The Power Of Obedience | Short Sermon Series

“In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, Stand up on your feet! At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”

Acts 14:8-10

Notice the amazing way God began to open up this city. Paul and Barnabas had no plans other than to be there and to do what God sent them to do — to preach.

As Paul was preaching — probably for several days in a row — sitting in the marketplace was a man who had been lame from his birth. He heard what Paul said, and believed what Paul declared about the power of Jesus. Paul looked at him and saw in that man's eyes the faith to believe. Suddenly, unquestionably led by the Spirit, he said to him, “Stand up on your feet”. And the lame man, though he had never walked in his life, made the effort to obey. He had faith enough to try, and the moment he began to obey, the power to obey was given.

That is exactly the way the Christian life works. When you make the effort to obey, God will set you free. But he will never move until you obey. That is the way faith works. Most people are kept from seeing God at work in their lives because they keep waiting for God to do something, in order for them to believe. No, he has already done all that he is going to do in advance. When you believe what he says, then he will give you the power to be free. This miracle is a mighty parable of the many who have been spiritually lame, unable to take a step toward God, but who have been set free to do so by the gospel. It cracked the city wide open. The whole populace immediately took note of Paul and Barnabas in their midst.

Devotional by Ray Stedman Ministries

Designed by @beth.low