A Great Number

“With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.”

Psalm 108:13

“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.”

Acts 9:31

“The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

Acts 11:21

Reaching people for Christ will not happen without Jesus.  The Presence of His Spirit must be for there to be a strengthening of His church and a growing in numbers.  Without God there will not be victory.  Without Him at work in and through His church, great numbers of people will not turn to the Lord.

Is it all about numbers?  No… and yes!  God is not impressed with numbers.  What number would ‘WOW’ God?  He’s the One who created the billions and billions of stars.  He’s the One who created the billions and billions of people.  He knows the stars and the people by name.  Those who follow Jesus should also not be impressed by numbers.  And yet each number is a lost person found!  And just as Luke 15 tells us, all of Heaven rejoices when a single sinner repents and turns back to the Lord.  We will rejoice in what Heaven rejoices in!  If we rejoice in one, of course we will rejoice in a thousand, but not because of the number but because of the Gospel that has the power to save people.  Lots of people!

Whether one or a thousand, no one will be saved without the Presence and power of God.  This is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth!  It will not advance apart from the King of Heaven present and at work in the hearts of people.

So what do we do then?  We pray!  We pray and make sure that we are available to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  He will grow us and His church simultaneously, but we need Him.  He will do it.  He’ll have the victory in and through us, all for His glory.

And so we pray like the early disciples (Acts 4:24-31):

“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together

against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.