Awake Us Now

The Holy Spirit interprets and explains the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit) so that we can use it to counter and defeat the attacks of the devil!

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Jesus' words may sound strange at first, but He assures us of comfort - comfort that comes from knowing that Jesus has triumphed over the grave, that because He lives, you and I live as well.

Whether we recognize it or not, we are all "poor in spirit" and need what only God can give. We are truly blessed when we realize how much we need a Savior.

Each of us needs what only Jesus can offer - new birth and new life. It hurts to be re-born, but to be reborn is to be transformed!

Acts 13:6-11 - is the story of the blinding of the false prophet. Paul uses tough words against the false prophet with the intent to heal, not destroy.

Who else do we know was blinded? Paul himself had been blinded by the Lord in order that he would then see the truth of who Jesus is.

At the root of this event of blindness on the false prophet is God's same desire - to use it to bring the false prophet to see the truth of who Jesus is.

Bar-Jesus the false prophet was an attendant to the proconsul Sergius Paulus, and as the proconsul witnessed the blinding of his attendant and heard the teaching about the Jesus, he came to faith in Christ.

Then Paul and Barnabas head to Pisidian Antioch. Pastor shares a very interesting discovery found near Pisidian Antioch. A Family Estate Marker engraved with the name "Sergius Paulus." Pastor, with holy speculation, wonders whether it may have been the proconsul along with the Holy Spirit who instigated Paul and Barnabas' trip to Pisidian Antioch based on the proconsul's desire for his family to hear the Gospel message!

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Jesus makes it clear to His followers - if we follow Him, we WILL be persecuted, just as He was persecuted. When that happens, we are not to despair, but to rejoice - "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:10) Persecution is a confirmation that we truly are following the Living God!

We see singing and songs throughout the Scriptures. Singing connects us with the heart, with one another, and with God!

Chapters 1-12 the focus has been on the Jerusalem believers, Apostle Peter

Chapter 13 and onward will be focused on the Apostle Paul (also known as Saul) and the church at Antioch. In the book of Acts Paul travels 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometers) to bring the message of Jesus to people who had never heard of Him.

Acts 13

THEN + NOW

• Seek and heed the Spirit. In the first 3 verses of this chapter we see them praying, fasting and doing as the Holy Spirit leads.Seeking the Spirit's guidance and then heeding it is an important truth for us today individually and as the Body of Christ. Acts 13:1-3
• Rely on the Holy Spirit. Paul and Barnabas follow the Holy Spirit's leading and head to the island of Cyprus. There they meet the proconsul Sergius Paulus and his attendant, a sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. The sorcerer tries to stop the proconsul from faith in Jesus as Paul and Barnabas share the Good News. God blinds the sorcerer and when the proconsul sees this he believes because he was amazed at the teaching about Jesus. There is power in the Name of Jesus, there is power through the Holy Spirit, there is insight given to those who believe and trust the Lord and who rely upon the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:4-12
• Connect Scripture to today. Paul and Barnabas leave Cyprus and sail to Perga and then travel to Pisidian Antioch. They go to the synagogue and are asked if they have a word of exhortation to share with the people. Paul talks through the history of the people of Israel and all that God had done ending with God's bringing of the Messiah, Jesus the Savior. Paul connected the scripture to the present day. The Bible is for all people, in all times, in every generation. The Scriptures are relevant for us today. Acts 13:13-26
• Testifies to the Risen Savior. Paul goes on to say how people missed and ignored what was prophesied about the Savior even going so far as to execute Him on the cross even without proper grounds to do so. Then they laid him in a tomb and God raised Him from the dead and there are witnesses to His resurrection. Paul makes it evident that what the prophets had said would happen was accomplished with Jesus Christ the Messiah and risen Savior. Our mission is to testify what God has done and point people to Jesus. Acts 13:27-32
• Christ alone can free us. Paul shares by quoting Scriptures: Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3, Psalm 16:10 and goes on to tell that all sins are forgiven in Christ. Following the Law doesn't save us, rather it shows us our failure to uphold it and shows our need for the Savior. Through faith in Jesus we are set free from every sin, a justification we are unable to obtain ourselves, it is only in Jesus Christ alone. Act 23:33-43
• The following weeks many came to the synagogue to hear the Good News but some Jews were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, heaping abuse on him. Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly that they had to speak the Word of God to the Jews first but that now they would teach the Gentiles. The gentiles rejoiced and the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region and as it did the Jewish leaders incited the Jewish people against Paul and Barnabas until they finally left, shaking the dust off their feet and going to Iconium filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:44-51

This week's READING ASSIGNMENT:

Acts chapter 13-14.

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Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now

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Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website

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Why does Paul connect prayer with the Armor of God? Because when we "pray in the Spirit," we have something that front-line soldiers have always longed for: the ability to talk directly with our "Commander-in-Chief!"

Everyone who is a true disciple of the Lord Jesus has the Holy Spirit. But does the Holy Spirit have us? It is one thing to know the Living God and to know Jesus as Savior, but it is another thing to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit on a regular, daily basis!