27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
02 Acts 01 06-11 HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN 06 Acts 01 08 The heart of God
📖 Acts 01:06-11
06 – 23Jun2022 – *The heart of God* - _Acts 01:06-11_ - HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN - Bible reading: _Romans 15:19-21_
“Lord Jesus, Your heart is for people to be reconciled with You and have the fullness of life. Humanity must come, repent and be surrendered to You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."_*
We have seen that the purpose of signs, miracles and wonders is because the Lord is always reconciling people to Himself. This is the pain of the heart of God. He sees people lost and weary, like sheep having no shepherd. He longs for people to come into His habitat and find refuge in Him. Yes, man must surrender to the authority of God but that is what people resist.
*Signs, miracles and wonders are a part of the heart of God to reach people and bring them to Himself*.
The Gentiles had received the Gospel and had turned to Christ. The Jerusalem council was taking stock of the situation, for till that time the Gospel had only touched the Jews.
*_Act 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles._*
This was the heart of God reaching the Gentiles with the Gospel. As the Gentiles were reached, miracles and wonders took place.
_Romans 15:19-21 *in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ*. (20) And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation, (21) but as it is written: "*TO WHOM HE WAS NOT ANNOUNCED, THEY SHALL SEE; AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND*."_
Paul saw his call for ministry was for the Gentiles but even among the Gentiles, Paul saw his particular ministry was to preach to those who had never heard about Jesus and His salvation. To reach this audience, mighty signs and wonders took place in his ministry.
*When we are fully one with the heart of God and reaching out to people to be reconciled with Him, we can surely expect signs and wonders to take place in our ministry. This is the heart of God*.
This is what took place in Ephesus
_Acts 19:8-12 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. (9) But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. (10) And this continued for two years, so that *all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. (11) Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, (12) so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them*._
Unusual miracles took place as Paul and his team reached out to people in the Asian region. Handkerchiefs and aprons, from Paul’s body, were brought to the sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were healed and delivered. *This happened so that all who dwelt in Asia, both Jews and Greeks turned to Christ*. God’s heart was for the people to turn to Him and be reconciled with Him.
*Our passion must be to be one with the heart of God. Signs and wonders will follow*.
_II Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds._
In Corinth, Paul had to remind the church that signs and wonders took place, while he ministered to them, as a mark of his apostleship.
_Micah 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin._
The purpose of the power of the Holy Spirit was in order to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. God’s heart was convicting His people, through the prophet, to draw them to Himself and have the fullness of life.
_Luke 10:17-20 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "*Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name*." (18) And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (19) Behold, *I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (20) Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven*."_
Yes, the disciples experienced powerful miracles and signs taking place through them as they ministered to people. The Lord was helping them to keep the right balance and not be overwhelmed with signs.
*My prayer*
```“Lord Jesus, show me and lead me to be balanced in ministry, and to always be in tune with Your heart for people.”```