32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
Obedience and the presence of the Spirit working in us are two indicators that we are Jesus-followers. This is exactly what the religious leaders were so upset about. They wanted people to be obedient to them. They wanted followers. They wanted to possess the power. And now these nobody’s were rising in prominence without their blessing. In fact, things were getting completely out of their control. They can’t seem to stop this move of which they are not a part. But they don’t just want to be a part of the movement, they want to be in charge. Some in the church today don’t like it when God moves. It scares them. They want things to be ‘orderly’ and they want to set the order. When was the last time that you sensed the presence of the Spirit moving, really moving? If it has been a long time, perhaps either you have become numb to His presence or numb to His movement. God is not going to move on our timetable. I write this just in case you hadn’t noticed that in your last ‘crisis’. I am convinced that God wants to move today, just as He did then. He is just looking for people who will get out of His way and let Him work through them. When we are true to the Word in how we live day by day, God will work through us. We will let God be the focal point. We will let Him get the credit. We will fade into the background. If we our obedience flows out of a humble heart, God will show up.
The Arnold Journey 