GREATER THINGS ARE YET TO COME by Gary Wilkerson
God wants to do mighty things through us. He wants to express His love to the world through us. So if we are clinging to one thing that gets in the way of His accomplishing that—some willfulness, some refusal to trust Him for everything—He points it out to us.
Sometimes God wants us to add something to our lives before He brings His best. This may involve something we have not done, so He wants us to ask, “Have I been slow to respond to something God has asked me to do?”
We find an example of this in Acts, when the disciples added a new member to replace Judas. While in the Upper Room, they drew lots and chose Matthias. It seemed like such a small thing. These same men had seen Jesus work wonders, open blind eyes, cast out demons, even raise a man from the dead. They had seen God’s kingdom advanced on earth as never before in history. And when Christ ascended to heaven, He gave them this incredible word: “You will do even greater works, once I send you My Spirit. He will empower you. Greater things are yet to come!” (see Acts 1:1-8).
Indeed, these same disciples would go beyond Israel and the Middle East, into Europe and India and Africa, preaching the good news of Christ to the nations, all within their generation. What made it so important to add another disciple? They did it for one simple reason: Peter sensed it was something God wanted them to do.
“In those days Peter stood up among the brothers . . . and said, ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas . . . For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry’” (Acts 1:15-17). Peter was referring to Psalm 109:8: “May another take his place of leadership.”
There is a great lesson here for Christ’s church today. That is, never overlook a nagging issue of the heart, no matter how small. God puts His finger on these matters for a reason: to reveal our heart’s response to Him. Greater things are yet to come!
Sometimes God wants us to add something to our lives before He brings His best. This may involve something we have not done, so He wants us to ask, “Have I been slow to respond to something God has asked me to do?”
We find an example of this in Acts, when the disciples added a new member to replace Judas. While in the Upper Room, they drew lots and chose Matthias. It seemed like such a small thing. These same men had seen Jesus work wonders, open blind eyes, cast out demons, even raise a man from the dead. They had seen God’s kingdom advanced on earth as never before in history. And when Christ ascended to heaven, He gave them this incredible word: “You will do even greater works, once I send you My Spirit. He will empower you. Greater things are yet to come!” (see Acts 1:1-8).
Indeed, these same disciples would go beyond Israel and the Middle East, into Europe and India and Africa, preaching the good news of Christ to the nations, all within their generation. What made it so important to add another disciple? They did it for one simple reason: Peter sensed it was something God wanted them to do.
“In those days Peter stood up among the brothers . . . and said, ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas . . . For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry’” (Acts 1:15-17). Peter was referring to Psalm 109:8: “May another take his place of leadership.”
There is a great lesson here for Christ’s church today. That is, never overlook a nagging issue of the heart, no matter how small. God puts His finger on these matters for a reason: to reveal our heart’s response to Him. Greater things are yet to come!