Whatever I have, it is my desire that it is from the Most High’s hands.
Whatever I do, I pray will be His doing and approved by Him. For I live to give Him all the glory”. DENyamekye
Peter and John had this same desire and prayer as I do when they lived to fulfil their purpose in Christ.
They were without doubt that God was with them. Among other disciples of Jesus, they had received and been baptised in the Holy Spirit (John 20:22, Acts 2:4) and believed Jesus when he said they would do greater works than He did if they believe in Him (John 14:12). Everything they did was for the glory of God in Christ.
Peter and John knew that without Christ they were nothing (John 15:5) and their mission was not to build treasures for themselves on earth (Matt.6:19-20). Instead their heart was knitted with their purpose which was to preach the gospel and perform miracles of healing and deliverance.
This is evidenced in Peter’s response to the cripple at the temple gate called Beautiful. When he asked Peter and John for money Peter replied in humility
“I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” (Acts 3:6 NLT).
They were bold because they exercised their Christ delegated authority and power knowing that whatever they ask in Jesus’ name will be granted to them as He had promised (John 15:7). As they did the works of Christ in his name, Christ gave glory to the Father through them (John 14:13).
After the cripple was healed, Peter knew that he had to give honour and glory to God for performing this miracle of healing when he saw all the people running towards him and John. He had a reverential fear of God and did not for one moment want the crowd to think he and John had any power of their own to heal anyone.
The bible states that Peter “saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd”:
“People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him.
14You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
16“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes. (Acts 3:12-16NLT).
May God help us all to be as Peter and John as we live to fulfil our God given purpose on earth; Giving him all the glory and praise for every accomplishment however small or large.
Have a blessed day in Christ.
Deborah Esther x
Biblical Exhortations, Devotionals & Poetry 