Unstoppable Move of God

Text: Acts 5:17-42
Theme: What God starts man cannot stop.
Key verses: “Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ‘We gave you strick orders not to teach in this name.’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!'” (v. 27-29) “‘We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (v. 32). “But a Pharisee named Gamaliel…addressed them: ‘Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men'” (v. 34-35). “‘Therefore, in this present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (v. 38-39). “The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing…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 Christ” (v. 41-42).
What God said to me:Dwayne, I am huge. There is no one bigger than me. In fact, there’s no one who even begins to compare to me. That’s a fact you can embrace or try to ignore. But either way, it’s my way–there is no highway. I am sovereign God. Sure, people can choose to accept me or reject me. I gave them that choice. What good would it do to force people to obey me? I don’t need their obedience to help me accomplish my mission and plans. I want them to obey me because they love me. The Sanhedrin chose not to follow me. But they could not stop what I was doing in the very heart of their little kingdom’s rule. I was turning Jerusalem downside up through my apostles. Those men of mine knew better than to listen to some wimpy human would-be religious “leaders.” I was their leader. They only took orders from me. Nothing–not jailing, not flogging, not shaming or threatenings could keep my people from proclaiming my Son’s name to the world. And nothing’s changed in these 2000 years. I’m still on the throne, and my plan of redemption is still unstoppable.
What I said to God: El Elyon and Jehovah God, you are Adonai. You are the great I Am. You are the Holy One and the great and mighty Father and Redeemer. I praise you and thank you for being the true God and yet you took time to speak to me and meet one on one with me today. I cannot and would not want to stop your move on earth. But I know I have the choice to stop following your voice and your plan for me. Oh please, help me never stop obeying you, loving you and teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus, your Son, is indeed the Christ.