The world has been mentioning a reset in the past four years. The church could agree that the reset was accurate; however, God also allowed His church to be reset. We were supposed to be the influencers of the lost. Instead, many were influenced by the world. The mighty church once turned the world upside down, preaching Jesus, yet we strayed far away. Instead of following the simplicity of doing what Jesus did, we relied on manmade formulas and methods, thus watching the church lose its power and influence. For those who will hear, God is calling us back to be the church, not just in namesake but in demonstration.

Who is praying on the wall?

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The Book of Acts is one of my favorite books in the Bible. Reading about the church’s birth and the power it exercised stirs my faith and makes me want to see that demonstration of faith again. It convicts me of not living up to Christ’s standard for His disciples and all who call upon His name. In my daily reading of Acts, a word keeps catching my attention: unusual. It simply means “different,” “uncommon,” or “out of the ordinary.” It is remarkably different, even extraordinary.  

The disciples were ordinary men with no training besides what Jesus taught them. Yet they astounded the religious leaders with their boldness, irrefutable wisdom, and unusual miracles. They captivated the people’s attention by performing signs, wonders, and miracles as they preached about the risen King Jesus. 

The leaders could see the man who had been healed. He was standing there with them. So, there was nothing they could say. They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over. “What can we do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed an unusual miracle. (Acts 4:14-16 NIRV also see Acts 19:11).

Miracles, signs, wonders, and even angelic activity were normal occurrences in the early church. The only ones with a problem were usually the religious leaders. To them, supernatural activity was unusual because they held to their religion and traditions, not the Lord Jesus (see 2 Timothy 3:5). The church’s success didn’t come from any programs but from their obedience to the Lord. 

Before His ascension, Jesus commissioned His disciples to do what He did (see Matthew 10:8  &  Mark 16:15-17). The orders were clear: preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. It was everything Jesus did for the three years he was with them. He was ascending, but there was much work to be done. The disciples now had the task of continuing. This is what we read all through the New Testament. 

The Secret That is No Secret

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day, the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved (Acts 2 42-47 NLT). 

The Lord was the one who added to the church. There were no church growth seminars. People like to follow formulas for success, but this group of disciples simply lived out what Jesus taught them. It’s no secret. You only need to do what Jesus did. Do this, and you can’t go wrong. The church was devoted to the teachings of the Apostles, which came from Jesus, fellowship, and prayer. If formulas are something you enjoy, then here is a blueprint. Devote yourself to studying the Word, fellowship with the Lord and other believers, and prioritize prayer personally and corporately. 

To be devoted to someone or something requires work and commitment. We can be committed to many things, but are we faithfully committed to reading the Bible, fellowship, or prayer? Oftentimes, these essential things fall by the wayside as we prioritize other things, such as work or recreational activities. We will make excuses on why we are too busy to pray or attend church, but those excuses fade when it comes to something we want to do. We are in a new year. Let’s commit to prioritizing His Presence, not squeezing Him into our schedule. 

Men Who Have Been with Jesus 

It wasn’t uncommon for disciples to emulate their Rabbis. In Acts 4, Peter and John healed a man who had been lame from birth. While many rejoiced, this upset the religious leaders. They saw them as “ordinary men.” Soon, they realized these men had been with Jesus. When they saw the boldness and unusual miracle, they couldn’t deny it. It reminded them of Jesus. I love that! The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we become like Him. People begin to see the difference, that is, Christ, in us. We are His representatives wherever we go. Paul would later utter a similar revelation to the Corinthian church. 

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

People may not go to God for themselves for various reasons. But when God places them in our paths, since we are His representatives or ambassadors, we bring Jesus to them. What a high compliment for us to live in such a way that people recognize we have spent time with the Lord. 

Returning to the Fear of the Lord

Then, the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied (Acts 9:31). 

The fear of the Lord is attributed to the multiplication of the church. Many blessings and favors come upon an individual who chooses reverence for the Lord. We see this in Acts 5 as the Apostles fulfill the great commission. Signs, wonders, and miracles are evident, arousing Jewish leaders’ jealousy. After being arrested, they were warned not to preach in Jesus’ name anymore. However, an angel frees them, and they return to work. (see Acts 5:12-26). When reprimanded, Peter and the apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” That is the fear of the Lord. 

The church lost the fear of the Lord. We feared people’s opinions and men more than the Lord. Many Christians fear God in an earthly and unhealthy manner, living in fear that God will whack us every time we mess up. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear. The verse continues, “If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” Fear of God’s punishment is not the fear of the Lord. 

Reformer Martin Luther described the difference between fearing God and the fear of the Lord as follows: Servile fear is a natural fear of impending doom. He used the analogy of a slave who fears being beaten by his master. His service is not out of free will or love but fear of punishment. Filial fear is likened to a child who loves and respects their father. They choose not to disobey, not from fear but from love and respect. When they do mess up, they find grace and restoration. This is a perfect analogy. Fearing God stems from fear of condemnation, but the fear of the Lord is about loving, honoring, and wanting to please our Father, not because we have to, but because we want to. The disciples understood this, and we can see the fruit of their lifestyle: we, the church, must walk in fear of the Lord again. 

You Are the Church

Everything the disciples did, you can do. You have the same Spirit that filled them during Pentecost, that raised Christ from the dead in you. When Jesus prayed for his disciples (see John 17:20-25), he also prayed for those who would come to Him, that’s us. When Jesus gave them the Great Commission to fulfill when He ascended, it also applied to us. We can pray for the sick, cast out demons, and preach the gospel because He said we could.  Jesus even said we would do greater things because we believe in Him (see John 14:12). When did we stop believing this? When did the supernatural church become the business-as-usual church? 

I pray often to see signs, wonders, miracles, and angelic encounters return to the church—not for emotionalism but because they point people to Jesus Christ. I would rather be called unusual and see a demoniac fully delivered or an immoral woman evangelizing her town after one encounter with the Lord. What about seeing someone who intensely persecuted the church become the most radical for Jesus? Lord, would you do it again?

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 KJV). 

The word peculiar means odd, strange, or unusual. We are peculiar. We have been set apart. We are in this world, but we are not of it. We have been called out from darkness to light. We don’t try to be strange on purpose—our devotion and how we honor God and live before others set us apart. People will think you’re strange when they see the change God has made in your life. When you no longer participate in the sinful things you used to (see 1 Peter 4:1-4). When sin is so normalized, holiness looks strange. That’s a good kind of odd; let people think what they will.

Are you tired of church as usual?  We must stop trying to be a cookie-cutter church and be the church that was bought with a high price: the precious blood of Jesus. If you are like me, pray that we would be an “unusual church” where seeing the church return to the Book of Acts and doing what Jesus did is normal again.

Father,

We come before you. We want to be the church you died for, the one you purchased at a very high price. Forgive us for trying to fit Your church into a pretty polished mold. Forgive us for putting the Holy Spirit aside while we relied on programs rather than His power. Forgive us for being selfish, apathetic, and powerless. We need you. Apart from You, we can do nothing.

Hit the reset button, and bring us back to our first love. Teach us to walk in the fear of the Lord. We will obey, not because we are terrified of You, but because we love you. We want to experience Your perfect love that casts out all fear. Keep us in Your perfect will and out of Your way. As we choose obedience, the results and answers will come because You, who promised, are faithful. 

Turn us from the church as usual. We want to see unusual and extraordinary miracles, unusual wisdom, uncommon favor, and kindness, and You are the true source. Lord, have Your way in the church; Amen, in Jesus’ name. 

What is your prayer for the church? Share in the comments.

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast. Photo Credit: Worship by Luis Quintero/Pexels.