Listening to God’s Leading

Acts 13:1-12

1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Preaching in Cyprus

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

6 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time."

And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

As God’s servants served the Lord and fasted, they heard the prompting of the Lord by His Spirit to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the ministry prepared for them.  They laid their hands on them in prayer to dedicate them to that work and then sent them on the way to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever He would lead them.  The disciples listened to God as He led them to send off others as He led them also.  We in the universal and local church are to continue to send out missionaries at home and far away to other countries that the gospel may be preached to all nations and language groups of people until all have had a chance to hear the saving grace from God’s wrath on their sin and reconciliation with the Living God and Creator of us all.  There is absolutely no disrespect of persons in God’s eyes by race or nationality and there must therefore be none in our own sight or minds to hinder this calling of God’s leading to bear witness to the gospel of grace to even our greatest enemy or nation.  These thoughts of superiority or jud must certainly be put out of sight and mind.  Then the ones we commission to spread the words of this life may do as Barnabas and Saul with John as well as they went to Cypres and preached the word of Godmin the synagogue of the Jews there.  They then went on as their footsteps were guided by the Spirit to Paphos to silence the enemy (Psalm 8:2) who was set against the gospel they spoke to all there.  This one sorcerer was put straight by the messengers of God to call that one out as the enemy who sought to deceive and trick people as a false prophet and a son of the devil himself in his opposition to destroy the followers of God who have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17) and His good news to set the prisoners free (Isaiah 42:1, 7).  Because this deceiver misled those hearing the gospel he was blinded that he might later see the error of his ways and repent to believe and receive Christ.  The provincial governor then believed after the lies were remo by the power and wisdom of God as he heard spoken to him by these faithful servants of the Lord.  The teaching of the Lord was hea from scripture which in its entirety is the gospel pointing to Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and Lord of all come as a man to take on our sins as no mortal can.  Are we listening to God’s leading by His Spirit to meet those needing and prepared to hear that they might also be set free from the bondage of sin by the work of Christ Jesus and by no effort of their own besides repentance and faith to believe and receive Him and His words of this life (Acts 5:20)?  Go and make disciples by speaking the gospel and bringing others into the family of God through Him and teach them all these things that they might do the same (2 Timothy 2:2).  Go in His grace and peace as you listen to God’s leading.