How Much Power are We Really Talking About Here?

"When Ananias heard this, he fell down dead..."  Acts 5:5
"At that moment, she [Sapphira] fell down at his [Peter] feet and died." Acts 5:10

"As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on the beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by."  Acts 5:15

"'Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'  After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."  Acts 4:30-31

 The context of the first set of verses revolves around Ananias and Sapphire lying to the Holy Spirit about not giving all they were instructed to.  Their punishment?  Sudden death.  Literally.  They just died.  Probably very healthy individuals.  We may ask ourselves "Well God, that's harsh."  It actually looks more like our God we see in the Old Testament, with His sudden and questionable actions.  But honestly, it shows and reminds us that our "lovey dovey" God more seen in the New Testament is still the God we see in the Old.  He never changes.

So, let me ask this...if God never changes, should His Holy Spirit?  Reread the verses and reflect on the power.  Friends, this same Spirit is in us!

How do we see this today?  Do we see the miraculous healing?  I have heard about some.  One friend said that we aren't praying big enough for God.  It's like asking a professional piano player to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."  He sits there and goes "That's all you want?  I am capable of doing so much more...are  you sure you don't want anything a little bigger?"

Do we trust God's power in us?  Is our faith needing to grow so we can really believe in the power that's in us?  Would you walk up to someone and say something with full assurance that God would do what you said?  Is our fear and faith in God that strong?

Now it's more than just believing God is strong enough...it's getting out of the way so His power radiates all the more.  If you really believed it, wouldn't you want to get out of the way?  If you really tasted God's goodness in your life and felt the fullness of His power in you, wouldn't you want to desire that all the time?

So friends, my challenge to you is to reflect on the power that dwells in you.  Reflect on who is living in you and the credit He deserves for the amazing things He does do and can still do today.  Would you be willing to see Him work today like he did back then?  What do you need to do in your heart to prepare yourselves for that?  I don't know about you, but I want to see God's power today.  I want the earth to shake after praying. 

Include a statement like the following in your prayers.  Pray that God reveals Himself to you more and more each day.  Pray God's power can be used through you.  Even Peter's shadow was precious because the Holy Spirit's power was so great in Him!  Is that true with us?  Are we ready to see the Holy Spirit's full power?  Are we willing?  Do we have so much trust in man and our progress throughout the years that we don't see a need to have these miracles anymore?  I have heard doctor's say that someone should have been dead and can't explain why that person is still alive.  Sounds like even when we try to perform the miracles, we can't.  We still need God to do it, and we need it in our world today. 

"Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."  Help us to believe, because we don't want to miss any miracles.