Fighting Against God
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.
Before the ruling Jewish council Peter and the other Apostles said, ‘We must obey God rather than men!’ (Acts 5:29) They went on to explain that God had raised Jesus, whom those men had killed, from the dead. Now this Jesus was at the right hand of God Almighty, granting repentance and the forgiveness of sins to Israel.The response? ‘…they were furious and wanted to put them to death.’ It is interesting how death is so quickly seen as the solution for these religious leaders. In John 11 Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and what do the religious leaders want to do? Kill Lazarus. Huh? Jesus just raised him from the dead. If you kill him, couldn’t Jesus raise him again? One of the Pharisees, Gamaliel, had a cooler head. He gave the others a quick history lesson and may have sensed the activity of God among Peter and the others and the events surrounding Jesus. If it is of human origin, Gamaliel said, it will come to and end soon enough. If it is of God, you will find yourself battling the Almighty. If you go toe-to-toe with God, you know who wins, right?I intend to be in that number, a part of that unstoppable force who are living for God and serving Him. I want to not work in my own strength but in the strength God provides. I want God to lead and to battle for me.People do rise up against me. May I be so closely connected to Christ and honoring Him with my whole heart that they find themselves opposing not just me but God as well? Father, may I be a fixture in the center of Your will! I will yield my ambitions to Your purposes for my life. May people who oppose me find themselves fighting You. Correct me as needed and bring honor to Your Name through my life. This is my prayer today.
Acts 5:38-39
Before the ruling Jewish council Peter and the other Apostles said, ‘We must obey God rather than men!’ (Acts 5:29) They went on to explain that God had raised Jesus, whom those men had killed, from the dead. Now this Jesus was at the right hand of God Almighty, granting repentance and the forgiveness of sins to Israel.The response? ‘…they were furious and wanted to put them to death.’ It is interesting how death is so quickly seen as the solution for these religious leaders. In John 11 Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and what do the religious leaders want to do? Kill Lazarus. Huh? Jesus just raised him from the dead. If you kill him, couldn’t Jesus raise him again? One of the Pharisees, Gamaliel, had a cooler head. He gave the others a quick history lesson and may have sensed the activity of God among Peter and the others and the events surrounding Jesus. If it is of human origin, Gamaliel said, it will come to and end soon enough. If it is of God, you will find yourself battling the Almighty. If you go toe-to-toe with God, you know who wins, right?I intend to be in that number, a part of that unstoppable force who are living for God and serving Him. I want to not work in my own strength but in the strength God provides. I want God to lead and to battle for me.People do rise up against me. May I be so closely connected to Christ and honoring Him with my whole heart that they find themselves opposing not just me but God as well? Father, may I be a fixture in the center of Your will! I will yield my ambitions to Your purposes for my life. May people who oppose me find themselves fighting You. Correct me as needed and bring honor to Your Name through my life. This is my prayer today.
