Faith Walk

Leaping at the GatePersecution and Persistence

• Don Carpenter

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I'd like us to go to the Book of Acts, the fourth chapter, and I might even remind you of some things out of the third chapter, first of all. It's regarding Peter and John. They were going to the temple, just a regular meeting. Been going there every day, maybe for years. But this one particular day, there was a man, he was a beggar, couldn't walk, in his forties, maybe a bit older. And Peter and John said, We don't have any money to give you. They had no cash on them. They had nothing. But he said, We do have something that you will benefit from. You're going to walk. You're going to be healed. That was quite a revelation to that man. When God has equipped us to walk in our ministry, He will give us opportunity for that ministry. He said in the name of Jesus, grabbed him by the hand, pulled him up. A man who had no muscles in his leg to walk, never was trained to walk, suddenly is walking. He's not only walking, he's leaping. He is fanatical about it. And what does he do? He goes inside the temple. The prime Jewish house of religion in Israel. All levels of society gathered there. And they said, Isn't this the guy? And they said, This is the guy. And Peter begins to tell them, I did it through Jesus. The one that you persecuted, the one that you put to death, the one that you rejected, that's how we did it. There were some religious people who realized that if this kind of ministry gets going, all the way that we have worked centuries to put into place is going to be nullified. That was just the religious crowd. The worldly crowd, all the ones that God was convicting, all the ones that God has been speaking to, all the ones that haven't said yes, they're thinking, what am I going to do? I'm going to have to try to stop this. That's called persecution. Persecution is when somebody in society, governments, try to stop you from serving God and above all, talking about Jesus. You can talk about your ancestors and get excited. But the moment you talk about Jesus, suddenly people who were nice to you, suddenly they turn against you because they don't want this name of Jesus to be lifted high. When we become believers, we cannot avoid talking about Jesus. We're in a brand new level of life. I just wanted to touch on this verse 26 in Acts chapter 3. He tells them, unto you first, God, having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. What a blessing that is. When we walk in sin and we don't allow the Lord to work in our lives, life is tough. And we're going to feel like, what am I going to do with my life? What has it amounted to in verse 1 of chapter 4 of Acts? As they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. They touched an area that touched the soul. They touched an area that Satan figures that he's controlling. You're happy in the flesh and all whatever it brings. But the moment you touch the soul, there was suddenly a shift and persecution. In Isaiah chapter 30, verse eight, now go write it before them in a table and note it in a book that it may be for a time to come, forever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, lying children that will not hear the law of the Lord. It's not that it's not available. The law was there, they didn't want to hear it. That means they didn't want to listen to it, they didn't want to walk by it. It's the same today when we read in the word and said there's going to come a time that there's going to be a famine for the hearing of the word of God. It's not that the word of God is not available. It's that people don't want to hear the word of the Lord. Which say to the seers, see not, stop looking. And say to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us things. Can you imagine? Don't tell us what is right. Speak to us of smooth things. What they're saying is, only talk about that. Prophesy deceit. Don't tell us the truth. Speak to us entails. Speak to us about things that are fantasy. Tell us those things. Can you imagine how low or how deceitful somebody would be to have to talk like that? Get you out of the way. Turn aside out of the paths. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. We don't want God in our life. And we know that's true of people who are convicted, people who know that God is on the throne, people who know that there is a God. They said, Wherefore, thus saith the Holy One of Israel, now God's talking, because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and stay there on. Therefore, this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. When you come to the Lord, you realize that your journey is going to begin in things that the world never told you about, the world doesn't recognize, and we know that Satan doesn't want us to have it. And we know the flesh, because the more the spirit rises, the more that the flesh is subdued. Then there's issues and there's problems. So what did they do to these men of God, John and Peter? These were the disciples of Jesus. So what do they do? In Acts chapter 4, verse 3, it says that they laid hands on them and put them in hold until the next day, for it was now evening. They said, We're going to make it so that you're not going to be listened to. And we're going to devise a plan that's going to prevent that from happening. But that is such a futile thing. It's like when God speaks to us and calls to us, and we try to fight against it. We're saying, oh, we're people of God, but we're going to do it our way. No, we always have to do it God's way. Here is the good news. Many came to the Lord. When Peter spoke that sermon, how many? Five thousand. That day alone, five thousand people. The crowd started to gather. And when they gathered, the Lord moved through Peter. Let's read that. How many of them which heard, they heard the word, and what did they do? They believed. The number of the men was about five thousand. And I find that very encouraging. Let's read something here in John 15, verse 20. This event I'm talking about today is the first record we have of the church being persecuted. What happened to Peter, the voice of Pentecost, Peter, the spokesman, and John, the beloved. This is Jesus' word. That's what he says. Remember the word that I said to you. If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. They think when we are persecuted, if they can stop you, then people will forget about Jesus. They think that every good thing that Jesus ever did will be wiped away. That's why they persecuted and killed Christian believers, are physically persecuted every day in the world. Spat upon, slapped, lied about, false accusations, ruin their businesses, break up, demand that people not go to church. And the more Christ-like we become, the more opposition and persecution will occur. So we'll say, why serve the Lord and be persecuted? Why indeed? Why don't you just ignore all the spiritual life that God has for you and let everybody go into eternity and be lost? Why try to help them? Spend your money and time and all your labor trying to reach your neighborhood and people with the gospel. Why indeed? Because Jesus is the way. He is the truth and he is the life. And that's the message that we bring. And so this guy was not expecting the power of God that day. And what a difference took place. So let's read on. They put them in jail overnight. And the next day, the rulers and elders and scribes, and Anas, the high priest and Caiaphas. Anas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. And as many as were of the kindred, in other words, they were all related somehow, the high priest were gathered together at Jerusalem. And what did they do? And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, and they said, By what power or by what name have you done this? Do you not recognize that we don't like this? Do you not understand that we rule and reign in this territory? Just like the devil says. You can't come in and take people out of my kingdom. You cannot come and expect that you're going to rule and reign. Yes, we can, because Jesus gave us power over the enemy. And we want to witness about the things of God. Sometimes that's quite a struggle. Sometimes it comes from people who should be standing with you. Here's something that I have found. Every time that I grow and start to advance in the kingdom and start to talk about it, if people I know don't see it or don't want to see it or don't believe it, suddenly they won't show up anymore. Suddenly they can't see me or things aren't available because they become uncomfortable and talk behind my back. And they're good people, but they're persecuting me just by talking behind my back. They're trying to stifle, they're trying to stop, they're trying to not let this truth come forth that Jesus takes us and that we grow every day in the things of God. With that comes responsibility. How did you do this? They're talking to two men that are not educated. They're talking to two men that don't know the Mosaic law like they know it. What do they know about life and society? Remember, Peter is filled with the Holy Ghost. And when you're filled with the Holy Ghost, you're inspired by the Holy Ghost. You're empowered by the Holy Ghost. Peter answers the question. Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them, You rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be known unto you all and to all the people of Israel by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. That's how we did it. See, there's power in that name. It's not recorded here, but their conversation is more than just these few lines. But I can hear this in my mind. I know that's beyond you. You don't think anything can happen in the spirit. You don't think that this spiritual activity could affect the possible. You think that this is nonsense. You think that this is foolishness. Just like an auto mechanic, you go to get work done on your automobile and they find stuff, you're thinking, how did they find that? How did you do that? It's because they know things about the car. Do you not think for one moment that God's ministers know something about the things of the Spirit and the believers of God? Do you not think for one moment that when they walk with the Lord, talk with the Lord, singling to the Lord? Do you not think for one moment that they know something? Of course they do. What you give yourself to, you will find out about. He said, We do it by the name of Jesus. They know about this Jesus. Just like your persecutors know about this Jesus. That's why they're persecuting you. They know about this Jesus. And he said, Whom you crucified, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the one you crucified. They knew it was false charges when they brought it up against Jesus. They knew they had to kill him because that was a decision they had made. This man who was at your temple every day, and you did nothing. He was of no significance. Today, Jesus made the difference. And this man is walking. Just like today, Jesus makes a difference in your life. So that's why you see him standing whole. Muscles that were not there are there. There was a lot of healing went into this miracle. Strengthen. You know what it's like when a baby tries to learn to walk. They fall down, they're unsteady. This man instantly stood up whole, and not only that, but the brain kicked in immediately and gave the proper signals. Everything was made perfect. That is how it was done through Jesus in his name. That's where the power is. And today, the same name of Jesus operates the same way. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Who is that? Jesus. This is the Jesus you crucified. This is the Jesus you persecuted. This is the Jesus that you did not want to have any input into society and the religious life of Israel, or in fact, the world. I'm going to tell you in verse 12 it is neither is there salvation in any other. In other words, God authorizes this. God speaks how men is going to be saved. Not somebody getting a good idea, but somebody that's got a God revelation, and it says, among men whereby we must be saved. Under the Jewish religion at that time, they sacrificed every year for the sins of the people. An animal. And every year, the chief priest would make this big major sacrifice for the whole nation. God instituted it, and that was for a time. But then God says, I'm going to change this. Most people are difficult to change. They sit at the same place at the table, they shop at the same stores, their wardrobe is filled with mostly the same colors, and so on. God said, We're going to make one sacrifice once and for all. In Hebrews chapter 9, verse 22. Almost all things are by the law purged with blood. Without shedding of blood is no remission. That was under the Mosaic law because that's the word that God said. That's how it has to be. No remission if there's no shedding of blood. To think that God in the flesh, walking among Caiaphas and all these other Pharisees, walking among them, preaching and declaring the word openly for three years, they take God in the flesh and they crucify him. That's persecution. Jesus' blood was shed for all humanity, present and in the future. There's no other way. And people think, well, this is something to talk such foolishness in this decade. We're so modern and we're so well educated. So was the high priests. They were very educated. They knew the Mosaic law. Jesus turned the world upside down. When you start turning the world upside down, they aren't going to like it. Turn the world upside down. Every time you have opportunity to turn the world upside down, do it. Speak the word of the Lord. So when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were all learned and ignorant men, this is in verse 13, they marveled. And they took knowledge of them. What knowledge did they have? Why were they marveling? What did they see? They had been with Jesus. They had spent time with Jesus. And when you spend time with Jesus, there is no persecution that can come your way that can take that away from you. Once you've been with Jesus, everything's different. We're going to pray. Father, we thank you this day for your goodness. We thank you for your word. And we thank you, Lord, that you never leave us nor forsake us. And we thank you for the shedding of blood. We thank you today, Lord Jesus, that you always make a way for us to keep moving forward. We will not allow the flesh to hold us back. Bless and encourage your people today mightily in the name of Jesus. Amen.