Episodes
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In Acts 4:1-13, Peter and John are brought before the Jewish religious leaders for teaching about Jesus and performing a miraculous healing. The leaders are disturbed by their actions and begin to question them. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly defends their actions, declaring that the healing was done in the name of Jesus Christ. He emphasises that salvation is found only in Jesus. The leaders, recognising the boldness of Peter and John, are astonished because they were uneducated men, yet they spoke with power and authority. They realise that they had been with Jesus.
'The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
'The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.' (Acts 4.1-13, NIV)
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The Acts of the Apostles is the story of what men did in the Name of Jesus through the Power of the Holy Spirit. It reveals how the Church should be today; we should be experiencing all the things we read about in the Acts of the Apostles – and greater! Christ’s last words in Mark 16 were, “Go out, preach the Gospel… These signs will follow those who believe, they will lay hands on the sick and they shall be healed…” When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive Power from God. But that Power needs to be demonstrated! I sense that much of the Church today is not searching for nor seeking the real demonstration of the Power of the Holy Spirit. I would question, what change has the Holy Spirit made in your life?
In these very troublesome times – war in Ukraine, in Israel, worldwide turmoil and unrest – let me remind you that at the very moment of this miracle, when Peter is preaching Christ and the Resurrection, he says, v21, Jesus HAD to be taken into Heaven ‘for a time’. But then, when that time is fulfilled, HE COMES BACK! He comes back to rule the world! The Christmas message of Isaiah 9 is that the Government SHALL be on HIS shoulders!
Until then we have a job to do. We must live our lives in the Power of the Holy Spirit in such a way that our lives will continue, even complete the Book of the Acts of the Apostles! I want to encourage you to really get to know and see the Power of God in your life, in Jesus’ Name.
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Missing episodes?
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“Why are you so amazed at this? Why do you look on us, as if by our own power or holiness we made this man walk? The God of our fathers has glorified His Son Jesus! – Jesus whom you delivered up and whom you rejected when Pilate was determined to release Him. You denied the Holy One, you killed the Prince of Life whom God has raised from the dead – of which we are witnesses! It’s His Name, through faith in His Name that has made this man – whom you know – strong and given him perfect healing in front of you all. It is faith given him by Jesus that has created this miracle!”
Peter and John are trying to turn attention away from themselves: “It’s not us! We did not work the miracle! It’s the Name of Jesus, through faith in believing who Jesus is, that created the miracle.” When I pray with the sick, I teach the people that I am not a healer, I’m not a miracle-worker. Jesus is the Healer. I’m all the time turning attention away from myself, because people get the idea that I’m some kind of ‘miracle-worker’, someone special, some ‘holy man’. I’m not. And just as Peter and John had to turn the attention of the people to Jesus, I always try to make it quite clear that it’s Jesus and faith in Him that works the miracle, not us. He’s the Healer, and the miracles are the evidence that He is alive, and He’s the Son of God with Power!
For this reason, Peter uses this healing as a strong opportunity to preach the Gospel: “Jesus – whom you denied – is the Prince of Life – and we are witnesses of the miracle of His Resurrection. It is faith in this that has made the miracle.” But Peter excuses their ignorance in v17ff, “I understand your ignorance and that of your spiritual rulers, but if you had understood what God foretold through all the prophets that Christ would suffer, you would have known that Jesus is the fulfilment of your Jewish prophecy! Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out!” Conversion is ‘change’. It’s not just ‘believing’, it’s ‘changing’! A complete change! You can change a car and make it float! You can take wood and change it into furniture! Repentance must be accompanied by a change, so that sin is blotted out and you can receive God’s blessing in your life, ‘refreshing from the Presence of the Lord’!
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Acts 3 is a challenge to you and me. It is the immediate follow up to the Day of Pentecost, when Peter, under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, preached Christ for the very first time and 3000 were converted and baptised that same day! The new converts continued daily in the Temple, breaking bread together from house to house, praising God, having favour with the people – and the Lord added daily to the Church those that should be saved. Acts 2:41-47. I wish that this would happen today, daily!
So now we find in Acts 3 Peter and John going up to the Temple ‘at the hour of prayer’ – they are still following the Jewish routine and traditions. And as they go in, they pass a certain man born as a cripple. Every day he was carried to the Temple and laid down at the gate called ‘Beautiful’ to beg for his living. Obviously, he expected that those who were entering to pray to God would be more willing to give him something… Seeing Peter and John, the cripple asked for money. That’s all he was looking for…
Peter simply commanded, “In the Name of Jesus, rise up and walk!” – And he took the cripple by the hand, lifted him up onto his feet, and immediately his feet and ankle bones became strong! He leapt up, stood and walked with Peter and John into the Temple. I love the description: he was walking and leaping! You know, this man had never learned to walk, I picture him not knowing how to put one foot in front of the other, leaping and praising God in excitement at this miracle!
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The reason I am speaking to you from this chapter in the Acts of the Apostles is that it is absolutely clear: what happened on the Day of Pentecost CAN and SHOULD happen today! This was not just a one-off. This is an experience that is to last throughout the Church Age as the evidence, demonstration and proof of who Jesus is. Today WE should be the witnesses! I wasn’t alive 2000 years ago, nor was I a witness of the crucifixion and Resurrection. But I know, the evidence is there, Jesus is the Son of God, He died for our sin, He rose from the dead, ascended to His Father in Heaven – and then gave the Holy Spirit to US so that WE also could become the witnesses!
The whole secret of my ministry right throughout the whole of my life for more than 73 years is the Holy Spirit whom I received as a teenager, when my father told me nothing serious would happen in my life UNTIL I received the Holy Spirit. As a result, as a teenager I sought God and prayed until that Power came on me – the SAME Fire, the SAME Power that was in Jesus, and that fell on Peter and on the 120 in the Upper Room! The reason my ministry continues today, aged 92, is that the Power of the Holy Spirit in me doesn’t change, doesn’t lessen, weaken or diminish. I would say, quite the opposite! The longer I live, the greater the Power in me. Because the more I know about the work of Jesus and the more I understand about the Power of the Holy Spirit, the more I desire this stronger Power that is from God. People who work with me, especially those on the mission field, testify that the Power in me doesn’t get less with age – it gets greater, stronger, and more powerful.
This is the KEY that I want to give YOU! If you really receive your personal Pentecost, that is only the beginning… That Fire, that Power in YOU should increase!
We should be seeing, living the same miracles we read in the Acts of the Apostles! This should be in the Church today! This MUST be in the Church today! I want you to understand, the KEY to the Power is here, in the Scripture!
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When as a teenager I received the Holy Spirit, no, I didn’t see tongues of Fire, but on that Easter Monday, aged 14, in the Westminster Central Hall in London when they laid hands on me, it was as if the whole of Heaven opened up and Fire came down – I spoke with tongues, praising God. To me it was the ‘latter rain’ as prophesied by Joel. That experience has never left me in the almost 80 years since it took place. I still have the same Power, the same Anointing. Or rather, the Power and Anointing are stronger and more evident now that I’m over 90 years of age, than when I was a teenager! I take the literal interpretation of Joel 2:23 as a Power which will increase until all the Harvest is in – and Jesus returns!
And now Peter continues to address the crowd in v22, “You men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, wonders and signs which God did by Him in front of you!” Peter is very clear, the evidence that Jesus was the Son of God was the miracles He did and which the people saw. I’m absolutely convinced that the greatest evidence of the Power of God even today is in the miraculous. When I preach the Gospel, I pray for the sick – and miracles happen. These miracles prove the Truth and the Power of the Gospel I preach. It happens all the time. Not just occasionally. The Power that fell on the Day of Pentecost and the miracles that Jesus worked and greater, still can, and should, happen today.
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Acts Chapter 2 is very important because this is the day when the Church began: ‘When the Day of Pentecost was FULLY come, they were all with ONE accord in ONE place.’ There was a sense of anticipation that something was about to happen. Pentecost was one of the major Jewish feasts – the 50th Day after Passover, the feast of First Fruits, the First Harvest – Jerusalem was full of pilgrims, and because of this, what happened on this day had a very great impact.
'When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them' (Acts 2.1-4, NIV).
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I believe in life after death. The Scripture teaches that death is not the end, it is only a beginning, it is the path to life eternal. There is a resurrection of the dead! The Apostle Paul taught, 'If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!'
'Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”' (John 11.23-27, NKJV)
'See His Glory come down' used by kind permission of www.vinesong.com
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'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' (Psalm 23)
Jesus is speaking very personally to you today, whether you have had a lifetime of pain and suffering, whether you are a father and mother, or if you are a child, He says to you, "Don't be afraid, just trust Me."
'Psalm 23' used by kind permission of www.vinesong.com
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God has chosen and is choosing men that He will use in the SAME way that He used an outsider like Paul. It comes through a powerful conversion and a powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit. You see how powerfully God chose to use someone outside the original Twelve! THIS IS A KEY TO US TODAY: God in THIS generation is still choosing men and women to anoint them with the Holy Spirit to be like Paul and reach the world for Christ! In my own opinion from reading Acts, it was not Matthias that God chose. I believe it was to be Paul.
'Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
'So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.' (Acts 1.21-26, NIV)
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"When the Holy Spirit comes on you, He will give YOU the Power that will transform YOUR life, so that YOU can fulfil the ministry that I began."
And when He had said this, while they watched, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight, v9. So literally, the last commandment, the last message from Jesus is "Wait" – they had to wait another ten days until Pentecost, the 50th day after the crucifixion – "wait until the Holy Spirit is come. Then everything will be changed. You have no power in yourselves, but you will be transformed by the same POWER that transformed Me, and YOU will continue the SAME works that I did – and greater!" – John 14.
'"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1.8-11, NIV.)
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One book in the Bible is not yet finished – it’s the Acts of the Apostles. We’re still living in it today, you and I are writing it! I’m 92 – my whole life is trying to live like they lived in the Acts of the Apostles, like Paul, like Peter and John… Because our lives should demonstrate what we believe! It’s so important for us to get back to the truth of what we believe, as it is written here in Acts Chapter 1.
The Acts of the Apostles is the story of a transformed Church, a Church motivated with a purpose, on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit! The Word of God says Jesus will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
'In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.' (Acts 1.1-7, NIV.)
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I'm believing for greater things! Even aged 91, there are promises from God that I'm waiting to be fulfilled. I know that God has not finished with me; that God has a plan for me to fulfil; and I'm holding on in faith for their fulfilment. What happened in the Bible should not just be repeated in our lives, but, because of our personal relationship with God through Jesus and the fact that He sent us that same Holy Spirit who empowered Him on earth, our experience should be greater! In fact, to those who either say that we cannot do the same miracles as Jesus, (but He said that we would do greater than He did), or that miracles ended with the New Testament era and are not for today, then why don't they live as in the Old Testament, because Hebrews 11 records incredible miracles done by those believers! If you don’t want to live as a ‘New Testament Church’, then do what they did in the Old Testament! So where are the Abrahams, Moses, Davids and Elijahs? Surely this is the whole point that the writer of Hebrews is making!!! I climb by faith, the greater my faith, the higher I climb.
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I was healed from throat cancer nearly 60 years ago, but I was sick for three months before I came to the spiritual place with God where the miracle happened – three months in spiritual growth, followed by a sudden revelation – an explosion – and in that moment the healing was instantaneous! When I was in a communist prison fifty years ago for Bible smuggling, I was almost one year in the prison, believing that God would work the miracle to get me out – but that year was the best year of my life! Yes, I was separated from my wife and my children, my youngest daughter was only three years old – but I grew all the time in my experience with God! It was a testing of my faith, but God when did it, it was sudden, a big miracle! I travelled the world for two years afterwards, talking about that miracle. I preached to more than a million people, sometimes ten thousand at a time – a quarter of a million came to Christ because of that testimony! But the miracle took one year of prayer. I’m a coward and from the first day I cried, ‘Oh God get me out!’ In the early days I thought that they would torture me, then simply throw me out of the country – but God didn’t get me out!
However, if He had answered my first prayers and released me from the prison within one or two days, what would have happened? Suppose God had organised things ‘extremely well’ and got me out of prison really quickly – I would not be evangelising the way I do now, I would not have the ministry I have today. The longer I stayed in the prison, the bigger the miracle became. It’s the same with you. Hold on. Don’t let go of God! God WILL do it! If it takes three months, three years, God WILL do it!
'[Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.' (Romans 4.20-21, NIV.)
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I serve the Lord with gratitude; I didn't choose Him, He chose me and appointed me that I should go and bear fruit, and that the fruit should remain. From childhood, I wanted every day and every part of my life to be under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Now when I look back over 70 years of ministry I know with absolute certainty that there has been both purpose and direction in my life. God has been in control of all my days and all my experiences. Everything that has happened in my life was foreknown in His plan.
When I was a teenager, God so impressed on me Romans 12:1: ‘I beseech you, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.’ (KJV.) God is talking about ‘normal’ service, nothing exceptional – for every believer – the ‘norm’! Today the churches talk about being ‘normal’, take care of yourself, don’t work too hard... But the challenge given by Paul is that ‘reasonable’ service – means giving your WHOLE life as a ‘living sacrifice’! EVERYTHING! Give God EVERYTHING! God did not call me to be an ‘evangelist’ or ‘preacher’ – He said He wanted ALL of me!
A spiritual battle started in my life. I knew that the Lord was calling me, challenging me, ‘David – I want YOU!’ But the devil was saying, ‘Don’t you realise you’re saved, you got baptised in water, filled with the Holy Spirit – that’s enough!’ But God was saying, ‘David, I want YOU, all of you, EVERYTHING! – Your life, your family, your time, your house, every single thing – I want the lot!’ I had no peace until that night I gave Him everything.
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Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5.13-18, NIV.)
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James 5:5-10 speaks about the judgment awaiting the wealthy who have exploited the poor, as well as the patience and endurance of the righteous in the face of suffering. James advises the righteous to be patient in their suffering, like farmers waiting for the harvest. He encourages them to stand firm in their faith, despite the injustices they face. He praises the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as examples of endurance and steadfastness in the face of suffering.
'Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.' (James 5.5-10, NIV.)
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'If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.' (James 4.17.)
James 5:1-6 focuses on the condemnation of the rich who exploit the poor and warns of the impending judgment they will face.
'Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.' (James 5.1-6, NIV.)
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In the final verses of chapter 4, James is calling for humility, repentance, and dependence on God in all aspects of life, urging believers to live in accordance with His will rather than their own selfish desires. He advises humility before the Lord, acknowledging His sovereignty and authority over our lives. Encouraging believers to allow God to lift them up in due time.
'Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
'Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
'Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
'Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.' (James 4.8-17, NKJV.)
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James exhorts believers to examine their motives, prioritise humility, resist worldly influences, and submit to God in order to receive His grace and protection against temptation.
'You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you"' (James 4.3-7, NKJV).
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