Opportunity and Faith

Acts 3:1–12 NLT

1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John. 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?

I want to talk to you about the intersection between opportunity and faith and how to see more miracles and blessings in your life.

You have to seize the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity. — Leonard Ravenhill

How frustrating is it when you miss an opportunity? How often do you hear that you missed some good thing or some blessing because you didn’t know about it or you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?

There are opportunities that lead to blessings and miracles; chances for us to experience both God’s glory and our good.

Couldn’t you use a breakthrough? Wouldn’t more miracles and blessing be welcome?

We aren’t the only ones who need a miracle or could use a blessing. There are multitudes who are in desperate need of breakthrough.

Here’s the good news: when we can learn to recognize and respond to the opportunities around us with faith then we will see God move in and through our lives in new and powerful ways.

Opportunities Abound

Our tendency is to wait and watch for some big, obvious, clear sign that this is our moment or our opportunity.

Otherwise, we either are too distracted, busy, or aren’t even looking for them.

If we want to see more of God’s presence and power, His favor and blessing, in our lives then we need to learn how to recognize opportunities with faith and enter into them.

Illustration: Comedian and the missing item in the pantry.

John 4:35 NKJV

35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

In this statement, Jesus was telling the disciples that there was an opportunity right in front of them. They weren’t looking for it today. They were thinking it was in the future.

As Christ-followers we have been given access by the same Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). The Holy Spirit leads us into God’s will and guide us into every opportunity that He has prepared for us (Romans 8:14, cf. 2 Corinthians 5:5).

Seizing Opportunities With Faith

In our story from Acts 3, we can learn some simple principles about how to recognize and seize the opportunities that God presents us when we walk in faith.

Expect Opportunities

Acts 3:1–5 NKJV

1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

One of the key themes at the beginning this story revolves around our focus, attention, and expectation.

Peter didn’t look away from the beggar. He looked at him.

One of the things that you have to understand about opportunities is that they often come disguised as needs. They don’t often come with a big sign saying, here’s your chance. They don’t always come wrapped up and beautiful like a Christmas present.

Sometimes they come lame and seemingly broken. Sometimes, they look like something you would walk past, ignore, or recognize from everyday life.

Illustration: Helping Bob Tucker with homework led to a new career path. It was a divine connection that came disguised as helping a brother in the Lord.

One of the ways that we ensure that we cultivate expectation is to continue regularly in the presence of God and spiritual practices. Peter and John were going to the church to pray. They prayed daily. They fellowshipped with God and others daily. This kept them attuned to the Spirit for moments like this.

A worthy side note is that the man was positioned to receive his miracle when he gave them his attention and expected to receive something.

When you give the things of God proper attention and expect to receive what God has promised you shall see God do great things! Just as Peter and John had to be aware of the opportunity to bring blessing into the man’s life, he had to be aware and expectant so that he could receive it.

Engage With Faith

Acts 3:5–9 NKJV

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

Peter didn’t have the money the man was hoping for. Instead, he had the name of Jesus. (In the previous chapter, believers shared and distributed among each other according to need — see Acts 2:42-47).

He spoke to the man and offered him his hand. It’s possible that he did this because he had seen Jesus do the same thing before, with his mother-in-law (Mark 1:31).

Peter engaged the man with faith in Jesus’ name and an outstretched arm.

The man seized the opportunity and received his miracle when he believed and reached out in obedience to the word of the Apostle.

Then, notice the progression:

strength (ability) came

he got up (leaped)

he stood up

he walked

he praised God

To engage opportunities with faith means that we trust God and take the next step. We act in obedience to the word of the Lord and do the first thing He tells us to do.

Illustration: As a fairly new Christian, God would often show me serving Him by ministering to others. I interpreted that as a call to full time ministry. I served in the local church. I applied for Bible School but ended in Community college. I got a job on base that wanted to promote to FL. I joined the staff of the church. I went to college for ministry degree. Now, I’m pastoring here. Each of these things happened one step at a time in the direction of the word of the Lord.

Remember that the disciples were looking for something that was supposed to come months from now…He said that there was an opportunity to harvest now.

When you have an opportunity, engage it with faith. Trust God and follow His direction each step of the way. As you do, you will see that miracles and blessings will follow you.

Exclaim and Explain to the Glory of God

Acts 3:8 NKJV

So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

The man’s response to what God had done was to exclaim His praise. He shouted and sang and declared that God was good and had healed him.

When we call attention to what God has done we see it more clearly. When we praise Him for His goodness and thank Him for how He has moved our faith arises our vision becomes clear and our expectation for God to move in the future increases.

Illustration: Exercise in giving thanks. The more you list and remember the more you realize what God has done and is doing. This leads to faith for Him to do more.

Acts 3:11–13 NLT

11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John. 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him.

Peter also recognized that this man’s good was an opportunity to explain to others what God had done. The miracle became a message that led to the salvation of many (Acts 4:4 implies that possibly 2,000 were added to the kingdom because of this event. See also Acts 2:41). One man became many…that’s multiplication!

Illustration: God healing my biceps led to me testifying to a coworker who had strep throat and their healing as well.

When you receive and opportunity and take a step of faith be sure to give God the glory for the good He is doing in and through your life. It will lead to multiplication of miracles.

Conclusion

If you begin to expect opportunities you will begin to recognize them (even if they are disguised as needs).

When you engage those opportunities with faith and take steps of obedience toward what God is leading you will see miracles and blessings released.

And the more you exclaim what God has done and explain to others how He has moved the more your faith will arise for more.

And because you choose to do these things many people will be able to trace their blessing back to you. Miracles and blessings will follow you and flow through you regularly.

Get ready because a new season of opportunity and blessing is upon you now.

Pray…prophetic vein about now being the season of harvest.