Christianity

How to respond in the most desperate times – Stephen’s Story Part 1

Posted on by David L'Herroux in Christianity

Let’s learn from Stephen, a man FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 6:1-9 and Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Stephen was mentioned for the first time in Acts 6. He was a deacon and a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. Stephen is known for being the first Christian martyr.

Stephen was an outstanding character; he was radiant and a mighty soul winner. The secret of his life and ministry is revealed in the fact that he was a man full of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 6:5 NIV). It is important for us to understand that the Spirit-filled life is God’s plan and provision for every Christian. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is not given just to a selected few like the mature Christian, ministers, missionaries, but to all willing to receive Him.

On the day of Pentecost, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4 NIV). Yes, the promise is for ALL and that includes us today, so over the next couple of weeks through Stephen’s experience, let’s see what a man filled with the Holy Spirit is like.

Here are the characteristics that marks a Spirit-filled Christian:

  1. A Spirit-filled Christian is always available to whatever assignment the Lord gives them 

We read that Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the early Church to be responsible for distributing food to the widows, who had been overlooked by the Church (see Acts 6:1-5 NIV). It is interesting to note that the qualifications required for this are seen in verse 3 and the names of the men are in verse 5. Stephen headed the list and is described as a man ‘full of faith and of the Holy Spirit’ (v. 5 NIV[HM1] ). These men were not wanted for their preaching or any prominent assignment, but to simply ‘serve at tables’ and all of them made themselves available for service. It is clear that a Spirit-filled person is one who makes him/herself available to the Lord for whatever assignment He will have them to do.

Here are a couple questions for all of us today:

  1. Are we available to the Lord in whatever He will have us do?
  2. Are we ready to do whatever He commands us to do? Just as described by David’s men in 2 Samuel 15 – and here is what they said: ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses’ (v. 15 NIV).

So, let’s not just be available to the Lord but let’s be ready to do whatever he calls us to do, irrespective of what it is!

  1. A Spirit-filled Christian is simply a channel for the wonderful power of God to be manifested 

Stephen, who was wholly available for God to use, became a mighty man of the Word and also demonstrated God’s manifested power in performing signs and wonders:

‘Stephen did great wonders and miracles’ (Acts 6:6 NIV).

Was it Stephen doing these things? No – it was the Holy Spirit through him. In other words, he became the channel and through it flowed the wonderful, working power of God – and whenever there is a person full of the Holy Spirit the same thing will happen, for God is not looking for ability but availability.

For when whoever is willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit, wherever they go, lives will be touched, souls will be saved and miracles will be performed. Praise God that the Holy Spirit still works today through whoever. 

  1. A Spirit-filled Christian responds gracefully under provocation  

The religious people made vicious attacks upon Stephen (see Acts 6:9-14 NIV). They argued with him, accused him with false witnesses, and tried to overthrow him. Well, has anything like that happened to you? Have people spoken lies about you? Stephen had all that and much more! How did you respond under this fierce provocation? Verse 15 highlights that under pressure even his face appeared to be that of an angel – in other words he displayed the likeness of Christ. I’ve often said that when we find ourselves as Christians under pressure we need to ask ourselves how we respond: as CHRIST or as SELF? We could easily sympathise with Stephen if he had retaliated under pressure, but he did not. He was a Spirit-filled man, so he responded according to the Spirit within him and not from the flesh. Stephen responded graciously, even when he was pressed almost to the limit. His attitude and even his face displayed a likeness to Christ – what a tremendous testimony and example for us today!

May God help us today to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, to be available, to become an open channel as well as to be gracious under all kinds of pressures that the Enemy throws at us, standing boldly upon God’s Word under whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in.

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