Full of Power
Acts 6:8-15
Acts 1:8, (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 5:13b, (NIV)
they were highly regarded by the people.
Acts 8:1, (NIV)
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
1. His Supernatural Character
Acts 6:3, (NIV)
Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
Acts 6:5 (NIV)
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;
Acts 6:3, (NIV)
Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known
to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
Exodus 35:31, (NLT)
The LORD has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.
Acts 6:3, (NIV)
Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
Acts 6:5, (NIV)
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;
James 1:5-7, (NIV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Mark 11:22-24, (NIV)
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Acts 6:5, (NIV)
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;
Acts 6:9-10, (NIV)
These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
Luke 12:11-12, (NIV)
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.
Acts 6:8, (NIV)
Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
2. His Supernatural Courage
Acts 6:9, (NIV)
Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen,
Acts 6:10, (NIV)
but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
Acts 6:11, (NIV)
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
Acts 6:12, (NIV)
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
Acts 6:13-14, (NIV)
They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
3. His Supernatural Countenance
Acts 6:15,
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
1 Peter 4:14, (NIV)
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit and glory of God rests on you.
