The Devil Works Overtime
“When God works, the devil works overtime!”
That’s something that my dear mother, who is now in glory, used to say to my siblings and me all the time. As I was studying the book of Acts this year for our 5-Minute Bible Studies series, I was reminded of that catchy phrase because you see a cyclical pattern throughout the book. Here it is:
1. God raises gospel spokesmen who boldly proclaim the Good News
2. People hear, believe, and are converted by God’s grace
3. Opposition rises against these witnesses
4. God moves powerfully to rescue his ambassadors
You see this pattern again and again throughout Acts, but there’s something even more important and exciting about it that I don’t want you to miss. Yes, the preaching is powerful, the opposition is powerful, and the rescue is powerful, but what is perhaps even more significant?
I mentioned it yesterday in the Grace & Knowledge article: God uses the most unlikely of messengers, which is only the result of his divine empowerment.
Consider Acts 4. This is Peter and John before the council, and I’m excerpting sections to save space. You should read Acts 4:1–22 in its entirety, now or after:
“And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand […]
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them … “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Just stop and think about who is preaching the gospel to a hostile opposition. Peter was the disciple who consistently did and said the wrong things. It was Peter who pulled out a sword and lopped off the ear of one of the soldiers seeking to arrest Jesus. Peter was the disciple who said he would follow Jesus in his suffering but then, after Jesus’s arrest, denied that he had anything to do with him.
The man speaking in Acts 4 is a very different Peter! He speaks with gospel clarity and boldness. Not only is he unafraid of associating himself with Jesus, but he rebukes these leaders for their vile mistreatment of his Savior. Peter confronts them with the fact that the one they crucified is their one and only means of salvation. And he says all of this with gospel clarity and confidence.
Peter stands before these powerful rulers as a living testament to the awesome power of God’s transforming grace. Even these coldhearted religious leaders are astonished at Peter’s brilliance: “They recognized that they had been with Jesus.” There simply is no other explanation for the dramatic change in this man. The power of God’s transforming grace in the person of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has transformed this disciple.
God’s grace doesn’t just forgive, reconcile, and provide eternal life, but it empowers and transforms. And that empowering and transforming grace is yours right here, right now. What, in your heart and life today, needs to be transformed by God’s amazing grace? Where do you need to reach out, ask for, and receive the same empowering grace that emboldened Peter?
P.S. If you want more convicting, comforting, encouraging, and equipping stories like this from the book of Acts, join me every Monday for PTM’s free 5-Minute Bible Study on the Book of Acts
A Prayer for Today: Holy Spirit, would you give me the kind of gospel clarity and confidence to live a life that gives glory to your name and sanctification to me? Lord, I need your power to transform my everyday life—from glaring, obvious factors to little, common missteps I take all the time. Your Spirit is what drew me to you, and your Spirit is what draws me closer to you so that I can become more like your Son. Help me, Lord, I pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Conversation Prompts for Children
- God gives us the grace to be saved from our sin, but who makes it possible for us to become more and more like Jesus?
- What do you think it means to be “transformed” more into the image of God? Why is it even necessary to be more and more transformed?
- Why is being in need of God and his power such an important part of what it means to be a Christian?
Reflection Questions
1. What would you say needs to be transformed in your heart and life today so that you feel your need for God’s amazing grace? What parts of your life feel impossible when it comes to change and transformation? How can you specifically invite God into that process of change?
2. As you read about Peter’s story in Acts 4, what stands out to you as impressive when you compare this Peter to the Peter you read about in the gospels? Why is his transformation so powerful? How does Peter’s transformation speak to you personally?
3. Why is neediness such a vital part of the Christian life when it comes to both salvation and sanctification? What areas of your heart and life need to transform into a posture of neediness so that you might see God move and shape you?
4. Why do you think God wants you to be sanctified? Why is sanctification such a necessary part of the Christian life? Who benefits from your personal sanctification? In what ways can you begin praying for specific parts of your life to change and be transformed by God’s amazing grace?