Text: Acts 8:5
Further Reading: Acts 8:1-7
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Acts 8:5 NKJV
MESSAGE
Do you know that God is not looking for capability but availability? Each time God finds a vessel humble and simple enough to believe His word, He begins to take that fellow up until He is great and formidable. With God, the qualification of that individual does not matter, what matters is that such is committed to God.
The story of Philip the Evangelist proves this point. Though he was not among the early Apostles, he was merely a church member. But Philip was so committed to Jesus that he was no ordinary member. He was filled with Holy Ghost, and he was passionate about the gospel (Acts 6:3).
When the time came to appoint honest men of good report, Philip was among the seven chosen to do kitchen ministry. He had proven himself to be a faithful steward of God’s resources and beyond that a highly anointed man of God.
God then began to raise Philip, who became a Deacon in the church. This seems not to be enough for this Brother. He had too much fire and passion in his heart for the gospel than to be kept in the kitchen. Philip can be said to be living, breathing, and walking great commission.
From then, God promoted him and gave him a city called Samaria. The Evangelistic drive of Philip was so successful that the whole city was filled with joy as many people were saved, many others healed, and Christ glorified (Acts 8:8).
To think that God was through with this man is a joke because he kept going higher. When God needed to send the gospel message to Africa, he found Philip’s best vessel to preach the gospel to the Ethiopian Eunuch. At the end of his mission assignment, we saw God transport him from one place to another (Acts 8:39-40).
There is no height God will not take a man who is wholly committed to Him. He will keep raising that person up and doing special things for and through that fellow. How committed are you to the gospel and the work of God? Do you handle God’s work casually or passionately? Don’t expect promotion from God if you are not faithful and dutiful in God’s service.
REFLECTION
On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
Acts 21:8 NKJV
Philip became so great in the end that he became host to great missionaries. His wealth of experience would have been a great additional tool to help the new missionaries thrive in their ministries. God kept Philip and sustained him, He can keep you also till the end if you will prove your faithfulness in the duty of the King of kings.
PRAYER
Father, please help me to be faithful in your ser
