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Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. Acts 4:13
Peter and John, uneducated fishermen from Galilee, confounded the PhDs and Nobel Prize winners of their day. Realizing this, those considered learned in their culture were amazed and remembered that Peter and John had been with Jesus.
The best education – having been with Jesus.
The Scribes (the equivalent of coders today), the Sadducees (think Washington D.C., Moscow, and Beijing politicians), and the Pharisees (Ivy League professors) were all thinking, “Wow, we spent decades getting educated, reaching our conclusions, gaining the respect of our peers, and developing careers. Then these fishermen come in – and we can’t answer them.”
They had been with Jesus.
Maturity, spirituality, understanding, and wisdom can be exponentially received in the presence of Jesus. Some would call it inspiration, but it is more than that – it is impartation.
Impartation deals with grace and the giving of spiritual gifts. It also opens doors for ministry and increases with impact.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
The gifts, the ministries, and the effects!
It can take years, thousands spent on education, branding, and social media. Or Jesus can do it all in an instant. The apostles had been with Jesus for three years, and then on the Day of Pentecost, their ministry exploded into the world.
I think the Spirit will speed up learning, maturity, and impact in the last days.
That would be now. We will see infants in Christ giving the advice of the aged, witness talented preachers with no education, and common “fishermen” healing the sick.
Peter forecasted this when He said, “In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour forth my Spirit on all…'” (Acts 2:17).
Jesus says…
You will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:18-20
There is a compression of the learning curve when God pours out his Spirit. It happened on the Day of Pentecost (early rain) and it will happen in the very last days (the latter rain).
Yes, graduate from college, grow in business acumen, and be discipled. But don’t be surprised if you get an impartation, confound experts, and pray for the sick to be healed.
I experienced this exponential learning during the Jesus Movement – one day I was taking drugs and two weeks later I was pastoring dozens of Jesus Freaks.
God will do it again. Soon. The church will be amazing.
It’s impartation.