“In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus, “but not to worry, I have overcome the world.” 

“…the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –Jesus (John 16:33 and 1 John 4:4)

“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 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. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” –Jesus, John 14:11-17 

“…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

How many times in one day of living do we ask for God’s Holy Spirit to lead us where to go and guide us with what to say and do?

Holy Spirit living is the way of life for the apostles called, trained, and commissioned by God, through Jesus, His Son.

Acts 13, The Message

Barnabas, Saul, and Doctor Know-It-All

^1-2 The congregation in Antioch was blessed with a number of prophet-preachers and teachers:

Barnabas,

Simon, nicknamed Niger,

Lucius the Cyrenian,

Manaen, an advisor to the ruler Herod,

Saul.

One day as they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance—the Holy Spirit spoke: “Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do.”

³ So they commissioned them. In that circle of intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying, they laid hands on their heads and sent them off.

^4-5 Sent off on their new assignment by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went down to Seleucia and caught a ship for Cyprus. The first thing they did when they put in at Salamis was preach God’s Word in the Jewish meeting places. They had John along to help out as needed.

^6-7 They traveled the length of the island, and at Paphos came upon a Jewish wizard who had worked himself into the confidence of the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man not easily taken in by charlatans. The wizard’s name was Bar-Jesus. He was as crooked as a corkscrew.

^7-11 The governor invited Barnabas and Saul in, wanting to hear God’s Word firsthand from them. But Dr. Know-It-All (that’s the wizard’s name in plain English) stirred up a ruckus, trying to divert the governor from becoming a believer. But Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said, “You bag of wind, you parody of a devil—why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God. But now you’ve come up against God himself, and your game is up. You’re about to go blind—no sunlight for you for a good long stretch.” He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.

¹² When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer, full of enthusiasm over what they were saying about the Master.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Liar, Liar, pants on fire!”

We are lied to many times a day without realizing it until it touches our lives directly.  And wouldn’t be awesome for liars’ pants to really catch fire for everyone to see! —Until we are caught in a mistruth, leave out important details to cover up, or just plain lie!

God provides Truth and guides us into all Truth courtesy of His Holy Spirit living in us!

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”—Jesus, (John 16:13)

We’re off the see the Wizard…as the wizard is off to kill the Message

Barnabas and Saul, along with John Mark are commissioned to spread the Good News in Cyprus.  But, get this—NOT until God’s Holy Spirit gave them direction with a plan!  How many times, dear church friends, do we gather in various places, endure long-winded chatter in laborious committee meetings to form our next plan of action THEN pray, “God, bless our plans”?  We can learn from the acts of the apostles and disciples of Jesus: “As they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance”—then the Holy Spirit spoke—and gave them God’s plan!

After our plans fail, we can almost hear God say, “Can you hear Me, now?” 

We also remember what Jesus taught; SEEK GOD first…just like Jesus did. Jesus didn’t do anything without first going to His Father for direction with His Plan. Are we better than the Son of God that we don’t need to go to God’s first and listen as the early apostles did with “intensity and obedience”?  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:33 Jesus is telling us to stop worrying about the details of life and seek first God’s ways of Kingdom thinking and living.  Do we think we can do life better the Creator of Life?  Mm, I don’t think so.

God’s Holy Spirit sent them to Cyprus.  The “first thing” they did was to preach Jesus as directed.  Along comes a Jewish wizard, consumed by the devil enemy of God, to distract and deceive by redirecting the minds of those hearing the Good News of salvation in Jesus.  Mm, still happening today, right?  The enemy’s weapons of massive destruction have not changed.

Saul, (now called Paul), “full of the Holy Spirit”, looked Dr. Know-It-All right in the eyes and with boldness, in Jesus Name, declares the wizard’s sin against God.  The wizard is already blinded from Truth spiritually and mentally—now he is physically blinded so he is no longer a distractor.  God wins—again!

Does this not parallel the time Jesus blinded the eyes of Saul on his road to persecuting believers?!  (Acts 9:3)  The former persecutor is a preacher—transformed by Jesus, his Savior and Lord!  A soul once consumed by the enemy has now, in Jesus Name, led by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. defeated the enemy of God! 

“When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer, full of enthusiasm over what they were saying about the Master.”

There is indeed, power in the Name of Jesus and power in God’s Holy Spirit living in us!  Run to God, fall at the feet of Jesus, believe, repent, and be filled by His Holy Spirit.  Life will never be the same!

Lord,

Thank you for sending a Helper in the form of Your Holy Spirit to live inside us to guide and direct and correct our thinking.  Our response is to listen to Your Voice with “intensity and obedience.  Thank you for knowing we would need your help to combat our real enemy. Thank you reminding us that the war has already been won by you. These are mere skirmishes of the enemy to draw us away from you, distract us from truth with deceptive lies so we will stop believing you.  I believe and trust you with all that is in me!

In Jesus Name, Amen