Acts 13

Chapter 13

v6 – the church at Antioch was being used in a great way

-the Lord started this church & what heaven starts, hell cannot stop…

vs – 7-8 The Invisible World shows up

-Elymas the sorcerer stands against Paul – demon possessed and an unbeliever

-we fight powers of hell and not people

withstood – means to stand against & oppose

vs9-12 – Paul resists the enemy (James 4:7)

-it is not a time to dialogue, but a time to demand…….using the authority of Jesus

There are some principles we can learn from Paul’s Interaction with the occult

(1.) ALL BELIEVERS NEED TO REST IN THEIR REDEMPTION – Colossians 1:13-14

-Believers can never be demon possessed – Eph 5:8

(2.) BELIEVERS SHOULD NOT BE MESSING AROUND WITH DEMONIC STUFF – Deuteronomy 18:10-15

(3.) REJOICE – Philippians 4:4

Rejoice that the demons know who you are because you are bothering them

(4.) UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY THE ENEMY ATTACKS

         a. Because we are invading enemy territory – Joshua 1:1-9

         b. We have a desire to grow and mature – Luke 9:23

         c. Blessings are coming into our lives – Deut 28:1-5

                                             ACTS 14

verse 1 – Iconium – located in modern day Turkey

-Acts 14 starts off by emphasizing the preaching of the Word of God

-Acts 14:1, 3, 7, 9, 15, 21 & 25

-Acts 14 tells us a few things about the Word of God

      (1.) THE WORD OF GOD TELL US TO CONTINUE – vs20-22

Continue – is a word of determination…remain at it/stick to it/keep moving

Acts 14:22 – Continue in the faith

-Faith is the Christian faith – the core doctrines of Christianity

     (2.) THE WORD OF GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING – vs21, 27-28

-Isaiah 55:10-33 – the Word never stops working and moving

     (3.) THE WORD TELLS US TO CRY OUT – Acts 14:8-18 (vs14-15)

-Cry out about Idolatry……(v14)

-idolatry – is allowing anything to take the place of God as the central life giving almighty force in our lives

     (4.) THE WORD TELLS US THERE IS HOPE – vs8-10

Hope – is an expectation that things will be getting better

-v8 – this man had no hope except for the intervention of Jesus Christ