Praise YAH. I am so excited about this
message today. I want you to open your bibles with me to Acts chapter one and
we're going to begin with verse 1, but I need to ask the question are you ready
to get into YAH's Word today? Amen. I am as well. I've entitled this message
today: The Set-Apart Spirit Empowering a Movement. Let me say it again, The
Set-Apart Spirit Empowering a Movement. We're going to talk about, in those early
days of the congregation of belief in Yerushalayim,
what literally transpired, what was in the heart of Abba YAH
to take place in those days and how the Set-Apart Spirit played a very important
and powerful role in empowering a movement and what He did in those days,
He can still do today. The question is, do you believe that the Set-Apart Spirit
wants to empower a movement? Do you believe it's in Abba YAH's heart, the
Father's heart for something supernatural to take place in the days
that we're living in? I want to say I do I believe that and I believe that once
we get the Word in us and we see what the Spirit did in those early days of
the congregation of belief, then, we can begin to believe that we all will do the
same things in our day today. So let's start with Acts chapter 1 beginning with
verse 1, it says, "The first account I made, O Theophilos, of all that Yeshua began
both to do and to teach, until the day when He was taken up," All right. So this
is Luke, Luke is the author of the book of Acts and he's referring here to his
Good News account. He says, the first account I made - speaking of the Good News
account of Luke - of all that Yeshua began both to do and to teach. So he's saying,
when I wrote my Good News account I was writing about all that Yeshua began, both,
to do and to teach. Alright. So, this implies that all that Yeshua began both
to do and to teach was written about in the Good News accounts but then Yeshua passed the baton to those who believed upon Him, to His taught ones,
and His expectation is that they, then, would continue to do what He did and to
teach what He taught. And that was for those early emissaries in that
congregation of belief in Yerushalayim that didn't spread out all over the
Gentile world, and it's true for us today as taught ones of Yeshua. That it is the
charge of Yeshua that we continue in those things that He did, we continue to
do them and those things that He taught, we continue to teach them. Now, if we'll
do that, then we're postured for the Set-Apart Spirit to empower us to
experience a movement of Elohim in the days that we're living in. Alright. So let
me read it all together beginning at verse one again, "The first account I made,
O Theophilos, of all that Yeshua began both to do and a teach, until the day
when He was taken up after giving instructions through the Set-Apart
Spirit to the emissaries whom He had chosen," Now, Yeshua didn't do anything
apart from the Set-Apart Spirit. Everything He did was through the Set-
Apart Spirit. We know from the Scriptures that Yeshua was born of the Spirit in
His natural birth, He grew in the Spirit, He, at the age of twelve, discovered He
must be about His Father's business - that came about through the Spirit. We know He
went to the Yarden and was water baptized by Yohanan the Immerser. When
He came up out of the water He began to pray. What did He pray for? Well He prayed
for what He received and the Scripture says, the heavens were opened and the
Spirit of YAH descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove and remained
upon Him so He was filled with the Spirit and then the Scripture says He
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tried by the devil, then
He defeated the devil through the sword of the Spirit, which is the written Word
of Elohim, and then He came out in the power of the Spirit, He went into a
synagogue on the Sabbath day and then He declared the anointing of the Spirit on
His life, He said, the Spirit of YAH's upon me because He's anointed me to preach
the Good News to the poor, He sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
those who are oppressed and to preach the acceptable year of YAH and then He
went out and began His miracle ministry. So everything Yeshua did, He did. By the
power of the Spirit and He said, follow me, so if we're going to follow Him then
we also must be born of the Spirit, we must grow in the Spirit, we must learn
through the Spirit that we must be about our Father's business, we must be filled
with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, overcome the devil through the Spirit,
come out in the power of the Spirit and announce our anointing in the Spirit and
then go about doing the works of Yeshua. So, it says, "Until the day when He was
taken up, after giving instructions through the Set-Apart Spirit to the
emissaries whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His
suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days,
speaking concerning the reign of Elohim." So He was talking to them about the
Kingdom. So after He was resurrected, He appeared to them for forty days and over
that period of 40 days, He taught them a lot about the Kingdom or the reign of
Elohim. Verse four, "And meeting with them, He commanded them not to leave
Yerushalayim, but to wait for the promise of the Father," Now what is the promise of
the Father? The Father is the promise that YAH made
to Avraham and Avraham's Seed, Mashiach, Yeshua, that through Avraham and
the Messiah, Yeshua, that all the nations of the world would be blessed and Sha'ul
tells us that the ultimate blessing of the New Covenant is the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit. To receive the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit so what is
Yeshua telling them here? It says, "He commanded
them not to leave Yerushalayim," In other words, He had given them the Great
Commandment to go into all the world and preach the Good News to every creature,
but He's saying here - don't go anywhere. Don't preach any sermons. Don't lay your
hands on any sick people. Don't cast out any demons. Don't raise the dead. Don't do
anything. Don't leave your roots alive until you
are endued with power from on high. In verse 4, it says, "He commanded them not to
leave Yerushalayim, but to wait for the promise of the Father." The promise of the
indwelling Set-Apart Spirit. The Spirit then would empower them beyond their own
natural limitations, empower them for the supernatural, empower them to do the
works of Yeshua then they're prepared to go into all the world and preach the
Good News to every creature. But notice it says, "Which you have heard from me,"
This is Yeshua speaking. So Yeshua had preached to them about receiving the
indwelling Set-Apart Spirit and He had even told them that they would receive
the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit on the day of Shavu'ot. So they were very
familiar with what was going to happen on the day of Shavu'ot. Verse 5, "Because
Yohanan truly immersed in water, but you shall be immersed in the Set-Apart
Spirit not many days from now." So in the same way that when you're immersed in
water, you're completely engulfed in the water,
Yeshua promised that they would be completely engulfed in the Spirit to
empower them to do the works of Yeshua in the days ahead.
Look at verse 6, "So when they had come together, they asked Him saying, "Master,
would you at this time restore the reign," Or the kingdom. "...to Israel?" And He said to
them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His
own authority." Look at verse eight, "...but you shall
receive power," That word power in the Greek is the word that we get our
English word "dynamite" from. In other words, you're going to receive explosive
power when the Set-Apart Spirit has come upon you. Now, let me ask you the question
that's so important for us all to grapple with. Do we have the same charge,
are we responsible for the same comission to go into all the world and
preach the Good News to every creature? The answer is yes. If we have the same
charge, wouldn't we also have the availability of the same power, to be
able to complete the charge? The answer to that question also is yes. So when it
says, but you shall receive power when the Set-Apart Spirit has come upon you,
you can personalize it. You can say I shall receive power when the Set-Apart
Spirit has come upon me, alright. Yeshua said, "...but you shall receive power when
the Set-Apart Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses, or
witnesses, of me in Yerushalayim," That's Jerusalem. "...and in all Yehudah,"
That's Judea. "...and Shomeron," And that's Samaria. "...and to the end of the earth." So
the point here is yes, Yeshua commanded them to go into all the world into all
the nations and preach the Good News to every creature, but He would not let them
go until they received the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit, until they received
what the Father had promised Abraham and His Seed, Mashiach, that all the
nations of the world would be blessed. And later Sha'ul tells us that blessing
is the blessing of the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit. So they had to receive
the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit and be empowered before they could go, why?
Because Abba had something in His heart. He had a plan, He had a movement, He
wanted them to accomplish a purpose of His and they needed the the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit to be able to do that. Verse 9, "And having said this, while they
were looking on, He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. And as
they were gazing into the heavens as He went up, see, two men stood by them
dressed in white," These were messengers or angels. "...who also said, "Men of Galilee,
why do you stand looking up into the heaven? This same Yeshua, who was taken up
from you into the heaven, shall come in the same way as you saw Him go into the
heaven." And so, in essence, they were just standing there gazing into the heavens
as Yeshua went up, these two messengers, these two angels, came and spoke to them
and said - why are you just standing there stargazing, why are you just looking up
into the sky? Don't you know you have a work to do, don't you know that you have
something to do? Because in the same way that Yeshua was taken up He's going to
come back. And so, between this time of Him being taken up and the time that He
comes back, you've got to work to do. You need to be empowered by the Spirit to do
it, you've got to work. There's a plan, there's a purpose, there's a movement,
there's something that's going to happen and you need the Spirit to be able to
accomplish what Abba YAH has in His heart for you to do.
Look at verse 12, "Then they went back to Yerushalayim from the Mount of Olives,
which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath's day journey. And when they came in, they went
up into the upper room where they were staying:
both Kepha and Ya'aqob and Yohanan and Andri and Philip and T'oma and
Bartholomi and Mattithyahu, Ya'aqob the son of Alphai and Shim'on the Zealot
and Yehuḏah the son of Ya‛aqoḇ. All these were continuing with one mind
in prayer and supplication, with the women and Miryam the mother of Yeshua,
and with His brothers." So they were together in one mind and they were in
prayer. What were they praying for? They were praying for the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit, in the same way that Yeshua came up out of the water began to
pray and receive the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit. They were praying and
they had about a 10-day period of prayer to prepare themselves to receive the
indwelling Set-Apart Spirit because the Spirit was so vital and so important for
the movement that was about to take place. Now, go with me over to Acts
chapter 2 and we'll pick up with verse 1. It says, "In when the day of the Festival
of Shavu'ot had come," So they had counted fifty days and that fiftieth day is the
day of Shavu'ot. "...they were all with one mind in one place." Now, they were they
were with one mind because they knew what was about to happen
because Yeshua had told them they were in unity. "And suddenly there came a
sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting." So they had been obedient, they hadn't gone straight out
and started preaching and laying hands on sick people and casting out demons,
but they waited for those ten days, they were in prayer, they prayed, believing to
receive the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit and when the Festival of Shavu'ot had
come they were there waiting for the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit.
Look at verse three, "And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and
settled on each one of them." And this is the verse I want to focus on today, "And
they were all filled," They were all filled. Now, this isn't a day when
denominations were formed. You know, two or three of them got filled and and some
of them were kind-of okay with the fact that two or three of them got filled but
they weren't really filled themselves, and then there are these over here that
they just didn't believe in that "being- filled stuff". No, these are the followers
of Yeshua, these are the ones charged to go do the work of Yeshua and they obeyed and we're waiting for the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit, the
Spirit came and it says they were all filled. Now, what do you think would
happen in this world if all of the true believers of Yeshua got filled?
Got filled with a Set-Apart Spirit, truly got filled. I'm not talking about
some kind of little religious experience. I'm talking about truly filled with the
Spirit of the Father. Because the Set-Apart Spirit is the Father Spirit
and the Father can put His Spirit on whomever He wants to. That day, they were
all filled and we should all be filled with the Set-Apart Spirit in the days
that we're living in. It says, "And they were all filled with the Set-Apart Spirit and
began," You don't begin doing what Abba YAH has for you until you get filled the
Spirit. We can't accomplish the works of Yeshua.
We can't be involved in and participate in a movement in the day that we're
living in without being filled with the Set-Apart Spirit - that's when we begin.
Don't go out and try to do something religious. A lot of people are trying to
do religious stuff, they're even trying to obey the bible but they won't have
anything to do with the Spirit. You will not be successful at trying to obey the
bible without the Spirit of Abba YAH and so they were all filled with the
Set-Apart Spirit and began, began to what? Began to speak, began to speak with other
tongues as the Spirit gave them to speak. So when you get filled with the Spirit,
you begin to speak, your tongue gets set on fire you become a witness. You receive
the power to tell your testimony and you speak as the Spirit gives you to speak.
Yeshua said, when I put you before kings and people of authority, don't
be worried about what you're going to say, He said, because it'll be given to
you what to speak because it's not you speaking but the Spirit of my Father who
gives you the words to speak. And so when we get filled with the Spirit, one of the
things that happens is that we begin speak, our tongues are loosened and we're
able to speak. There's a boldness that comes upon us and we have a worry-free
witness and so I want you to see there's no speaking, there's no sharing, there's
no preaching, there's no being a witness without the Set-Apart Spirit. Now, we're
talking about what what goes on behind the scenes to produce a movement, we're
looking at this original movement but the same dynamics must take place for
there to be a movement in the days that we're living in now. Look at Acts chapter
2 and verse 5, "Now in Yerushalayim there were dwelling Yehudim,
dedicated men from every nation under the heaven. And when this sound came to
be," The sound of the rushing mighty wind. "...the crowd came together, and were
confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. And they were
all amazed and marvelled, saying to each other, "Look, are not all these who speak
Galileans?" And they were speaking languages that they had never
learned and how do we hear each one in our own language, in which we were born.
Look at verse 11, the second half of it. "We hear them speaking in our own tongues
the great deeds of Elohim." Well how did that happen? How did this happen
to where all these Galileans and probably many of them weren't
real outgoing, they weren't real charismatic, in essence. Well, something
had happened. They'd gotten filled with the Spirit and they've gotten their
tongue set on fire and the Spirit actually gave them languages that they'd
never studied and had never known and they were preaching the wonderful works
of Elohim in these languages of men that they had never studied. It says, "...we
hear them speaking in our own tongues the great deeds of Elohim."
Verse 12, "And they were all amazed, and were puzzled, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?" And others mocking said, "They had been filled with sweet
wine." But Kepha, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said to
them, "Men of Yehudah and all those dwelling in Jerusalem, let this be known
to you, and listen closely to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you
imagine, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this," What you're seeing.
"...this is what was spoken by the Prophet Yoel:" 'And it shall be in the last days,
says Elohim, that I shall pour out My Spirit on all flesh." That's whosoever
will. "...and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy," That means to proclaim to
declare, to preach, to tell your testimony. "...and your young men shall see visions,"
Just like the original covenant prophets did. "...and your old men shall dream dreams,"
Just like the original Hebrew prophets did. "...and also on my male servants and on
my female servants I shall pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall
prophesy," They shall proclaim, they shall speak, they shall declare, they shall be a
witness both men and women. Verse 19 "'And I shall show wonders in the heaven above
and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be
turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and
splendid day of YAH." Look at verse 21, so important. "'And it shall be that
everyone who calls on the name of YAH shall be saved.'"
So we see that connection between the outpouring of the Spirit, empowering the
body of Mashiach, giving them boldness to speak, setting their tongues on fire and
people being saved, in other words, people believing and confessing Yeshua,
performing teshuvah turning to Elohim in obedience and being justified with a
justification that produces a desire to be obedient, hallelujah.
So before there are people crying out, what must I do to be saved? There must be
people crying out, fill me with the Spirit? Because if Elohim's people will
get filled with His Spirit, then they will be empowered to preach, to proclaim,
to declare, to be a witness to tell your testimony and people then will be
convicted by the Set-Apart Spirit and cry out, what must I do to be saved? And
call upon the name of Yeshua and be born again, be justified with the
justification that produces Torah obedience or obedience to the Scripture,
all right. Now, let's look at verse 22. We're in Acts chapter 2, it says, "Men of
Israel, hear these words: Yeshua of Nazareth, a man from Elohim, having been
pointed out to you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs which Eldin did
through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know, this One," Speaking
of Yeshua. "...given up by the set purpose and foreknowledge of Elohim, you have
impaled and put to death through the hands of lawless men - Him Elohim raised
up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was impossible that He could
be held in its grip." So He's just preaching the Good News message here.
Look at verse 36, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain
that Elohim has made this Yeshua, whom you impaled," He's preaching boldly. "...both
Master and Messiah. And having heard this, they were pierced to the heart,
conviction by the Set-Apart Spirit and said to Kepha and to the rest of the
emissaries, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" and Kepha said to them, "Repent and let
each one of you be immerses in the name of Yeshua Messiah for the forgiveness of
sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Set-Apart Spirit." You're going to
receive the promise of the Father. You're going to receive a wonderful gift and
that gift is the Set-Apart Spirit. You're going
to believe under a justification and that justification, then, is going to
provide the Spirit and the Spirit is going to empower you to be obedient. And
you'll be a light to your family, to your friends, to your neighbors, to your
country. Verse 39, "For the promise," The promise of the Father. "...is to you and
to your children," As generational. "...and do all who are far off," So places that are
far away from Yerushalayim, that would include where you are. "...as many as
YAH our Elohim shall call." So this promise is to you. When you're called and
you accept the calling, this promise is to you. "...and with many other words He
earnestly witnessed and urged them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked of
this perverse generation." Then those, indeed, who gladly received
his word, were immersed," Notice what's happening here, there's a movement going
on and it all started with the emissaries and others who were followers
of Yeshua who were obedient to wait until the day of Shavu'ot to receive the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit, to receive the promise of the Father and when they
did, they received all that they needed to then begin to do the works of Yeshua and to teach what Yeshua had taught. And so, now, we see Kepha on the
day of Shavu'ot while preaching this wonderful message and people are
convicted by the Set-Apart Spirit. They're crying out, what must I do to be
saved? and Kepha's saying, repent, be water
baptized and you'll receive the promise of the Spirit and then he goes on and he
preaches even more to say, be saved from this crooked generation, and then in
verse 41, we see, "Those, indeed, who gladly received his word were immersed." They
were baptized, water baptized. And on that day, about three thousand beings
were added to them." Would you say that was a movement? Would you say
that the Spirit was up to something through the people of Elohim? I would say
so, and I believe the same types of things can happen in our day as well, if
we're willing to do the same things that they did, we'll get the same results.
Hallelujah. I don't see the Scripture just as a history lesson of what YAH did
in and through the believers in those days. I see it as a blueprint. You could
say a divine blueprint, that if we'll do the same things that they did, we'll get
the same results. Do you believe that? I do.
Look at verse 42, "And they were continuing steadfastly," Now, see,
something's going on here. This is not something that's happening
by the strength of the arm of man, it's not by man's might nor by man's power
but by My Spirit, says YAH. This is something that's going on by the Spirit.
So they get "saved", they come to Elohim, they're justified through their
belief they received the Set-Apart Spirit, they have a desire to be obedient
and then, notice it says, they were continuing steadfastly. That didn't stop,
this is something the Spirit's doing in the teaching of the emissaries. They were
so hungry, they wanted to be taught, they loved the Word of Elohim and they didn't
miss a time when the Word was being shared and taught. They were there. I
tell you what, we need to get back to that, don't we? We need to see people
filled with the Spirit to where they're so hungry they would never miss an
opportunity to learn. It says, "They continued steadfastly," They didn't quit.
"...in the teaching of the emissaries and in the fellowship," They loved being with one
another, to encourage one another, to pray with one another, to stand with one
another, to be there for one another in difficult times and in good times. "...and
in the breaking of bread," They ate meals together. "...and in the prayers." So they were
praying together. Now, these four things, you don't find
this in Scripture anywhere else but these are four things that the Scripture
says that the early believers did without stopping. They continued
steadfastly in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in meals
together and in prayers, in prayers - that's of the Spirit. "And fear came upon
every being," Fear. Reverence. "...all came upon every being and many wonders and signs
were being done through the emissaries. All of this is happening because the
Spirit is moving. "And all those who believed were together and had all in
common," They were unified. "...and sold their possessions and property and divided
them among all, as anyone might have need." Now, this was not something mandated. This
was something that the Spirit was doing in the hearts of believers. They saw the
need out there, they were moved by the Spirit. They had some excess, they had
excess property, they had excess goods, they didn't need those things, they sold
those things, they brought the money to the emissaries and the emissaries, then,
just distributed those proceeds as people had need. They actually stamped
out poverty in that first century. The family of belief was a great place to be
because the needs of the people were being met and that was happening by the
Spirit. That's not something that happens naturally in the hearts of men, that was
motivated and inspired by the Spirit. Verse 46, it says, "Then day by day,
continuing with one mind in the Set- Apart Place," That's in the temple. "...and
breaking bread from house to house," So that's corporate worship and house to
house. This is the model that we follow, this is a biblical model. They met
corporately and in those days, it was in the temple but they also met house to
house and that was the the method that the Spirit was empowering to accomplish
this great movement that was going on, in Yerushalayim, in those early days. It says, "...they ate their food with gladness and
simplicity of heart, praising Elohim and having favor with all the people," So this
is the model that we're using, this is the biblical model that the Spirit has
placed upon our hearts to follow. We're meeting corporately but we're also
meeting from house to house and when we come together, we break our bread, we eat
our meals with gladness and simplicity of heart. We're praising Elohim, there's a
lot of praise going on in the homes and because of that we're having favor with
people in our neighborhoods in our communities. And look at the next
sentence. "And the Master added to the assembly those who were being saved. day
by day." Who, added to the assembly? The Master. See,
this is not just a mission. this is a co- mission. This is a mission that we share
with the Master when we receive the Set-Apart Spirit and we are empowered to
do the works of Yeshua and we go out into our communities and we make an
impact and we shine our light. Then, it says, the Master will add to our assembly,
those who are being saved, and it's day by day. I believe we're going to see that
again. I sincerely believe we're going to see that again, I've had this in my heart
for years. I've been in the ministry over 30 years
and I've taught these same principles practically every year, all that time, and
I've seen certain degrees of it come to pass. I've never felt so strongly as I do
right now that we are entering into a season where we're going to see these
same types of things transpire in our day. As we apply these biblical
principles, we're going to get these biblical results. I'm believing that the
Master is going to add to the assembly those who are being saved and it's going to
day by day. Hallelujah. Now, let's go on a little further, go to Acts chapter 4.
We're going to pick up with verse one and this is going to talk about what
transpired after the lame man was healed at the gate... beautiful.
So Kepha and Yohanan (Peter and John) they were going up to the temple and they saw
this lame man, he was begging for money and they didn't have any money to give
him, but they said - what we do have, will give to you and they said in the name of
Yeshua rise up, walk. And he got up and he went into the temple walking and leaping
and praising Elohim and it caused a great stir. So, let's pick up Acts chapter
4 and verse 1. It says, "And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and
the captain of the Set-Apart Place, and the Sadducees, came upon them," So they
took advantage of the opportunity after this great miracle, to begin speaking to
the people. "...being annoyed because they taught the people and announced the
resurrection from the dead in Yeshua. And they arrested them." So they got arrested.
Well, that'll tell us that when we're preaching the Good News of Yeshua,
we could make people angry and we could get arrested. "...And they arrested them, and
put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those
who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men became about five thousand."
This is a movement. This is not anything that men are working up, this is
something that the Spirit is doing. Hallelujah. "...And it came to be, on the next
day, that their rulers and elders and scribes assembled in Jerusalem. As well
as Hanan on the high priest, and Qayapha, and Yohanan and Alexander, and as many as
were of high priestly descent." So these are all the top dogs, so to speak, they've
gathered together. "And having placed them in the middle, they asked, "By what power
are in what Name did you do this?" That's a great question because they're ready
to give the answer. "...Then Kepha," Notice. "...filled with
to Set-Apart Spirit," And Luke made it a point, I mean, he emphasized this greatly -
to say that Kepha was filled with the Set-Apart Spirit. "...and Kepha, filled with the Set-Apart Spirit..." See the Spirit's up to something. "...said to them, "Rulers of the
people and elders of Israel: If today we are called to account for a good deed
towards a sick man, by whom he has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and
to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Yeshua Messiah of Nazareth, whom
you impaled," He's preaching boldly. "...whom Elohim raised from the dead, by Him this
one stands before you healthy. This is 'the stone which was rejected by you
builders, which has become the chief corner-stone.' And there is no deliverance
in anyone else, for there is no other Name under the heaven given among men by
which we need to be saved." And seeing the boldness of Kepha and Yohanan, and
perceiving that they were unlearned in ordinary men, they marveled." Now, I wanted
to get to that verse because I want you to see that this movement, if you were
looking from a natural eye you would say, oh, this movement is being led by
unlearned and ordinary men - well, that's not the truth. This movement is being
empowered by the Set-Apart Spirit and the Set-Apart Spirit is using unlearned
and ordinary men and that ought to encourage us all. If YAH did what He did,
through these early believers and Kepha and Yohanan, who were the people that
Yeshua chose to teach and to lead, if they were considered unlearned and
ordinary men and yet, the people marveled at what was being done through the
unlearned and ordinary men - imagine what He could do through us. I
don't think there's a single one of us that wouldn't meet these qualifications,
now. that doesn't mean we ought to remain unlearned. We ought to become
extraordinary, but that's what they were saying about Kepha and Yohanan, and perceiving
that they were unlearned and ordinary. "They were unlearned and ordinary men. They
marveled. And they recognized that they had been with Yeshua." So they knew that
Yeshua had taught these men. Verse 14 "And seeing the man who had been healed
standing with them, they could not contradict it. But when they had
commanded them to go aside out of the council, they consulted with one another,
saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that an outstanding miracle has
been done through them is apparent to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, and we
are unable to deny it." I tell you what, there's coming a time when we're going
to see undeniable miracles. I believe that undeniable miracles are coming.
Verse 17, "But in order that it spreads no further among the people, let us strongly
threaten them, to speak no more to anyone in this Name." The name Yeshua. "...And they
called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor to teach in the name of
Yeshua. But Kepha and Yohanan on answering them,
said, "Whether it is right in the sight of Elohim to listen to you more than to
Elohim, you judge." I love the the stance they took here. "For it is impossible for
us not to speak of what we saw and heard." Now, this is a statement that describes
the inspiration of the Spirit, the motivation the Spirit, the movement of
the Spirit in the life of a believer who has submitted himself to the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit. Kepha and Yohanan are saying, "It is impossible for us not to
speak of what we saw and heard." We are compelled, we are urged, we are
empowered by the Set-Apart Spirit to speak of what we saw and heard. We need
to get back to that compelling. We need to realize that when we get filled with
the Spirit, we can't help but to talk about Yeshua. We have a strong inward
compelling to talk about Yeshua and until we get there, we're probably not
filled with the Set-Apart Spirit. And maybe we had a religious experience or
maybe we did get filled years ago, but we need to be refilled. We need to be, being
filled if we're going to be used in the days that we're living in now, in a
movement empowered by the Spirit. We need to be willing to be filled and refilled
by the indwelling Set-Apart Spirit. Verse 21, "...And having threatened them further,
they released them, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people,
because they were all praising Elohim for what had been done. For the man was
over 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing had been done." Verse 23, "And
having been released, they went to their own people," It's good to have your own
people, well, people of like precious belief. "...and
reported all that the chief priests and elders said to them. And having heard
that, they lifted up their voice to Elohim with one mind and said, "YAH, You
are Elohim, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in
them," So, they started praying as some people would have gotten discouraged,
they had been reprimanded, they had been told never to speak in this name again,
and they got together and started praying. You say - what'd they pray for? Well,
we're going to read a little bit of this prayer and we're gonna see what they
received. Look at verse 29, we're in Acts chapter 4. "And now, YAH look on
their threats, and give to Your servants all boldness," That's what they prayed for.
"...to speak Your word," Look, if you're praying for boldness to speak your word,
what do you think you're gonna get? What do you think the answer to that prayer
is? Look at verse 30, "...by stretching out your hand for healing," So praying for
boldness, praying for healing. "...and signs and wonders," We ought
to be praying for these things. "...to take place through the Name of Your set-apart
Servant, Yeshua." So they're praying for boldness to speak, they're praying for
healing, they're praying for signs and wonders to take place through the Name
of Yeshua. Look at verse 31, "And when they had prayed, the place where they came
together was shaken." Well, I'm sure that was a marvelous time to have an
earthquake type of experience, where the whole house was shaking. That's a
beautiful thing. But I'll tell you more than just having a house shake or a
place shake, we all need to have our hearts shaken. We all need to be shaken up. We need to be awakened. We need to long for the movement of the
Spirit in the days that we're living in and be willing to submit ourselves and
to receive, and to be filled and to be refilled with the Set-Apart Spirit. It
says, "...the place where they came together was shaken. And they were all filled with
the Set-Apart Spirit," This is the same group that was filled in Acts chapter 2,
they're getting refilled in Acts chapter 4. Sure, they got filled in Acts chapter 2.
Sure, those tongues of fire set upon each one of them, they were all filled with the
Set-Apart Spirit and began to speak. But two chapters later, they're praying
again for boldness and for healings and for signs and wonders and they were
refilled with the Set-Apart Spirit, that was YAH's answer to their prayers
and it says, "...and they spoke the word of Elohim with boldness." These are all
evidences and when you get filled with the Spirit, you begin to speak the word
of Elohim with boldness. "...And the group of those who believed were of one heart and
one being. And no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had
all in common." Again, unity, concern for one another. "...And with great power the
emissaries gave witness to the resurrection of the Master Yeshua, and
great favor was upon them all." Things are
happening there, is a movement taking place. We want to go to Acts chapter 5
and pick up with verse 14 and take it a little bit further. "And more believers
were added to the Master, large numbers of both men and women," Can you believe
for that? Can you believe for that, can you pray
for that? "...so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on
beds and couches," Now, they had just prayed for the Master to
stretch out His hand to heal, they had just prayed for signs and wonders, they
had prayed to speak boldly, and look at verse 14 of chapter 5. Here's the answer
to their prayers, "And more believers were added to the Master large numbers of
both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid
them on beds and couches, that at least a shadow of Kepha, passing by, might fall on
some of them. A large number also gathered from the surrounding cities to
Yerushalayim, bringing sick ones and those who were troubled by unclean spirits,"
Notice. "...and they were all healed." This is an answer to prayer.
This is a movement of the Spirit. "But the high priest rose up, and all those with
him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy, and
seize the emissaries and put them in the public jail. But a messenger," Or an angel.
"...of YAH up and the prison doors at night and brought them out, and said, "Go and
stand in the Set-Apart Place," In the temple. "...and speak to the people all the
words of this life." They're filled with the Spirit, they had an angelic prison
break, they were told to go stand in the temple and to speak to the
people all the words of this life. "Now when they heard, they went into the
Set-Apart Place early in the morning, and we're teaching. But the high priest and
those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of
the children Israel, and sent to the prison for them to be brought. But having
come," I love this. "...the officers did not find them in the prison, and they went
back and reported it, saying, "We found the prison shut in all
safety, and the watch is standing outside before the doors. But having opened them,
we found no one inside!" That's just like Elohim. "And as the high
priest and the captain of the Set-Apart Place and the chief priest heard
these words, they were puzzled and wondered what this might be. But one came
and reported to them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in
the Set-Apart Place and teaching the people!" There's something going on, the
Spirit is moving. "Then the captain went with the officers and brought them, not
with force, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And having
brought them, they set them before the council and the high priest asked them,
saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this Name? And look, you
have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring the blood of this
Man upon us you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching," Isn't that
what we want people to say about us, that we have filled Dallas Fort-Worth and all
the surrounding cities with our teaching, it's not our teaching, it's the teaching
of the Scripture. Don't we want those from the outside to say we filled our
region with the teaching of Yeshua? That we have, through our videos, touched every
state in this country? That we have, through the teaching that we've received,
as we've been empowered by the Spirit to open up the Scripture, to bring
revelation, that we've touched many nations around the world? Don't we want
to hear them say that that we've filled their area, their region, their country
with the teaching of the Scripture, with the teaching of the Kingdom of Elohim?
That's what I want to hear them say. Verse 29, "And Kepha and the other
emissaries answering, said, "We have to obey Elohim rather than men." Something is
going on here. We're talking about a man who denied
Master three times. He was intimidated by a servant and by a few people standing
around a fire, he denied the Master three times, but now he's filled with the Set-Apart Spirit and he's saying to the high priest and the chief priest and all
of those who are in the council and those who are in leadership, we have to
obey Elohim rather than men. He's empowered beyond his own natural
limitations, he's not fearful. We are compelled to obey Elohim rather than men.
"The Elohim of our fathers raised up Yeshua whom you laid hands on, hanging
Him on a timber." Now he's preaching boldly. "...Him, a Prince and a Saviour, Elohim
has exalted to His right hand to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness
of sins. And we are His witnesses to these matters, and so also is the Set-
Apart Spirit whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him." He said we are
witnesses to these matters of Yeshua, and so is the Set-Apart Spirit who's been
given to those who obey Him, obey Abba YAH, obey the Commandments. So when we obey,
we're postured to receive to Set-Apart Spirit. "And those hearing, were cut to the
heart, and took counsel to kill them." Some people are cut to the heart and they cry
out, what must I do to be saved? Other people are cut to the heart and
they're looking down to pick up a rock. We have to be okay with both of those
responses and every response in between. Verse 34, "But a certain one in the
council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamli’ĕl a teacher of the Torah, respected by
all the people, and ordered them to put the emissaries outside for a while," Look
at verse 38. "And now I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone,
because if this plan or this work is of men, it shall be overthrown, but if it is
of Elohim, you are unable to overthrow it," If this
movement, is just a movement of men it'll be overthrown. "but if it is not of
man but of Elohim, you are unable to overthrow it, lest you even be found to
fight against Elohim." Verse 40, "And they heeded his advice, and having called for
the emissaries, beating them, they commanded that they should not speak in
the Name of Yeshua, and let them go. Then indeed they went rejoicing from the
presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for
His Name. Look at verse 42, "And daily in the
Set-Apart Place, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and bringing the
good news and the Good News: Yeshua the Messiah!" This is a wonderful,
wonderful story. And it goes on to say that they were continuing to meet in the
temple but they were in every house. Every person who had a house opened up
his house, in every house they continued to teach, they continued to preach and
bring the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah. Now we're talking about a
movement, we're talking about something that the Spirit did back in those
days and we're challenging one another with this idea that what the Spirit did
in those days, the Spirit will do in our days as well, if we're willing to do the
same things that they did in the bible. So, they met corporately in house to
house. Now, let's go over to Acts chapter 8 and pick up with verse 1, and this is
what happened after Stephen's death, Stephano's, that was his name.
Stephano's was stoned because of his strong Spirit-filled preaching. Acts
chapter 8 verse 1, "And Sha'ul who was giving approval to his death. And on that day
there was a great persecution against the assembly which was at Yerushalayim,
and they were all scattered throughout the countries of Yehudah and Shomeron,"
That's Judea and Samaria. "...except the emissaries. And
dedicated men buried Stephano's and made great lamentation over him. But Sha'ul who
was ravaging the assembly," Notice. "...entering every house," That's an important
verse because to get to the assembly, he had to enter every house because they
were meeting in the houses. It was house to house ministry. "...and dragging off men
and women, putting them in prison. Then those who had been scattered went
everywhere bringing the Good News: the Word!" So when Sha'ul, who wanted to get to
the assembly, he was going from house to house because that's where they were
meeting and I wanted to make that point because that's part of this strategy of
Elohim, for this wonderful movement of empowering people by the Set-Apart
Spirit to speak and to share, and to be a witness, and to tell their testimony, to
bring them into their home in a comfortable setting. And day by day, it
says, there were those who were being added, those who are being saved. I
believe that's the strategy the Almighty wants us to use in the days that we're
living in today because it's biblical. Acts chapter 9 and verse 31, it says, "Then
indeed the Assemblies throughout all Yehudah," Judea. "...and Galil," The Galilee. "...and
Shomeron," And Samaria. "...had peace and were built up, and walking in the fear of YAH
and in the encouragement of Set-Apart Spirit, they were being
increased." Now, these were home meetings because they had that model. They were
meeting in the homes and they were being built up, they were walking in the fear
of YAH and in the encouragement of the Set-Apart Spirit, so the Set-Apart Spirit
was bringing great encouragement. And then, Acts chapter 12 and verse 24, it
says, "And the word of Elohim went on growing and spreading." We're seeing a
movement. We're seeing a movement that took place in those early days and it's
a movement that can take place in the days that we're living in as well. It's
corporate gatherings where we come together, we bring people
from all of these home groups, we all come together and worship. But we're
also going house-to-house, we're opening up our homes. We're empowered by the
Spirit, we're telling our testimony, we're sharing the Good News of Yeshua. We
create a comfortable environment in which people can hear the message and
believe upon Yeshua with a belief that produces repentance, and with
repentance that produces justification, and justification that produces the
indwelling Set-Apart Spirit to come into the life of a person, and the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit placing the Torah on that person's mind and writing the Torah
on that person's heart, and then the Spirit leading that person with a want-
to and a power to be obedient to the Word. And we also want to see the same
type of outcome that the Master would add to the assembly - daily, those who were
being saved. And I want to finish up with this passage in Acts chapter 21, starting
with verse 18, it says, "On the following day Sha'ul went
in with us to Ya'aqob," Your bible may say James. "...and all the
elders came." So this is when Paul, his Hebrew name was Sha'ul, came to Jerusalem
and he was going to meet with Ya'aqob, or James, and the elders about
what to do about all these former Gentiles who were coming to belief in
Yeshua. Verse 19, "And having greeted them, he was relating one by one what Elohim
had done among the nations through his service." So he was talking about his
ministry and what Elohim was doing amongst the Gentiles in the Gentile-
controlled regions. Verse 20, "And when they heard it, they praised the Master," So
they were praising the Master about what Elohim was doing through Sha'ul's
ministry amongst the Gentiles. "...and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many
thousands of yehudim," Your bible may say "myriads of Jews". A myriad is ten
thousand. This is plural myriads, multiple tens of thousands.
Had to be at least 20,000, it could have been many many more than that.
"..."how many myriads," Tens of thousands of Jews. "...there are who have believed ,and all
are ardent for the Torah," What am I saying? Why do I want to end with this
passage, because this is the outcome. We're talking about the result of a
movement that started with a handful of people who were limited with fear and
doubt and disbelief, had all kinds of problems, they were always arguing about
who was going to be the greatest and the like, they were untrained and ordinary
men. And Yeshua taught them that on the day of Shavu'ot, the Set-Apart Spirit
would be poured out, that it would be the fulfillment of the promise that YAH had
made to Avraham and to Mashiach, the Seed of Avraham, that through
Avraham and Mashiach, all the nations of the world would be blessed with the
indwelling Set-Apart Spirit through belief in Yeshua. When they received the
Spirit, they were then empowered beyond their own natural limitations and they
were able then to go out and preach the Good News in all the world as the
Scripture say. And the Scripture says the Master worked with them and
confirmed what was being preached with accompanying signs. So they had power to
heal the sick and to cast out demons and to even raise the dead and they went
about and they preached and there were accompanying signs to verify and confirm
that what they were preaching was true. Hallelujah. But before they went out into
all the world, right there in their Yerushalayim, they were meeting
corporately, that's the big gathering and from house to house, and it says, and in
every house. That means that many
people open up their homes and created a comfortable environment, inviting people
in to where they could hear the Good News of Yeshua to where they could come
to a place of being convicted in their hearts of their sins, repenting unto
justification, receiving the Spirit and then, hallelujah, having a want-to and a
power to be obedient and to go forth and to preach this Good News in their home
and, ultimately, the emissaries were sent out all around the vendôme world. What we
see at the end of this, and I don't know exactly how much time it it took to get
to this place, but we see in acts 21 where Ya'aqob is saying - because of this
movement, because of embracing the Spirit, because of believing that what Yeshua
said was true and receiving the power that was given by submitting to and
embracing this promise of the Father, that tens of thousands of Jews believed
in Yeshua - a whole Metroplex was transformed. This area that we live in
now, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is the same type of environment. The same
things that happened in those days can happen in our days and Yeshua didn't
have everybody. He just had eleven that became twelve
after they added one and they had all kinds of problems.
They were untaught and ordinary men but when they received the indwelling
Set-Apart Spirit they had everything they needed to be able to accomplish the
great commandment of Yeshua to go into all the world and preach the Good News
to every creature. I believe what happened in Yerushalayim in those days can
happen in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, today. I believe what happened in Yerushalayim in those days, can happen in your city, in your town. You may even live
out in a rural area, it can happen there as well. I believe it could happen in
every nation wherever you're watching from,
if you believe, like I do, that these Scriptures are not just a history book
of what Yeshua did in and through the congregation of belief in those days, but
a divine blueprint for how He wants to do things even today, in the day that
we're living in. If we're willing to do what they did we'll get the same results
that they got, but the key is the indwelling Set-Apart
Spirit. Let's pray together - Abba I'm so thankful for this word, I get inspired
every time I read these passages. I know what You've put in my heart. I know what
You're saying is true - that if we will do what they did,
if we'll embrace the Spirit, submit to the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, be
filled and refilled and do the things that we're called to do - that we can have
the same results in the days that we're living in - that Dallas and Fort Worth and
all of the surrounding cities can be impacted - that we can fill all of this
region with the message that we've been given to preach - that You will work with
us and confirm the word that we speak with accompanying signs and that they
will notice and recognize that we have spent time with Yeshua in the Spirit, and
through the Word, even though we are untrained or untaught and ordinary men
that may be how we start out, but we're going to get trained and we're going to
get taught and we're going to do extraordinary things because of the Set-Apart Spirit who lives in us right now. I pray that every person watching is
filled with Your Spirit. I will put Your Spirit on every person watching, for
those of us who have been filled before refill us even now. If we've had an Acts chapter 2 experience, give us an Acts chapter 4 experience and we pray, just
like they did, that we might speak the Word boldly. We pray like they did that
you would stretch out your hand to heal - that signs and wonders would be done in
the Name of Your Set-Apart Servant, Yeshua. And we pray that thousands upon
thousands - that myriads of people will come to believe, come to know Yeshua, come
to be filled with the Spirit, come to let their light so shine and
join this force of harvesters. We, who have entered into the harvest field for
this great end time harvest. Do in our day what You did back in bible days, is
our prayer. Empower each one of us beyond our own natural limitations
and may we hear when we stand before Yeshua. May we hear Him say, well done
good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master. In Yeshua's matchless
Name, I pray Amen and Amen. Hallelujah.
