Victorious
Mission
2013-11-10
Acts
13:4-12
4 So, being sent out by
the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to
Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of
God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When
they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a
certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was
with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned
Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas
the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to
turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also
called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and
said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit
and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And
now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable
to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he
went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the
proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the
teaching of the Lord.
Team: Barnabus, Saul (Paul) & "assistant"
John Mark on 1st
Missionary journey in New Testament.
· Went to Cyprus...like the Hawaii of 1st
century…yeah!
o
But it was place of great spiritual darkness….supposedly sacred to Aphrodite.
The religious people were Paul’s 1st
& primary evangelistic prospects.
· So he went to synagogues to share gospel & then
was summoned by Sergius Paulus, the most important man on Cyprus. Act 13:5-8
Sergius
Paulus’ attendant was Bar-Jesus: who was a Jewish sorcerer, false prophet.
o
He gave
himself the name of Elymas, which means “sage” or “wise one.”
· If
Sergius believed, there would be no need for a sorcerer & would mean the end
of Elymas fame,
power, money, and security.
· He willfully opposed & deliberately tried to
keep the enquiring soul from true faith.
o
Be careful
not oppose or mock the Gospel without having knowledge about it.
Paul's response would be considered unloving in the
20th century. Act 13:9-11,
2 Tim 1:7
· From Vs 9 on Saul called Paul: not Barnabus &
Saul, but Paul & Barnabus
· The miracle
distinguished the false prophet from true prophet.
o
The miracle also impressed Sergius Paulus but the Gospel
amazed him. Act 13:12
§
It is the opposite today, people are more enamored
by miracles than the Gospel.
· Sergius
Paulus was the highest ranking converted official recorded in New Testament.
Life principle: I have opposition if I live for Jesus
& share the Gospel. i.e. NT
· We cannot
become Christians and then enter a spiritual Disneyland…no worries.
· Christians
are now a part of a universal conflict that entire bible speaks of & will continue throughout history
o
It is displayed
in worldwide persecuted church.
· It is reasonable to think that Satan will leave us alone
if we are doing nothing of consequence against his kingdom.
Satan/demons are real, literal, spiritual beings. 1 Peter 5:8-10, Eph 6:12-17
· Unbelief may
cause us to fight a wrong battle. Believe spouse, employer=enemy.
o
Most evil/sin is because of our own sinful hearts
& from living in fallen world…not the devil.
· Then
there is the other extreme: not being cognizant of the spiritual battle raging around you.
· We must always seek Biblical truth & balance that
when “resisting”…it is spiritual warfare.
Demons are
more powerful than us but not God.1 Jn
4:2b-4 & 5:4, Jn 16:33, Rev 12:11
· They are not omni-anything…They don’t know the future
& can’t read our minds or know our thoughts.
· God is sovereign over all, including Satan. Satan
can only go as far as God allows.
o
Satan is a
pawn in God’s great, glorious plan.
o
God has a
sovereign design in Satan’s attacks: to spread Gospel & prove/test
faith…..purify Christian.
§
God uses
Satan to glorify His great name…i.e. Bar-Jesus
Truth:
life often gets tougher not easier after becoming Christian.
· We enter
into spiritual conflict internally (flesh/spirit) & externally.
o
There is no need to fear….Be bold, God is greater than
all against you!
· We can resist
by the grace God provides, and expect that enemy will flee because the Word
says so; believe you’ll grow in holiness & faith…..God’s kingdom will
advance.
In this
battle we collect the spoils that have already been won by Jesus' death &
resurrection.
· We fight from
victory...not to victory.
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