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"Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house."
(Acts 11:12)
I love the story in Acts 11 where the Spirit of God told Peter to go with the guests from Caesarea. God was leading Peter the Jew to the home of Cornelius the Gentile. The purpose was for Peter to share the plan of salvation. I love the little phrase "doubting nothing." I believe Peter was tempted to doubt and ask lots of questions, so the Holy Spirit told Peter to go and doubt nothing.
We are blessed in the city of Austin to have so many wonderful pastors and churches. I am blessed to know many of these godly men who faithfully serve Jesus and their local churches. One of those good and godly men is Pastor Joe Champion at Celebration Church. Joe wrapped up the America Prays conference on April 15 with a challenging message from Acts 12:5: "Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church."
Joe's message was entitled "Prayer with a Punch" (Acts 12:1-7), and his five points were:
- Focused: "for Peter"
- Work: "being made"
- Corporate: "by the church"
- Passionate: "fervently"
- Theological: "to God"
Pastor Joe also shared the miraculous story of how he and his wife stepped out in faith and moved to Austin 20 years ago to plant Celebration Church. They moved from Louisiana and came to Austin having never been in the city and not knowing anyone. They really stepped out in faith! But that is not all. They believed that God would give them 100 acres right off I-35. When Joe shared this dream with some local pastors in Austin, they basically dismissed him and felt that he was going to be sorely disappointed. Land right off I-35 was almost impossible to get. Almost. God had a big plan, and Joe kept believing that God had spoken to him, and so he went forward, doubting nothing.
After about 18 months of serving in Austin, a couple in their church approached Joe about a piece of property in Georgetown right off I-35. They told their pastor they both had a vision of seeing a church located on top of the hill on the property. Joe asked them to find out who owned the land. The couple drove on the property and found a small house. They knocked on the door, and a man opened the door and asked them how he could help them. The couple from Celebration Church said that their pastor had a dream of the church owning 100 acres off I-35 and asked if he knew who owned all this land around his home. The man then asked them an interesting question, "Who told you?" The couple had no idea what he was talking about. He went on to invite them into his home and shared with them that this property, well over 100 acres, was his and his siblings. Their dad gave it to them. Their dad had prayed for 40 years that God would allow a church to be placed on his property! The result was truly a miracle of God. The family sold 110 acres to Celebration Church for $22,000 an acre. They have a beautiful campus on top of a hill right off of I-35. The land around the church today goes for about $1 million an acre!
After Joe preached his sermon, we had a praise and prayer time that was wonderful. Our staff from Great Hills loved it. We came away from the conference both blessed and challenged.
Think about these words again: "doubting nothing." Not doubting a little or even a few things, but the Holy Spirit told Peter to not doubt at all. Has God placed a dream or a vision in your heart? Do you still believe He can do the impossible? I will pray for you and ask that you pray for me that we trust God in all things. In good times and bad, not wavering or tossed around like the waves in the sea, as James describes in James 1:6. But let us trust God completely. Believe him for miracles in your life.
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