SEASON OF HIS NEWNESS WITH STRENGTH TO DRINK FROM HIS CUP.
A few hours before 2023 wrapped up, I was sent these scriptures to dissect; Mark 10:35-40 & Acts 5:12-16.
From the scriptures aforementioned, aside from the light I got about service unto God and others — is the expected lifestyle of Christ’s true disciple and the ultimate in accessing God’s manifold blessings, and highest honor, I realized that to whatever I feel and picture should be Christ’s reward to me for following Him, I cannot escape drinking from His cup—the portion of His suffering.
In Acts 5, the Holy Spirit became the Apostle’s advantage in doing the miraculous—signs and wonders.
From further research, I understood that signs refer to supernatural occurrences that point to a warning, instruction, or encouragement from God. Signs give credibility to the fact that what was being said was from God, while wonders point to the response to a sign. By extension, wonders are expected to evoke awe in those who see or hear the signs. Signs and Wonders were given by God to confirm His word.
Apostle Peter, whose name changed from the regular ‘disciple' in Mark, operated in the apostolic gifts when the Spirit of God rested upon him in Acts. This proves that in drinking the cup of suffering—my portion as a believer, there is a greater advantage (Holy Spirit) to birth signs and wonders while choosing every day to be an ardent follower of my lover. Drinking the cup of suffering is inevitable for Christ’s disciples. And, this portion is distinct to all. I saw that distinction in the lives of the Apostles—James died as a martyr, and John was exiled. John’s cup of suffering caused me to shiver. Although they would have opted not to drink from the cup, they decided to. Audaciously, they told Jesus that they were aware of the course they’d given themselves to.
Another striking thing that jumped at me was when Apostle Peter’s shadow healed the sick and those vexed with unclean spirits. This means for that to have been fully effected, the people had to be conscious enough to lay the people where the sun would birth a shadow.
Dear friend, this year do not just steep your life for the miraculous, but also, position yourself right where you are certain God’s power will hit and make you completely whole to not just stand in awe but to speak awed by Him.
It is a strategic and unusual year, Friend. While we make our plans to become better, let us not do ourselves the disservice of forgetting the real reason we said YES to Him at the beginning.
To live for Him. To serve Him. To serve others. Service was Christ's heavenly mandate fulfilled to bring us to the Father.
Happy Aligned New Year,
Your Friend, Goodie.
