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New Covenant Living

    The church of Acts is the model for new covenant churches today. In the old covenant they had a chosen leader who interacted with God physically for wisdom and guidance. Then there were those in the time of the gospels who interacted with Jesus face to face. Now, neither of those things are available to us. But Jesus did send us His Spirit, for all who are willing to accept it, so that He may dwell inside of us and fill us with His power. 

    That being said, living by the Spirit is extremely important and we need to know how that looks in our lives and in our churches. The model of the Acts church gives us just that. While reading Acts 6 today, one thing stuck out to me. The man called Stephen, who would later become the first martyr. Stephen was a man who was truly living by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 6, some other Jews with different backgrounds came and challenged Stephen. But the Bible says they could not stand up to His wisdom. 

    We can live exactly how those in the church of Acts did. Exactly how Stephen did. We have wisdom and power and everything we need available through the Spirit that lives inside of us, if we only receive it. I challenge you to ask God for that wisdom and to receive the power of His Spirit and then apply it to your life so that His light may shine through you! Live your life victoriously.

Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (ESV)

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (NIV)

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (ESV)

Acts 6:8-10 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. (ESV)

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