Focus: Contagious Goodness

Text: Act.5:15-16

"Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the SHADOW OF PETER passing by might OVERSHADOW some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and THEY WERE HEALED EVERY ONE."

The church of Jesus Christ was supernaturally inaugurated on the day of Pentecost. On that day she was empowered and employed. The Apostles carried power everywhere. The Spirit of God in them could be felt by their presence in every location. So it was with Paul. The people saw God in Paul and Barnabas in a manner that made them conclude that "the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men" (Act.14:11). In another place, we read that "from his body were brought unto the sick HANDKERCHIEFS or APRONS, AND THE DISEASES DEPARTED FROM THEM, and the EVIL SPIRITS WENT OUT of THEM" (Act.19:12). This is what I mean by contagious goodness. People tapped into their power. People connected with their grace. People were impacted by their goodness. The people benefited from the reality of God in their lives.

Where has that power gone today? Could it be that empty pride and carnality are keeping us from reaching out for God's power in those who possess it? Could it be that over concentration on titles and accumulation of paper qualifications is keeping us from the consecration required to manifesting this power? We must check our pride; it's ruining us.

We are now making prophets and prophetesses out of the gift of prophecy. That a believer has the gift of prophecy doesn't mean he is a prophet. A believer needs more than gift to be a prophet. We need proper teaching and the attitude of humility to experience more of God's reality in our times.

We have also been taught that Bible-days miracles no longer happen today. We have replaced the miraculous with science. We now believe that science can handle everything. The answers we are looking for, health wise and otherwise, can now be found on the laps of science. Our faith is more on the sciences than it is in God. The Scripture says, "And he did not many mighty works there because of their UNBELIEF" (Mt.13:58). Mark says, "And he MARVELLED because of their UNBELIEF… Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and UPBRAIDED them with their UNBELIEF and HARDNESS of HEART, because they BELIEVED NOT them which had seen him after he was risen" (Mk.6:6; 16:14). Our doubts and unbelief are problems to us. God still works miracles. I see miracles in my life and ministry everywhere I go. God wants to turn miracle-seekers into miracle-workers. Someone has said, "I never wake up in the morning and wonder why I am here. I wake up and wonder why I am not making here better."

Peter's shadow worked miracles in people's lives. The people had seen these miracles time and time again, and believed that even Peter's shadow could do the same as Peter's words and hands. Peter's shadow became an extension of God's power. That's contagious goodness. That's unconscious influence. That's the supernatural effect of Peter's shadow. That's the powerful emission of divine light from a person to other persons. That's letting out the God in you for the benefit of others. Here is a statement from the Times Magazine of 1991: "A miracle is a wonder, a beam of supernatural power injected into history. It makes an opening in the wall that separates this world and another." Christian Caine puts it simply, "When you lose sight of the God of miracles, you stop experiencing the miracles of God."

We serve a God of contagious goodness. If we take our Christian faith more seriously, we will see God constantly passing through us to bless others. It's time for us to get committed to God for the miracles of intentional goodness, unconscious influence, and contagious blessings.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter