing miracles through you

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God works healing miracles through you

In Acts 9, Peter encountered a man named Aeneas who had been paralysed for eight years. Recognising his need, Peter did not anoint him with oil or lay hands on him. Instead, he simply declared, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Immediately, Aeneas got up. There was no gradual recovery, no delay; the healing was instantaneous. The miracle demonstrated the power and authority of Jesus Christ working through His servant.

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Following God's instruction

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Following God's instruction

Looking back over my life, I can see how the Lord has ordered my steps. He has given me specific instructions and sent me to particular places. The evidence lies in what followed. My first overland journey to Jerusalem opened my eyes to the suffering of the underground Church behind the Iron Curtain. From that point onwards, at every stage of my life, I was acting under the Lord's direction. Time and again, God did exactly what He had promised.

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The Holy Spirit will change your life

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The Holy Spirit will change your life

What happened on the Day of Pentecost was not a one-time event. Again and again, throughout the later chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, we read of people receiving the Holy Spirit. Each time, there was a remarkable transformation. They were filled with a new dynamic power, and it became unmistakably clear that the Holy Spirit had changed their lives.

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Miracles confirm the Gospel

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Miracles confirm the Gospel

One truth I can never escape is this: the miracles recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles were the evidence that confirmed the truth of the message.

Acts 8:6 tells us what happened: "The people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." They didn't just hear Philip's words – they saw the power of God at work. The message and the miracles went together.

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The Holy Spirit is given to all Believers

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The Holy Spirit is given to all Believers

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts chapter 2 came upon the 120 believers, but there is absolutely no question that God's intention was never to limit His Spirit to that small group. The same Holy Spirit was given for all believers, empowering ordinary men and women to live as bold witnesses for Christ.

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God honours obedience

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God honours obedience

When we obey God, trust Him, and follow His calling, He will honour us and give us the grace and strength to accomplish His purposes.

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Pentecost was only a beginning

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Pentecost was only a beginning

What happened on the Day of Pentecost can and should happen today. It was not a one-time event that ended with the first disciples; rather, it was the beginning of the Spirit-empowered life of the Church throughout this age. The evidence, demonstration, and confirmation of who Jesus is continues through the work of the Holy Spirit in His people.

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Transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit

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Transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit marked the birth of the Church's Spirit-empowered ministry. It was God's visible demonstration of His power at work in His people – a ministry that continues throughout this age until Christ returns.

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From Pentecost to the Second Coming

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From Pentecost to the Second Coming

Just as the disciples saw Him ascend into heaven, those who are alive when He returns will see Him come again in the same visible and glorious way. Until that day, the Church has a mission: to continue the work of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, faithfully witnessing to Him until He comes again.

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