Pastor Barry's "Chapter & Verse" Day 247

September 4;       Acts 4:8;       93/260(III);       ‘The Helper’

Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:

Peter and John were arrested after the Lord healed the crippled man at the beautiful gate.  The religious leaders interrogated them, asking by what power the crippled man was healed.  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke.  The word ‘filled’ can also be translated soaked.  In other words, the Holy Spirit saturated Peter with His power and Peter spoke powerfully and unafraid to the religious leaders.  These religious men were amazed at the boldness of Peter and John, since they were uneducated and untrained.  Then these men realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus.  One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Helper.  In a time of need, the Holy Spirit will be there to help in any situation we face.  In this case, it was the Helper anointing Peter to speak powerfully and boldly.  Peter, on the day of Pentecost was baptized in the Holy Spirit, with the initial evidence of speaking with tongues.  The Helper then empowered Peter to speak to the multitude of Jews in Jerusalem for Pentecost and three thousand were saved.  Here the Helper again anointed Peter to speak boldly and accurately.  As time went on, the Helper worked through Peter, healing multitudes.  The Lord took a ‘loud mouthed,’ cowardly man and turned him into a mighty minister, continuing the ministry of Jesus.  Acts is a picture of the early church in action.  We, are to see how they did it, make sure we are Spirit filled and pick up right where Peter and John left off.