When you're driving at 100 km/h and suddenly hear a strange sound in the car that persists, your attention shifts from the road to the noise. Thoughts start racing: Is there a problem with the tire or something else? This distraction pulls you away from focusing on driving. Similarly, in our spiritual walk with Christ, Satan, the enemy, tries to prevent our growth by throwing distractions in our path. These distractions cause us to pause or slow down spiritually.
During these moments, Satan seizes the opportunity to weaken our faith, disrupt our prayer life, slowdown the meditation time and distance us from God, pulling us back into problems and keeping us from returning to Christ, slowly we become backsliders over a period of time.
The early church faced similar challenges as they grew in numbers. We can learn from how they overcame the distractions and obstacles thrown their way. This example isn't just relevant to the early church—it's also applicable to our personal lives. By reflecting on their experience, we can recognize similar challenges in our own spiritual journeys and find ways to overcome them and experience revival.
Context of early church
After Jesus was crucified and triumphed over the cross, He rose again and appeared to Mary Magdalene and many of His disciples, strengthening their faith. He gave them the Great Commission and ascended into heaven (Luke 24:50-52), promising to send the Holy Spirit to empower and revive them so they could fulfill His great commission (Matthew 28:19-20)
Matthew 28:19-20 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”'
After he ascended to Heaven, the disciples met regularly and constantly prayed that the words of God had to be fulfilled Acts 1:14-16 'They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. '
When the day of Pentecost arrived and they were all gathered in one place (Acts 2:1-12), they were filled with the Holy Spirit, enabling them to speak in different tongues. From that moment, the followers of Jesus, known as "The Way," began to grow in number. Every day, they devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
Acts 2:42-46 'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, '
They were deeply spiritual and obedient, faithfully carrying out the Lord's command to fulfil the Great Commission He had entrusted to them.
Early Church Challenge
Acts 6:1 'In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ‘
As the early church grew, there were two distinct groups of Jews:
Hellenistic Jews: These were Jews with a Greek background.
Hebraic Jews: These were Jews with an Aramaic background. The Hebraic Jews, often referred to as Palestinian Jews, took pride in their heritage, as they had always lived in the land of the patriarchs and spoke the same language as their ancestors. They were also close to the temple and regularly worshiped there.
A challenge arose when the Hellenistic Jews complained to the disciples that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food by the Hebraic Jews.
Condition of Early Church
As they encountered these challenges, it’s crucial to closely examine the state of the early church to understand their spiritual depth. Without a clear understanding of the church's condition and the people involved, many important details may be missed.
God First / World Secondary Church - Acts 4:32-35 'All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. '
Unified in Heart and Mind: All believers were united in their focus, putting God first and worldly concerns second, fully relying on Christ.
Shared Everything: They didn’t view their possessions as their own but as the Lord’s, sharing freely with fellow believers.
Mission of the Church: The apostles continued to powerfully testify to the resurrection of Jesus, fulfilling the Great Commission by bringing more believers into the church.
God’s Grace: The grace of God was abundant in the church, and this truth remains the same today.
Money at Their Feet: The church treated money as secondary. Those who owned land or houses sold them and laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet
Acts 4:34-35 For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet…
Acts 4:37 'sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.'
No One in Need: There was no one in need among them. They were content with what God provided and didn’t join the church for material gain.
Church grew Daily - Acts 5:42 'Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.'
The early church was dedicated to continuously teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah, both in the temple courts and from house to house (can be called house church)
Their focus on spreading the gospel never wavered, and as a result, they grew steadily, bringing more people to Christ. The good news spread like rivers of joy, touching more lives each day.
Satan’s work over this church
Ananias and Sapphira - “Spirit of Money ” / “Spirit of Greed” / “Spirit of Lies” / “Spirit of Hypocrisy”
In contrast to the early church’s view of money as something to be humbly offered at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:36-37, where Barnabas sold his field and gave the proceeds), Ananias and Sapphira demonstrated greed and dishonesty.
Acts 4:36-37 - 'Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.'
Acts 5:1-2 tells us that they sold a piece of property, but with full agreement, Ananias kept part of the money for himself and only brought a portion to the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5:1-2 'Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. '
By withholding part of the money, they failed to recognise that their offering was to God, where the Holy Spirit was actively present in the church. Their deceit led to their deaths, as they were judged for lying to the Holy Spirit.
“Spirit of Jealously” - There was Jealously on the church growth - Acts 5:17'Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. '
The Sadducees, influenced by Satan, were consumed with jealousy as they saw the rapid growth and success of the early church.
“Spirit of Desires ~ Gluttony”. - Complaint Over Food - Acts 6:1 'In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. '
A church that had once been content became distracted by concerns over food. Satan used their physical desires, particularly hunger, as a tool to cultivate the “Spirit of Desires ~ Gluttony.”
Paul addresses the issue of gluttony, highlighting how we become prisoners to our appetites and desires, letting our stomach control us. Philippians 3:19 'Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. '
This issue stalled the church’s growth, prompting the twelve to gather the disciples and say - Acts 6:2 'So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
We see two sides at work: while the church was growing, the influence of satan was also increasing. If we pause to ask,
"If God is allowing the church to grow, why would He permit Satan to bring these distractions? Couldn't He have stopped them?"
The answer lies in this: God allows the enemy to operate because the struggles we face refine us, making us stronger and helping us grow even more.
How did they overcome
Acts 6:3-4 'Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” '
Introspection: Looking Inside vs. Looking Outside - The apostles did not blame each other or take sides. Instead, they introspected their work and their commitment to the Lord. This is a valuable lesson: when problems arise, first examine your own house before looking outward.
They became so focused on serving tables that they neglected prayer and the ministry of the Word.
God permitted Satan to introduce the “spirit of gluttony” to the church to prompt a renewed focus on prayer and the spreading of God’s Word.
Church is built on Prayer and Mediation. If the priority to this is taken as secondary, the church will face challenges.
The Church was Willing to Make Adjustments to Facilitate Growth
The apostles were open to sharing their authority and responsibilities, allowing others to contribute to the ministry’s expansion.
Focus on Spirit and Wisdom - The solution to the problem was to choose someone filled with the Spirit and wisdom (not worldly wisdom but divine insight through the Holy Spirit). As 1 Corinthians 12:7-8 states, 'To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, and to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit.', see the priority 1st Holy Spirit, 2nd is wisdom. They relied on God’s Holy Spirit to guide first, then apply the wisdom of man to make it meaningful.
Solution: Select Seven Men - Acts 6:5: ‘This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.’
They selected six Hellenistic Jews and one Gentile, Nicolas.
It’s noteworthy that Stephen was described as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, meeting the criteria of being full of the Spirit and wisdom, which was essential for all seven men.
Two of these men were later used by God as missionaries: Stephen, who became the first martyr for the faith (Acts 7:54-60), and Philip, who was the first missionary (Acts 8:5-13, 26-40 / Acts 21:8). Their example shows that God can use us powerfully when we are faithful in the roles He sets before us.
They served the Lord out of love for one another as servants, embodying to what the word of God guides us to do Romans 12:10: 'Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.'
Despite not being formally titled deacons, they demonstrated all the qualifications of deacons as described in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and Philippians 1:1.
Following this, the church’s focus was solely on two things: Prayer and the Ministry of the Word.
In the early church, prayer was a central ministry, and we should adopt a similar mindset. Today, the message often takes precedence, with prayer being treated as secondary.
First priority was prayer.
Second priority was the ministry of the Word.
When they commissioned the seven, they first prayed and then blessed them by laying their hands on them. Prayer came first - Acts 6:6: 'They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.’
What was the Outcome of This Introspection and Prayer?
Acts 6:7: 'So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.'
The church experienced rapid growth. “number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly”
The Word spread swiftly and rapidly, thanks to a two-step process involving the Holy Spirit.
First, the disciples were responsible for spreading the Word.
Second, the Holy Spirit ensured it traveled with the speed of light, rapidly reaching many.
A spirit of obedience came in among the people and the church.
A spirit of faith took root at the people and early church.
All these results reflect a Spirit-filled church, as described in Acts 5.
Lessons we can learn
Just as the early church did, when we encounter challenges in our ministry or spiritual journey with Christ, we should introspect to ensure our priorities align with God’s will and His plan for us.
God allows these struggles to help us correct ourself to align to his His will so that we can receive new blessings.
Our attitude has to be like the early church. God first (Prayer / Meditation / Spreading the word of God) and others second (money / world priorities etc..), seek to see if you have fallen off track on these aspects.
Never complain saying “Why did God allow these struggles to me ?” if you do, you give a foot to Satan and also make a mockery of God’s grace given to you.
Approach these challenges with humility, seeking God and reflecting on where you may have deviated from His priorities. The roads where you took detour with your self decisions instead of seeking his will.
Prayer and fasting can provide solutions and break through to challenges. As you pray, God’s peace reassures us of His control, keeping us steady and reliant on Him to overcome difficulties.
Seek guidance from God’s Holy Spirit first, and then use your common sense and wisdom. Avoid reversing this order.
Lastly, recognize that God's love often involves correction through discipline by allowing struggles and challenges. For some, this may be a gentle correction, while for others, it might be a more severe form of discipline, like how a School teacher takes a whip and beats the back. As the Scripture says, God disciplines those He loves: Hebrews 12:6, 'because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child.’
Amen