Faith Exercised

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

FAITH EXERCISED

Acts 5:12-16

12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

NIV

There is power in the name of Jesus. Yet it appears that even as Peter passed by and his shadow fell upon sick people, they were healed. How is that possible? Was it because  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit? We are not told that Peter did anything, but we must believe that he touched the sick using the name of Jesus of Nazareth. No man can miraculously, supernaturally heal or drive out evil spirits by his own power. When the crippled man at the gate was healed, Peter invoked the name of Jesus. Nevertheless, all the sick and anyone tormented by evil spirits were healed. This power comes directly from the Lord God Almighty because Peter had used the name of Jesus. We are also told that the early church was filled with so much power that people were in awe of them; they were highly regarded, as we are told no one else dared to join them because the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. We wonder whether the church today generates the awe that keeps people from joining because of all the signs and wonders happening. That cannot be it, because we do not see any miraculous signs and wonders, nor do all the sick people get healed. Why? Do we not have the same name or ability to use the name of Jesus? Is our faith not faith at all, but just pretending to have faith? Do we really not believe the sick can be healed? Maybe we are just doing church without being the church. Maybe that was just for then and not applicable to today. But why is this recorded for us? Are we meant to just look at it as historical, or are we supposed to learn something from these truths? We know the name of Jesus has the same power as it always has, for God never changes. We have witnessed miracles, evil spirits driven out, healings, yet has anything changed? Do we lack that early faith, or have we just settled into the routine of Christianity, not expecting God to do anything, or not expecting any power in the name of Jesus? We know about routines and how they can become ruts, just plodding along, until that ruth become a grave. But there is still power in the name of Jesus; we serve a risen Savior, and God is still in the business of Salvation, doing the supernatural. Have we allowed our faith to become weak, crippled, and useless? Restore and strengthen our faith, Lord, so we can have faith exercised.