God can do anything . . .

 

READ Acts 1–4

Supernatural is defined as “a manifestation or event attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature” — something that ordinarily does not happen. The NT book of Acts is a grand example of God working in supernatural ways.

The first verse tells of the greatest supernatural event in history: Jesus “presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) He who died is alive! Until He showed up on this planet, dead was dead.

Not only did He walk and talk with His people, He ascended to heaven in a cloud. That is humanly impossible; people cannot survive a trip through the stratosphere, but this was no ordinary person!

Acts 1 lists His followers who were together in an upper room. It says: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (Acts 1:14) Normally, when are a group of human beings in one accord?

Chapter 2 unites them even more, for as they waited for Jesus’ promise, the Holy Spirit did come and filled them. How that happened was more startling than their unity:

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1–4)

Why tongues? Pentecost was a gathering of devout Jews from many parts of the world, each with their own language. They were shocked to hear the supernatural works of God in words they could understand. This was supernatural, yet prophesied in the OT.

They were told, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:23–24) That message and the other words given had another result that defied ‘normal’ — it “cut them to the heart” and they asked these Christians, “What shall we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38–41)

Three thousand saved hearing one sermon! Those believers followed up in more extraordinary ways. They were devoted to one another — no in-fighting or divisions. God did signs and wonders through the Apostles and all who believed shared what they had with one another to the point that there were no needy people among them. And God daily added more souls to their number. This is supernatural, not the norm!

Peter and John encountered a lame man. He wanted money; they gave healing instead. A crowd gathered and Peter told them about faith and about Jesus. Five thousand more were added to their numbers. The religious leaders of the day were annoyed and arrested them, but were told that Jesus was their authority and source:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8–12)

They were released because these leaders feared the people, but warned because they feared they would be replaced. The believers could have asked God to protect them but instead prayed for boldness and “the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31) What do I pray for when threatened?

They continued in unity, great power, great grace, and amazing generosity. Need I even write what God is saying to me in all this? Be filled with the Spirit and love Him and His people with His supernatural power and grace, telling others of the limitless power of the risen Jesus Christ!