Act 2:42-43 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
The evidence of Jesus’ entrance into their welcoming hearts was clear to all—steadfast in doctrine and fellowship and a shared concern for others fueled by the Holy Spirit. Biblical doctrine, learned in humble submission to God’s Spirit is always the right order for spiritual effectiveness and power.
More Bible in you equals more power, yet many Christians today are ineffective in reaching the world. Why? Because they’ve abandoned pursuing God in exchange for other religious interests. Yet, no self-help book, conference, or religious system will ever satisfy a craving for God. And as holy and lofty as the doctrines of the Bible are, they are not the person of God. Sound doctrine should act as a fence around our passion for God, but it is not a replacement for His presence.
There can be no substitutes for the child of God who belongs to what A. W. Tozer describes as “the fellowship of the burning heart.” They must be with God daily. They must pursue Him in the Word. Nothing else will do. Such believers have learned that even well-meaning encouragement or advice can be ill-fitting or come up short. They understand that times of holy bankruptcy are vehicles to drive them to the Lord.
I urge you to spend time with God. Ask Him to reveal Himself through the Word. Plead with Him to infuse Himself into your being and transport you into a dying world so that you might reach others. Do that, and you can be confident that He will empower you from on high.
