Spirit Enpowered Living
Please begin with prayer. Ask God to show you how His Spirit can strengthen your faith to live for Him and His purposes on a daily basis.
Read Acts Chapters 6 & 7
Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian church. While God will probably not require you to give your physical life for Him, He does require a believer to lay down their daily life as a sacrifice for Him- living for His goals, priorities and to help build His kingdom on earth. We can see how Stephen was able to have a strong faith in the faith of tremendous adversity in this study.
Answer the following questions.
How do we know that the presence of God was in Stephen's life? (Acts 6:8. 15)
On what foundation was Stephen's commitment built upon? How do we know? (Acts 7:2-38)
What error did Stephen see in the past generations way of thinking?
What did Stephen react to the most in the lack of belief of the Jewish leadership? Why do you think Stephen was so outraged at this?
Acts tells us something about where Stephen maintain his focus. Who and what was this focus?
Finally, in Acts 7:60, we can see Stephen's reaction to those who killed Him. What does this tell us about Stephen and his perspective on his life as it related to God and his work on earth for the Lord?
Now, let's make this personal.
How do you know that the presence of God is in your life?
Upon what foundation is your life built upon? How do you know? Can you verbalize it?
In what ways did you have to have errors in your past thinking about life? What were some of your errors in the way you thought of God and His purposes? Are there errors in the way you think of God now? What are they? How do they need to change?
Stephen was most concerned about the Jewish leaders' lack of response to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit at work in your life? How do you know? What are some examples of the Holy Spirit at work in your life?
When is it the easiest for you to take your eyes off of Jesus? In what ways can this be overcome?
Finally, please think about your life and how you live it each day. Who do you live it for? What purposes do you seek by your words and your actions? If you are not pleased with the response you feel compelled to give, how can the perspective of how your life each day be changed?
As you have done this study, it is hoped that the Holy Spirit has prompted you to examine certain situations and ways of thinking that exist in your life. Think about these. Are you willing to pray to ask for the Lord's help in leaving these situations and the old ways of thinking at the foot of the cross? Are you willing to ask God for help? Take time now to pray.
Memory Verse for the week!
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of host."
Written by John R. Wallace, Jr., Senior Administrator of