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Taking Life From
Ordinary to Extraordinary
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by David Cerullo
“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 5:6)
If you study
the lives of Jesus’ early followers, life never seemed boring.
This
extraordinary life is illustrated in Acts 3:1-10 (NIV), where we’re told the
story of a lame man healed at the gate of the temple.
This passage
includes 5 powerful keys that will help you experience a miracle-filled life:
o God wants to do
extraordinary things even on “ordinary” days.
“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at
the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon” (verse 1).
In the previous
chapter, God had given the church an extraordinary breakthrough on a special
day – the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
But here we’re
told the lame man’s breakthrough came simply on “one day.”
It was already
3 p.m., and it seems nothing notable had happened so far.
Don’t miss this
important lesson: No matter what day of the week or year it may be, God wants
to hear your prayer and give you the miracle you need.
And even if the
day is half over, don’t give up on your breakthrough it’s not “midnight” yet!
o Be alert
for divine appointments.
“Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the
temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those
going into the temple courts” (verse 2).
Notice that
this man had been lame a long time from birth, in fact.
It certainly
would have been easy to conclude that his condition would never change. Every
day was the same, a life of begging for his daily provision.
And maybe you
feel like every day is déjà vu, waking up to the same circumstances you faced
the day before.
Little did this
man know, but this would be his day of new beginnings. He was about to have a
divine appointment that would transform his life forever!
o Recognize your
true need and source for the breakthrough.
“When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for
money” (verse 3).
One of the
tragic things about this man’s life was that he didn’t understand what his real
need was.
begging.
But God wanted
to give him so much MORE!
Once again,
this is such an important lesson for us.
We too often
limit God’s ability to help us, settling for far less than what He wants to
provide.
Remember: He’s
willing and able to do more for you than you can even dream or imagine! (Ephesians
3:20)
Not only did
the man misunderstand his need, but he also was misguided about where his
breakthrough would come from.
He thought
people were the answer – people generous enough to give him some alms.
However, Peter explained that the man was going to receive
something that day much greater than “silver or gold”: “In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (verse 6).
There is power
in His name to break every chain and meet every need.
o Your miracle
can come “suddenly.”
Just as the
power of the Spirit was poured out suddenly on the day of Pentecost, God can
give you a breakthrough more quickly than you think today as well:
“Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly
the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began
to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and
jumping, and praising God” (verses 7-8).
This man had
waited his entire life for an encounter with the miraculous healing power of
God. Yet his turnaround came in a mere moment of time: “instantly.”
o Others will be
impacted when they notice your breakthrough.
When all the
people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the
same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and
they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him (verses 9-10).
The same
happened here in Acts 3 and throughout the rest of the book of Acts.
The Bible teaches that “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
That means He’s
still in the miracle-working business, able to give you an extraordinary life.
Friend, I’m praying
for God to give you the breakthrough you need today.
And when others
see the Lord’s power and goodness displayed in your life, many will draw near
to Jesus as their Savior and Lord too.
David
Cerullo is
the founder, chairman, and CEO of Inspiration Ministries, located in Indian
Land, South Carolina – a ministry dedicated to impacting people for Christ
worldwide through media. The son of international evangelist Morris Cerullo,
David took a less traditional approach to ministry, graduating from Oral
Roberts University with a degree in business administration and management. He
has authored over 20 books, and operates a global media ministry that
powerfully impacts the world for Christ. More from
David on Inspiration.org.
