SPIRIT-filled seven:
Acts 6:3
King James Version
3 Wherefore, brethren,
look ye out among you
seven men of honest report,
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business.
If you wonder what happens when we are filled with GOD's SPIRIT, you need to hear the beautiful story on Stephen, a man filled with the Spirit of God.
Then you may know the power of the Holy Ghost.
There arose disagreement between the Grecians and Hebrews, so the 12 apostles decided to appoint seven men, with the objective:
Acts 6:4
King James Version
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer,
and to the ministry of the word.
From that, Stephen was chosen as one of the seven.
Acts 6:5-6
King James Version
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude:
and they chose Stephen,
a man full of faith
and of the Holy Ghost,
and Philip,
and Prochorus,
and Nicanor,
and Timon,
and Parmenas,
and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles:
and when they had prayed,
they laid their hands on them.
As a result:
Acts 6:7
King James Version
7 And the word of God increased;
and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;
and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
Stephen was truly endued with God's SPIRIT.
Acts 6:8
King James Version
8 And Stephen,
full of faith and power,
did great wonders and miracles
among the people.
As always, God's SPIRIT is challenged by unbelievers.
Acts 6:9-10
King James Version
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue,
which is called the synagogue of the Libertines,
and Cyrenians,
and Alexandrians,
and of them of Cilicia and of Asia,
disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom
and the spirit by which he spake.
They set against Stephen, and the Spirit of God in him.
Acts 6:11-14
King James Version
11 Then they suborned men,
which said,
We have heard him speak blasphemous words
against Moses,
and against God.
12 And they stirred up the people,
and the elders,
and the scribes,
and came upon him,
and caught him,
and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses,
which said,
This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words
against this holy place,
and the law:
14 For we have heard him say,
that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place,
and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
And yet, heaven was upon Stephen.
Acts 6:15
King James Version
15 And all that sat in the council,
looking stedfastly on him,
saw his face
as it had been the face of an angel.
Of course, Stephen was challenged by the unbelievers:
Acts 7:1
King James Version
7 Then said the high priest,
Are these things so?
From which, Stephen recounted the story of God's faithfulness to Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, all the way to Solomon, and the people of Israel.
Acts 7:2-3
King James Version
2 And he said,
Men,
brethren,
and fathers,
hearken;
The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham,
when he was in Mesopotamia,
before he dwelt in Charran,
3 And said unto him,
Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred,
and come into the land
which I shall shew thee.
(A full account of Stephen's testimony can be read here.)
Stephen also spoke of how prophets have been persecuted, and slain -- and the betrayal, and murder, of the JUST ONE.
Acts 7:52
King James Version
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
and they have slain them
which shewed before of the coming of the Just One;
of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
As expected, you can imagine the accusers' reaction.
Acts 7:54
King James Version
54 When they heard these things,
they were cut to the heart,
and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Being full of the HOLY SPIRIT, Stephen was gifted with a vision.
Acts 7:55-56
King James Version
55 But he,
being full of the Holy Ghost,
looked up stedfastly into heaven,
and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said,
Behold,
I see the heavens opened,
and the Son of man
standing on the right hand of God.
Then the people went mad, and stoned Stephen, .
Acts 7:57
King James Version
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice,
and stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord,
And laid their clothes at the feet of Saul, who will one day be of God.
Yes, the persecutor will be turned by the SPIRIT of GOD, too.
Acts 7:58
King James Version
58 And cast him out of the city,
and stoned him:
and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul.
Stephen calls to God, and asks forgiveness for his oppressors.
Acts 7:59-60
King James Version
59 And they stoned Stephen,
calling upon God,
and saying,
Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down,
and cried with a loud voice,
Lord,
lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this,
he fell asleep.
You will also want to know what Saul confessed to Jesus when the Lord showed up in his life:
Acts 22:20
King James Version
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed,
I also was standing by,
and consenting unto his death,
and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
And that's for the next post:
