Kalimera (καλημέρα) cadeau de DIEU.
Acts 14:19 - 20 " Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and they managed to turn the people against them: they threw stones at Paul to kill him, then They dragged him out of the city, believing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city . The next day he set out with Barnabas to Derbe."
He was the apostle Paul (in Greek "Paulos", Strong #3972, meaning small), his real first name Saul (in Greek "Saulos", Strong #4569, meaning "desired", "asked to GOD"). In his beginnings, a persecutor of the Church, then an apostle of CHRIST sent to the nations. Roman citizen and Jew of the tribe of Benjamin. He wrote fourteen of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Many times imprisoned, condemned to forced labor, exposed to hunger, thirst, cold, lack of clothing, five times beaten with thirty-nine strokes, and stoned, (2 Corinthians 11: 23-30). He is one of the first to bring the Gospel to non-Jews. He was a man with the Word and the anointing.
That day, he had been left for dead. If the disciples had not surrounded him, if they had not prayed for him, he would not have stood up. These disciples had no titles. At least the HOLY SPIRIT, the inspirer of the Bible, did not consider it necessary to mention it. We can therefore conclude that they were "ordinary" disciples. They surrounded Paul with their prayer.
They didn't tell themselves they don't have the anointing. Why? ✔ Because there is no little HOLY SPIRIT. There are only people available who act in faith out of love. GOD is eternally "Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Transcendent, Immutable" by his attributes, and "Love, Truth, Holiness" by his nature. "They" ➡➡ many, each by his prayer was an instrument for Paul's miraculous healing. Yes, it was a miracle. Paul had been stoned, had been left for dead. Far be it from me to despise the diversity of gifts, ministries, and operations (1 Corinthians 12: 4). But since the inspirer of the Bible, the HOLY SPIRIT did not consider it necessary to specify who were the names of these disciples, their functions, their gifts, we can conclude that this miracle was the fruit of a collective intercession and not a spiritual gift. In your hands, between your prayers, your generosity, your benevolence, your example, your difference, your patience, between your gifts, your skills, is someone's miracle, someone's blessing.
The devil will tell you that your prayer is small. Reject this lie. There are no "little prayers". ➡ ➡ There are only sincere prayers, in accordance with his will and made in faith. If your prayer meets these 3 conditions, it is valuable. When the apostle Paul stood up, the crowd was not called. They kept their calm. We don't feel they were surprised by this miracle. Paul got up, he went back into the city, and the next day they went on their way. No advertising. That's what it's like to be part of a team. Who is close enough to you to pray with you or for you when things are wrong? And you, who are you praying for? Seriously, for whom can GOD wake you up at 3 am?
Before being a source of blessing, one should already at least be a channel of blessing. There will always be a time in your life when you need someone's prayer. This person could be one of the most famous apostles, one of those who serve with you, or a teenager. John was the youngest, but he was indeed a disciple of CHRIST.
Now imagine if the apostle Paul was arrogant, proud, constantly proclaiming how anointed he was, wise and powerful. You know, "the givers of lessons" without proposals, the "experts in everything". They would have said to themselves: who am I to pray for Paul? What anointing have I received comparable to his? Many would either not have prayed for him or would have lacked faith in praying. Paul spoke of his exploits to uplift, not demean others. And this despite the suffering, tribulation, persecution, condemnation, and betrayal he experienced.
Let us beware of contempt. Let us testify to edify. Let us, not be of those who testify to let it be known "that they also have" "they too are" "they too can", "they too ..." Those who, failing to say that the others are insignificant, undeserving, "stupid", consciously let by their attitudes and their words imply that the others are "nothing", "not really intelligent", "not deserving enough", etc ... Anyone who is sincerely committed to accomplish GOD's wills for his life, I would even say who aspires to live what I call CASA (Connaître Aimer Servir Adorer), translated KLSW (Know Love Serve Worship), will meet, are meeting or have encountered battles. These battles are for some training, for other victories more or less painful victories.
'The battles and victories of the apostle Paul were known, but he never used them to make the disciples feel guilty. Regarding the apostle John situation's, JESUS replied to the apostle Peter, "If I want him to remain until I come, what does it matter to you? You, follow me." (John 21:22). In other words, we are not responsible for how the LORD judges, convinces, tests, prepares those who serve Him or aspires to serve Him. We are responsible for doing our part and keeping our hearts. In addition, people don't have an obligation to share their lives with us. If they are Christians, the duty is to love everyone and not to be intimate with everyone.
Even if we want to alert, protect, prevent others from our mistakes or the devil's traps, we can do so by uplifting and not by belittling. GOD does not follow devil's methods. It would be like a billionaire, born into a poor family who every day instead of teaching wisdom to his children makes them feel guilty for not having known his childhood for fear of seeing them squander his fortune. If you know someone who has the attitude of this billionaire, pray, keep your heart, and give the HOLY SPIRIT time to heal and transform hearts. By doing it, you will receive oil on your head. In which team are you?
To go further (non-exhaustive list)
- Bible: Galatians 1:15; Philippians 3: 4-6; Acts 26: 5;
- Walk in humility (preaching), by Pastor Yves Castanou
- The series of teachings on the gifts and ministries by Evangelist and Prophet Mohammed Y. Sanogo
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