SUNDAY May 28, 2023

Can You Withstand God?

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
Acts 11:15-17

When Peter gave the message of the Gospel to Cornelius and his company, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as in the Day of Pentecost. This experience in the home of Cornelius was witnessed by Peter and the six men he had taken with him. Notice how the Holy Spirit brought back to Peter’s remembrance what Jesus had spoken to him: “ ‘John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit’ ” (Acts 1:5). In these times, when the New Testament had not yet been written, Peter had memorized Jesus’ words.

The phenomenon was confirmed by the Word of God. This was the “upon” experience Jesus spoke about in 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.”

When we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will help bring back to our memory where to find a certain verse or passage. I believe, if you only read some of the Bible, your knowledge will be very limited. Understand, the Holy Spirit can only bring back to your memory what you have studied and read. It is important to read the Word of God in its entirety––the full counsel of God––the Old Testament with the New Testament.

Finally, Peter concluded his defense in front of those who had confronted him for being with Gentiles, “If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” If God had given the Gentiles the gift of His Spirit, how could Peter fight against God?

Some people try to withstand the work of God. It is an impossibility!

“...for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
~Acts 5:38-39~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!