Scripture
Acts 13 – 14
Observation
The Holy Spirit selected Paul and Barnabas for a task and the church in Antioch sent them out after fasting and prayer. Good thing that they had the Holy Spirit power and authority backing them up because Satan has been desperate and be is pulling out all the stops.
The Satanic interference begins right away. Satan had lost the battle when Jesus left the tomb but he was still going to fight against the gospel message being spread, his only hope was that Christ death wouldn’t benefit too many people, he had to stop the good news from spreading very far.
The governor of Paphos, Cyprus was a seeker and he sent for Barnabus and Paul because he wanted to hear the word of God, despite interference from Satan through a sorcerer the man became a believer.
In modern day Turkey at Pisidion Antioch, Paul preached in church and told the gospel message and the crowds were coming from all over town. But then here comes the interference the jealousy and abuse and then our first missionaries get run out of town.
In Iconium they were sent packing again, because of threats of violence, but only after making some more converts.
In Lystra the Devil tries to attack the apostles pride. The crowd fell down to worship them as gods and wanted to offer sacrifices to them, what a disaster if the apostles had allowed this. When that didn’t cause Paul and Barnabas to stumble then the crowd later turned on them, provoked by the bad crowd from the Iconium and Paul was stoned and left outside the city, they all were thinking he was dead.
I have been on many a mission trip and I can say that I have never been stoned or run out of town but Satan was still at work to hold people in bondage. I have seen Satan use government, demon possession, customs and traditions, whatever he can think up he will try.
I wrote previously in my blog about the Holy Spirit in Acts 1. Check out all the things he does for us, what a blessing for Paul and Barnabas that they had the strength that the Holy Spirit provides when we are working against Satan and his kingdom. We must never attempt to do God’s work without the power of the Holy Spirit.
Application
I will rely on the Holy Spirit always.
Prayer
Lord I pray that we never go out on duty for you without our power source.
