Faith and Power…
There have been moments in most everyone’s life when it seemed as if they were not in control in their life. Something happens, words are said or they are able to perform a task at a level never thought possible. Most everyone has heard a story about a person lifting a car off someone and saving their life. Do you believe these stories of wonder and great power?
And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. ~Acts 6:5-6 NKJB
What made Luke speak of Stephen differently than the other six that were all chosen by the “multitudes“? Not taking anything away from the other men, but the way this is written Stephen is identified as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit where the other men are listed afterwards. Not saying they were not faithful and baptized in the Holy Spirit, but something was different.
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We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
We soon learn what the difference is…
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Acts 6:8 KJB
There is no mention of the others performing “wonders and miracles” either among the people or in private. If this is the only mention of the seven it seems Stephen was different.
What is amazing is how 2-3 verses can prompt such in-depth thought. Here is Stephen, probably a simple man, like Peter (formerly Simon) and Andrew, who finds himself, after being a servant to others, the subject of conversation 2,000 years later.
What does it take to inspire people?
What’s amazing about Stephen, aside from what has been mentioned already, is the description by Luke. At first Stephen is described as being full of faith and the Holy Spirit (the word Ghost is used in the KJV). While in verse 8 Stephen is described as being “full of faith and power” What changed? The Holy Spirit filled Stephen with power, the same as we are filled with power when the Holy Spirit (Ghost) fills us. There is a change, that the “multitudes” can see and experience if their eyes are open.
Either the Scripture is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of Him, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.
