God's Will Happens
“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.”
Acts 5:38-39
I just came upon this passage. I have been praying for the Lord to reveal a few things to me, specific things pertaining to how His will gets carried out and how humanity plays a role. I believe He has showed me a little bit.
In this story, the apostles are being persecuted for following a command of the Lord that had given to them by angels. While the apostles stood before the Sanhedrin, Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29) The apostles are explaining that they have to do what the Lord commanded them over all the advice, the statutes, and the desires of any man, including themselves. In this situation, that meant putting themselves at risk for persecution. But they followed God anyway.
After the apostles explained themselves, Gamaliel, a well respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, stood and warned the Sanhedrin against persecuting anyone who could be following the Lord’s commands. He gave examples of groups that had risen up and failed because they were not truly from God. He then stated,
“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.”
Sometimes, I forget that the early believers had to fight and withstand persecution for Christ. And yes, I do experience some instances where someone strongly disagrees with my beliefs but never did that person flog me or crucify me for it. That is what the early Christians faced and yet Christianity has flourished! Christians back then knew what was against them but they also knew that God was with them and for them, guiding them, loving them, always knowing what was best for each of them. The same happens today.
I have heard stories (and could recount a few easily) of Christians who had an idea, a dream of sorts, and went to achieve it thinking that it was a good idea, that it could be pleasing to the Lord but at the end of the day, they failed. I believe that the reason they failed is because the basis of this idea, this amazing plan was of “human origin”. I can take Gamaliel’s words and apply them to my life. When I am doing something, inherently good or bad, but it is not from the Lord, I fail. I fail because, though what I have done is good in the eyes of man and even sometimes in the eyes of my church, I know deep down the reason I did whatever I did came from me, not Christ, not the Creator of the Universe.
I can say this with confidence because when something comes from God, when something is commanded by the Lord, it is unstoppable. “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” This is insanely convicting to me: when I fight God’s will, I am fighting God. This is the reason that the Sanhedrin flogged the apostles and then sent them away, leaving them alone. A few lines after Gamaliel’s warning it says,
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 4:41-42)
Hold on!! They rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!?! And after that, they continued to be blessed because they went around doing the very thing that got them flogged and beaten in the first place, proclaiming the news of Jesus Christ. Those who are doing what the Lord has asked them to do cannot be stopped. They may be set back, they may experience doubt, they may wonder if God even knows what He is doing, but they can not be stopped by anyone. Why? Because God cannot be stopped. If He wants something done, it will happen.
I hope that made some sense. I am still rolling through this scripture learning more but let me know what you think.
Acts 5:38-39
I just came upon this passage. I have been praying for the Lord to reveal a few things to me, specific things pertaining to how His will gets carried out and how humanity plays a role. I believe He has showed me a little bit.
In this story, the apostles are being persecuted for following a command of the Lord that had given to them by angels. While the apostles stood before the Sanhedrin, Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29) The apostles are explaining that they have to do what the Lord commanded them over all the advice, the statutes, and the desires of any man, including themselves. In this situation, that meant putting themselves at risk for persecution. But they followed God anyway.
After the apostles explained themselves, Gamaliel, a well respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, stood and warned the Sanhedrin against persecuting anyone who could be following the Lord’s commands. He gave examples of groups that had risen up and failed because they were not truly from God. He then stated,
“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.”
Sometimes, I forget that the early believers had to fight and withstand persecution for Christ. And yes, I do experience some instances where someone strongly disagrees with my beliefs but never did that person flog me or crucify me for it. That is what the early Christians faced and yet Christianity has flourished! Christians back then knew what was against them but they also knew that God was with them and for them, guiding them, loving them, always knowing what was best for each of them. The same happens today.
I have heard stories (and could recount a few easily) of Christians who had an idea, a dream of sorts, and went to achieve it thinking that it was a good idea, that it could be pleasing to the Lord but at the end of the day, they failed. I believe that the reason they failed is because the basis of this idea, this amazing plan was of “human origin”. I can take Gamaliel’s words and apply them to my life. When I am doing something, inherently good or bad, but it is not from the Lord, I fail. I fail because, though what I have done is good in the eyes of man and even sometimes in the eyes of my church, I know deep down the reason I did whatever I did came from me, not Christ, not the Creator of the Universe.
I can say this with confidence because when something comes from God, when something is commanded by the Lord, it is unstoppable. “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” This is insanely convicting to me: when I fight God’s will, I am fighting God. This is the reason that the Sanhedrin flogged the apostles and then sent them away, leaving them alone. A few lines after Gamaliel’s warning it says,
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 4:41-42)
Hold on!! They rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!?! And after that, they continued to be blessed because they went around doing the very thing that got them flogged and beaten in the first place, proclaiming the news of Jesus Christ. Those who are doing what the Lord has asked them to do cannot be stopped. They may be set back, they may experience doubt, they may wonder if God even knows what He is doing, but they can not be stopped by anyone. Why? Because God cannot be stopped. If He wants something done, it will happen.
I hope that made some sense. I am still rolling through this scripture learning more but let me know what you think.
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