“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but such as I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.”
Acts 3:1-8
Did you know that as Holy Spirit filled believers in Christ we possess something or someone called “Such as I have?” Shocked? Why!? Jesus said these words to His disciples and to us:
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I Am going to the Father.”
John 14:12 NIV
Are you a “whoever believes” in Jesus? Then you possess the such as I have authority. It is the desire of Jesus that we do good works, why? So that the Father will be glorified in Him. When we by faith, do the things He did it it says to the Father, the children you have given me are one with Us. But do we have faith to believe that we are capable of doing greater works? Can others look at us, see Jesus, and be made whole?
Peter was like us, all the disciples were like us. They chose to believe and act upon their faith in the Name of Jesus. I wrote earlier that when I pray for someone, whether near or far, I expect the supernatural to take place. If we have faith to be healed, and believe the Word of God, then nothing shall be impossible to us. Whether I see results or not, I believe! Why? Because the miracle Worker isn’t me, it’s Jesus doing the work through me. When Jesus cursed the fig tree there was no immediate visible evidence, but the tree was already dead. I believe therefore I speak. Mark:11 & 2 Corinthians 4:13
Have you ever felt the need to pray for or with someone? What was your response? Did you brush off the unction or did you pray? Peter and John were going about their normal routine when they saw this man in the spot where he was placed every day to beg for money. But that day something shifted in Peter. He had an unction. A desire from the indwelling Holy Spirit to bring deliverance to this man. Peter wasn’t broke, the statement “silver and gold I do not possess” doesn’t imply lack on their part, but giving him money today, would mean giving him money tomorrow. He needed something money couldn’t buy. He need a such as I have blessing. The result was he never begged again.
Sometimes people don’t even realize they have faith to receive. But when we’re led by the Spirit, He will draw us to where faith is. Sometimes you’ll feel an urgency to call a person you haven’t spoken to in a while, or someone’s face just keeps coming before you, or you feel impressed to write a check and give to an individual, or buy groceries, or take their kids shopping, these are unctions or “such as I have” moments. These acts were the farthest things from your mind. What you do in those times will open the door for the Lord to trust you with other assignments. Paul had a “such as I have” moment in Lystra.
“In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”
Acts 14:8-10 NIV
The Word of God is supposed to be followed by miracles, signs and wonders, or such as I have moments. Mark 16:17. Because the teaching of the Word is supposed to build faith in the hearers to meet whatever need they have. I watched one Sunday morning in a church I was attending, as a man who could only walk with a cane got up and walked unassisted to the front after the preacher taught on the man with the withered hand. Matthew 12, Mark 3 Luke 6. The preacher missed the miracle, the wife missed it and ran to give him the cane🤦♀️ and I’m telling them he just received his healing. They’re all shocked. Preached it, but didn’t expect it, so they missed the opportunity to glorify God.
Jesus didn’t teach that only preachers and certain apostles would be able to perform miracles, He said these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE. Do you believe? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Then you have the “such as I have” anointing. The question is, what are you doing with it? If I have faith to pray for you but you don’t have not even small faith to believe and receive, then, like Jesus in His hometown, I move to the next recipient. Jesus is always present to heal. Luke 5:17
Miracles didn’t stop with the apostles. It started with them and continues with us. Be led by the Spirit. He will always nudge you. Walk expectantly in the Spirit. He will guide you to your next “such as I have” moment. Stay in the Word, it will build your faith to do greater works.
Paul was being long winded one night in his preaching and a kid fell asleep and fell from a three story window and died. Paul was not going to let this little distraction interfere with his preaching. He went to the boy, let’s just read it:
“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.”
Acts 20:7-12 NIV 😂that’s what I call a “such as I have” moment.
The apostles were always ready to give what the have. Jesus was present everywhere they went. He possessed them they possessed Him. They were one. Don’t you long for and desire to do the greater works? Every time I pass someone in a wheelchair I want to get them up. But I wait for the unction. My neighbor at my old apartment had a stroke and could no longer walk or use his right hand. I went to visit him and was not only moved with compassion, but my “such as I have” rose up in me. He was a Hindu. I prayed with him and spoke the Word to him. Another Hindu in the room with him didn’t like that I was praying in the Name of Jesus and I discovered when I went back to visit that this man had my neighbor moved to the floor where you basically went to die. (He had money and influence). When I saw my neighbor again he looked like he had aged ten years. The floor he was on had Hindu altars and gods everywhere. And all the people were helpless cripples. Very depressing sight.
I said to him, “if you stay in this place you’re going to die, the spirit of death is everywhere.” I told him I would come back everyday if possible and that if he had faith to believe that Jesus would heal him he’d walk again. The next day I wheeled him out to the courtyard and had him pray with me. Then I said we’re going to take a few steps. I helped him to stand, he said “my leg is heavy,” I said, “it will get lighter Jesus is going to heal you.” I did that for a couple of days as he dragged the leg. The third day I told him to leave the wheelchair and take my arm. The nurses and aides were freaking out. I said “don’t worry he’ll be fine.” I’d keep praying with him and playing scriptures on my phone.
By the following week we graduated to doing step ups and unassisted walks. Praising Jesus all the way. The staff were amazed. He was alive!
Such as I have. I told him “tell them you’re ready to go home!” But before he left I had him walk to the room where the old man was who had him moved so he could see him walking and to let him know he was going home. We left him there, glory to the living God! He was approached by other residents families wanting to know “who his physical therapist was”! They had seen the miracle and wanted to hire me.😂 But as Jesus said in Luke 4, there were many widows but Elijah was sent to one. There were many paralyzed people, but I was sent to one. I warned him like Jesus did the man he healed by the pool: Don’t pray to idols but testify of Jesus’ goodness to him. Two weeks with Jesus, he walked out of rehab and up two flights of stairs to his apartment above me. Glory to God! He’s doing everything he did prior to the stroke. He even traveled to India in that same year 2018. His wife tells me he’s doing great. Follow the leading of the Spirit, give what you have.
We are “such as I have” believers. Whatever He’s telling you to do, He’s already equipped you with the power and anointing to do it. Don’t miss your moment. Christ in you is waiting to be Christ through you. There’s someone’s miracle in you. Be led by the Spirit, don’t brush Him off when you feel His nudges. Greater works are in your mouths and hands. Who will you raise up today? Who will you encourage today? Who will have a need met today because you obeyed the unction? Opportunity is all around you. Seize the moment. It’s not always money or things they’re needing, sometimes it’s just an encouraging word. Whatever the “such as I have give I thee” is, you possess it. I borrow a phrase from First Lady Melania Trump: “Be Best” -
or in our case- be Jesus’ best, so the Father will be glorified in the Son.
Heavenly Father,
We are filled with the potential of heaven. We have received the promised Holy Spirit now help us cooperate with Him and not be afraid to do the greater works Jesus promised we’d do. Help us walk boldly, freely giving away to those in need the miracles they’re waiting for. Our ears are opened, our spirit is one with You, give us such as I have moments to glorify Your Name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Mark 16:17-18 NIV
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant