Acts 11:24
“ For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.”
One of the known people in the Scriptures who is rarely examined is Barnabas. Everyone knows him as the man who traveled with Paul in his early ministry and who strongly disagreed with him about John Mark, but there is more to this man’s life than this. Barnabas was a great Christian. He was an unsung hero in the Scriptures who made in impact on the Gentile world without getting the credit for it.
The name Barnabas means, “The son of consolation.” Barnabas was a helper his entire life. He seemed to be that person who was willing to be the unsung hero at the side of someone else, but his impact was truly seen when “much people was added unto the Lord.” Paul’s ministry would have never gone as far as it did without a Barnabas. John Mark would have never recovered without a Barnabas being willing to fight for him. The verse above shows us that being a helping hand was more than just being a help. If you want to have the same impact on others that Barnabas had, then there are some characteristics and actions you need to copy.
The first thing that made Barnabas a great helper was that he was a good man. In other words, he was morally and actively right. Nobody would ever be able to point their finger at him and accuse him of doing wrong. You will never be the helper you need to be until you start living a moral life. Morality is a big key in helping others. You can’t help others when your life is full of sin. Sin doesn’t help; it destroys. Barnabas was a great help because he lived a moral life.
Second, Barnabas was full of the Holy Ghost. You will never help people without the power of the Holy Ghost upon your life. One of the missing elements in this generation is the power of God on the lives of Christians. Being full of the Holy Ghost is more than just being influenced by the Holy Ghost. It is being controlled by the Holy Ghost. Without His power, you will not be the help to others that you need to be.
Third, he was full of faith. What does it mean to be full of faith? It means that his life was the ministry. Everything else in life simply accompanied his life, but the ministry was the central focus of all that he did. He realized that the ministry was about people. He believed in people when others didn’t. When others didn’t believe in Saul, he did. When others gave up on John Mark, he believed there was still good in him. This is the type of Christian you must be if you are going to be a help to the LORD’s work. Be the type of person who always believes in people. You need to have the type of faith that never gives up on people and is willing to restore them. That is what made Barnabas who he was.
Fourth, he was a soul winner. It says about Barnabas’ influence, “…much people was added unto the Lord.” This means he aggressively went after the souls of men. You will never be a help to others without being a soul winner.
Are you a Barnabas? Are you willing to be the unsung hero who influences others for the LORD? Every church needs to be filled with people who are willing to be that second person who doesn’t look for the credit, but is a help to those who do receive the credit. This makes for a winning team and this is a staple in every influential church.