Acts 9:32–35 Being The Voice

Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.” Acts 9:32–35

Early in Acts there are stories of people being healed by the apostles, much as Jesus did during His ministry. As the book continues, however, these miraculous healings are not the primary reason for the growth of the Church. Rather it is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit throughout the land, and the spreading of the Gospel by early Jesus followers to people who had not yet heard it.

In and of itself, the Gospel is an interesting story, but when we talk to others about our faith, there is something extra in how our words are conveyed, if we speak “in the Spirit.” This is sometimes a catch phrase with Christians, but there is a deep meaning behind it. God speaks to everyone if they are willing to listen. How He does this can vary from a song on the radio or Sunday worship, a sermon, or simply a feeling of connection one gets sitting in the midst of His creation.

When He chooses to speak through our words, the effect can be powerful. “Lord, let me be Your voice to this person,” might be a prayer we speak before talking to someone (this can be a stranger or our best friend for half a century).  What we say, and how we say it, sharing our own story or merely offering uplifting words of encouragement, might build a verbal bridge for Jesus to cross into their heart. When we “speak prayerfully,” our words become tools for God to pour His Spirit into their lives.

Peter’s words, more than anything else, were used to bring thousands into a relationship with Christ. He was a powerful speaker who had a genuine love for Jesus. Spoken within the power of the Holy Spirit, these attributes became the vessels Jesus used to bring many into the kingdom of God.

By his own admittance, the apostle Paul was not the best public speaker, but he was also a man of prayer, filled with the Spirit of God and who, like Peter, loved the Lord with all his heart. Because of this, God used him – and the words he spoke – to spread Christianity throughout the known world.

If you ever feel that you aren’t a polished enough speaker for God to use your words to spread His Word, remember that it’s never the speaker, but the Spirit through which we speak that opens people’s hearts to a relationship with Jesus.

Pray

Father, speak to others through me. Even when I don’t feel like my words are enough, remind me that You are. When I let go and give you control of what I say, may my words be powerful tools for your kingdom, reaching the one to whom I’m speaking in that single moment in time.

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