Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God
Have you ever been confronted with a challenge or in a situation which is beyond yourself? Nothing in your experience or imagination that could possibly solve it for you? In that kind of circumstance, it is very easy for us to try to fix the problem ourselves. Sometimes we may even say a little prayer, hoping that it will all work out fine, and go on to devise our own plan to overcome the matter.
Don’t get me wrong. We need to take responsibility and be proactive in addressing challenges. But there are times we find ourselves facing “giants” in our lives. It is so easy to be intimidated by these giants and succumb to their pressure, becoming conformed to their ways. Just like this lame man in today’s Bible passage. He was lame “from his mother’s womb”. It was impossible for him to overcome this giant of paralysis, that he was forced to succumb to it. He lived a life as a handicapped man – begging for a living.
The possibility or hope for him to ever walk, therefore being able to earn a living for himself from gainful labour was so remote. Until he encountered the power of Jesus of Nazareth. It was nothing short of a miracle that pluck him out from his infirmity and hopelessness. The result of that miraculous healing, not only had the lame man been given a new life, 5,000 were added to the Church! (Acts 4:1-4)
Today, you may be faced with a challenge so impossible to overcome (at least in man’s eyes), and nothing less than a miracle will do! Take courage that the same Jesus of Nazareth who did it for this lame (used to be!) man, will do it for you. This is the time and season to ask for this revival fire of Pentecost to come to us once again. Because Jesus has His eyes on the multitude and the nations. Only He can enable the Church to reach the multitude and turn the nations to Him. The Lord will do it in and through the Church by reviving us once again.
Nothing short of a miracle from God can accomplish this!