Reclaiming the Acts Lifestyle: Part One

We are studying the Book of Acts for the next several months at GateCity. So far the study has been instructive, convicting, and compelling. Many in our spiritual family are feeling stirred that the Lord is up to something and refreshing us. One of the key takeaways for us right now is that we are refusing to settle for a watered-down version of Christianity. We want to reclaim the original intentions Jesus had for the Church as we see in the Book of Acts. We want to be all that He’s dreamed of and reignite a bold, Spirit-empowered faith that turns the world upside down. With that in mind I want to highlight some of the key traits of the first Church and call you into them. 

The Book of Acts is our Blueprint Today

One recognition we must settle is that the Book of Acts is not just a historical account; it’s a blueprint for what is possible when ordinary people are filled with the Holy Spirit and fully surrendered to Jesus. 

In Acts 1, Jesus commissions His followers to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But before they went, He told them to wait. “Wait until you are clothed with power from on high.”

They had just spent forty days with Jesus appearing in their midst and teaching them of the things of the Kingdom. If you ever thought you’d be ready to go on a mission for the kingdom it would be after having resurrected Jesus appear to you multiple times and instruct you in the nature of His reign. Instead He told them to wait until they were clothed with power. That’s how critical being filled with the Spirit is for us today. We cannot accomplish God’s purposes apart from His power. Though they walked with Jesus in His resurrected state, they still needed something more. And when the Spirit finally came at Pentecost, everything changed. Ordinary men and women, empowered by the Spirit, became bold witnesses of the Kingdom.. They prayed, preached, and performed miracles, and the world noticed.

I long to live this way. I pray you do too! The following are some key components of God’s design for His Church. 

They were Empowered by the Spirit 

Acts 2 gives us a picture of the new Christian community, freshly empowered by the Spirit. They were a people who were marked by miracles. They didn’t just talk about the power of God; they demonstrated it. Many signs and wonders were done through the hands of the apostles and Acts 5 records that even Peter’s shadow healed the sick. I want to stir your heart to believe again that this kind of manifestation of the Spirit wasn’t just for them, it’s still available for us now. Things didn’t change after the Book of Acts was written. It’s the play book for the church in every generation. Let your faith rise to believe it’s for you, now. 

They Were Devoted to Prayer, Worship and the Word

The early church was deeply devoted - devoted to prayer, devoted to worship, devoted to the Word. It wasn’t just a Sunday ritual; it was their lifestyle. They prayed with fervor. They worshiped with passion. They clung to the teachings of the apostles like their lives depended on it. Scholars record that the early church practiced daily prayer meetings for the first 200 years of Christianity. 

How often do we live beneath this standard? How often do we let distractions or complacency take the place of devotion? The Book of Acts reminds us that God moves through a people who are fully given to Him.

They Were Bold in the Face of Opposition

Early believers didn’t shrink back when persecution came. Instead they rejoiced, counting it an honor to suffer for the name of Jesus.

Let’s ask ourselves: Are we bold in our witness? Do we share the Gospel with courage, or do we hold back because of fear?

The boldness we see in Acts was supernatural. It came from the Holy Spirit. That same boldness is available to us today.

They Saw Cities Transformed

By Acts 17, the believers had a reputation for having turned “the world upside down.” The Gospel didn’t just change individuals; it transformed entire cities. In Acts 19, the power of God hit Ephesus so strongly that the local economy was upended. Idol makers rioted because people stopped buying their idols. The power bases of society were shifted because the Gospel was so forcefully advancing.

Let’s be honest: we live in a nation full of Christian media, books, and sermons, but where are the transformed cities? Where is the evidence of entire communities being turned upside down by the power of God? Oh how I long for this in our day and time!

Let’s Refuse to Settle

I am absolutely grateful for all that God has done through the church in our nation. But I want to shout it from the heights that THERE IS MORE!. There’s so much more available. Let’s not settle for a watered-down version of Christianity, where we preach doctrines to support our barrenness. I want to call you to a fresh infilling and  empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I am calling all of us to be devoted to prayer, bold in our faith and rejoicing when we suffer persecution for the name of Jesus.  Let’s expect signs, wonders, and miracles to follow our lives.

This is the beginning. Let’s lean in and reclaim the vibrant, Spirit-filled life Jesus intended for His followers. This is what we were made for. Let’s live  lives that look like the Book of Acts.