Examples of Faith in the Fire - Stephen

In chapter two of John MacArthur's book, "The Power of Suffering," we meet five role models who set examples for us on how to deal with suffering - Stephen, the first martyr, Daniel, and his three friends.

We are told that Stephen was "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5) and that he was also "full of grace and power." (Acts 6:8)  Every believer is given the gift of faith and sealed with the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, but not every believer is always filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.  I am 100% convinced that this filling with faith and the Holy Spirit is directly related to the time we spend in the Word and also when we walk in obedience to it.  One who lets the Word dwell in them richly and walks in submission to God's will is one who is controlled and filled by the Holy Spirit.  They will then exhibit the fruit of the Spirit consistently in their lives.  Compare these two verses...one speaks to being filled with the Spirit and the other letting the Word dwell in you richly.  Then look at what results...

Ephesians 5:18 - "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord."

Colossians 3:16 - "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

We find Stephen's story of faith in Acts 6 and  7.  As the church began to grow, a complaint surfaced from the Hellenistic Jewish believers.  (Complaining in the church...hmm...it is not new thing...)  They said their widows were being overlooked as far as being cared for with food, compared to the native Jewish widows.  The complaint came to the attention of the apostles whose time was spent being devoted to prayer for the body and the ministry of the word.  The apostles determined that this is where their priority needed to remain.  They instructed the disciples to choose out men from the congregation who had good reputations, who were full of the Spirit and of wisdom, to deal with these kinds of issues that would come up.  Stephen was the first chosen among seven men because the congregation recognized that he was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.  He was a man who set his mind in the Word and on things above; he submitted his will to the Father's; he was filled with the Holy Spirit; and his life was characterized by the grace of lovingkindness to others.

He quickly moved from being a deacon to being an evangelist.

Being the man of character that he was, he was also a prime target of attack by Satan.  A fierce one came to him from some men from what was called the "Synagogue of the Freedmen."  They were witnesses to the power and effectiveness of Stephen's ministry and they were alarmed by it.  It was threatening to them and their system of belief.  They argued with Stephen but found they were no match for his God-given wisdom.  Being unable to defeat Stephen in a debate they changed their tactics. They recruited false witnesses who accused him of  speaking blasphemy against Moses and God, twisting what Stephen said.  A mob came and dragged him away.  A trial before the Sanhedrin ensued.   The false witnesses repeated the charges against Stephen, putting a slant on his words.  At the beginning of the trial we are told that those who were sitting in the Council saw Stephen's face shine like an angel.  God Himself answered their charges by putting His very own glory on Stephen.

All throughout the ordeal Stephen was courageous.  He brilliantly dealt with their false accusations and at the end boldly rebuked the Sanhedrin, calling them "men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and having ears that are always resisting the Holy Spirit."

Stephen was great in God's sight.  Why?  Because his heart was completely sold out to do the will of the Father, at all costs, never fearing what might happen to him.  He walked in the Word and in grace, being continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.

The normal response which many believers exhibit in similar circumstances would include anxiety, stress, and perhaps even anger.  Stephen only exhibited tranquility and grace.  The response of the Council was to take him out and stone him.  They were cut to the quick by his words.  They wanted to hear no more from him.  Their hearts were like the stones which they used to kill him.  Stephen, still filled with the Holy  Spirit,  gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus.  As they smashed rocks into his body the last words of Stephen were still filled with grace, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."  He was basically praying for their salvation as he lay battered and dying, and as one young man named Saul looked on, approvingly. 

Stephen never had to make any adjustments, even as he took his final breath.  He apparently lived a consistently Spirit-filled life ever since he became a believer.  Was Stephen perfect?  Of course not.  But what an example for us!  To be faithfully in the Word, lining up our will with God's will, walking in obedience.  If we are in the habit now, when suffering and the hard things in life come at us, we will not have to make any big adjustments.  Stephen definitely adhered to one of my favorite passages of scripture: 

Psalm 16:8-11 - "I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely.  For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to see the pit.  Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."

The Lord answered Stephen's prayer at least in regard to Saul.  Can you even imagine what the meeting between Paul and Stephen was like when Paul's life ended here on earth?!