Word: Turning A Broken Story Into God’s Glory

I often think about what actually occurred between the last chapter of John, and the first chapters of Acts. The last thing John tells us about the disciples was that they had returned to their previous occupation: Fishing. They fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus turns up and tells them to ‘Cast the net on the right side of the ship’. After doing so, the haul was so huge, they could not pull the net in. By the time we get into Acts chapter 1, we note that these men were no longer called disciples, but Apostles. How did this happen? What transpired? Well, these two chapters gives us some answers. In John 21, they were fishing in the wrong kingdom. Jesus informed them to cast their nets on the ‘right side’. Jesus was shifting their thinking from natural service, towards a heavenly Kingdom service. Jesus wanted them to understand that if they obeyed Him and cast their nets ‘on the right side’, their haul of fish (or people) would be tremendous. Before this could happen, Jesus commands them to find the ‘Upper Room’ or ‘Prayer Room’ and wait.

Jesus promised that as they waited, they would receive the Holy Ghost. This is where the real transformation took place: from doubting disciples in one chapter, into powerful Apostles in the proceeding chapter. As a disciple, Peter was so scared, he denied Jesus several times. As we move into the Book of Acts, this same Peter is on his feet preaching to those gathered. (Acts 1:15). Whatever occurred in the ‘Upper-Room’ that day, had to be more than just noise, wind, fire, and tongues. These people were changed from the inside out. It was as if they were smashed to bits and then reconstructed. They were unrecognizable. As we read through the chapter, there is a noticeable difference in the disciples that could only occur by the hand of a ‘Master Sculpture’ redesigning the nature within them. The Holy Ghost came and not just filled them with power, but He also yanked out every stronghold of betrayal, disloyalty, treachery, failure, disappointment, regret, fear, distrust, hurt, anger, grief: In fact, every destructive thing contaminating their vessel.

Saints of God, they had to wait. For God to deal with these issues, He had to shatter them. These disciples had to die, so that the ‘Apostle’ could emerge. It would not have been effective for both ‘disciple and Apostle’ to operate in the same body. That would be tantamount to flesh and spirit working in harmony; or Law and Grace; or New Wine and old wine-skin; or the old person and the New-Man. One must die. That is what happened in the ‘Upper-Room’, the disciples died, and the Apostles were Reborn. When the Holy Ghost comes with power, the flesh is crucified, and we too must emerge unrecognizable, no longer ‘Broken-piece’ but His ‘Masterpiece’. (Read Gal 2:20)

PROPHETIC PRAYER
– Father in Heaven, today I come boldly before Your throne, knowing that You are the ‘I Am, That I Am’. (Exodus 3:14)
– We hear You calling us to come up higher… into the Upper Room.
– Take control of our lives by Your Holy Spirit, so that we will never be the same again.
– Father, let there be an outpouring in our lives. Let the promise of Acts 2:1-4 be fulfilled in us.
– Father, I understand that I can only become whom You intended me to be by the power of the Holy Ghost.
– Holy Spirit, with Your Presence in our lives, we can never be the same.
– Lord, we wait on You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.