A simple 'yes' to Jesus
Acts 8 and 9 are some of my favourite chapters in the Bible. So many miracles, healings, signs and wonders, supernatural transportation, baptism in the Holy Spirit, encounters with Jesus, blindness, healing of blindness - so many incredible stories to read. One thing that strikes me, however, is the obedience of 3 men, Philip, Ananias, and Peter.
Philip was in Samaria and God was moving powerfully. Signs and wonders, outpouring of God’s Spirit; revival was breaking out! Then Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the desert! That was a remarkable thing to say and the more remarkable things is, Philip went. I could think of all the protests I would make if revival was breaking out in Wolverhampton and Holy Spirit asked me to go and stand in a valley in the middle of Wales with no one there! “Lord can you not see what is happening here…”,”Lord the people here need someone to lead them”, “Lord there are more people who need to be healed and set free,” would be some of my protests.
Philip realised that obedience to the call of the Spirit would result in greater things. So, Philip went, and as you will read, Philip’s simple ‘yes’ to Jesus directly resulted in the spread of the Gospel in Ethiopia.
Ananias was in Damascus when the Spirit told him to go and pray for Saul. Ananias protested, as we can read in verse 13. To be honest, I think I would say the same thing! But through Ananias’ simple ‘yes’ to Jesus, Saul could see and thus started the ministry of a man who would write a large part of the New Testament and see the spread of the Gospel across Europe.
Then, there was Peter. While we don’t read of a direct vision or word from the Spirit, we do read in Matthew 28, the Great Commission. I believe that’s what Peter was doing in Acts 9:32- being obedient to the Great Commission. We see him end up in Joppa via Lydda and seeing the whole town of Lydda turn to the Lord - not a bad few days! We leave Acts 9 with Peter perfectly positioned, positioned and ready for 2 men to knock on his door and then take the Gospel to the Gentiles. His simple ‘yes’.
A simple 'yes' to Jesus can change the course of history. We see in Acts 8 and 9, 3 simple ‘yes’ answers to Jesus (that of course doesn’t include Paul’s ‘yes’ to following Jesus, so technically 4 yes answers!) change history.
What is Jesus asking you to say ‘yes’ to today?
- Josh Raybould
Philip was in Samaria and God was moving powerfully. Signs and wonders, outpouring of God’s Spirit; revival was breaking out! Then Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the desert! That was a remarkable thing to say and the more remarkable things is, Philip went. I could think of all the protests I would make if revival was breaking out in Wolverhampton and Holy Spirit asked me to go and stand in a valley in the middle of Wales with no one there! “Lord can you not see what is happening here…”,”Lord the people here need someone to lead them”, “Lord there are more people who need to be healed and set free,” would be some of my protests.
Philip realised that obedience to the call of the Spirit would result in greater things. So, Philip went, and as you will read, Philip’s simple ‘yes’ to Jesus directly resulted in the spread of the Gospel in Ethiopia.
Ananias was in Damascus when the Spirit told him to go and pray for Saul. Ananias protested, as we can read in verse 13. To be honest, I think I would say the same thing! But through Ananias’ simple ‘yes’ to Jesus, Saul could see and thus started the ministry of a man who would write a large part of the New Testament and see the spread of the Gospel across Europe.
Then, there was Peter. While we don’t read of a direct vision or word from the Spirit, we do read in Matthew 28, the Great Commission. I believe that’s what Peter was doing in Acts 9:32- being obedient to the Great Commission. We see him end up in Joppa via Lydda and seeing the whole town of Lydda turn to the Lord - not a bad few days! We leave Acts 9 with Peter perfectly positioned, positioned and ready for 2 men to knock on his door and then take the Gospel to the Gentiles. His simple ‘yes’.
A simple 'yes' to Jesus can change the course of history. We see in Acts 8 and 9, 3 simple ‘yes’ answers to Jesus (that of course doesn’t include Paul’s ‘yes’ to following Jesus, so technically 4 yes answers!) change history.
What is Jesus asking you to say ‘yes’ to today?
- Josh Raybould
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