"On To The NExt"

On To The Next

Acts 18:5-11 (NLT)

And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”

7 Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.

You Ready… Let’s Go!!

A pastor friend of mine got up in front of his congregation one morning and spoke boldly. A lot had been going on in the world during the previous weeks and months. He was a bit anxious about what he felt he had to say—but he knew it was the truth, and he knew it had to be said.

What he shared that morning was the good-news message of Jesus. That may sound simple and expected, but sometimes it is not easy to share that message. He reminded everyone that they needed to love one another as Christ loves us. Be people of truth—God’s truth—he said. Don’t hate others. Don’t hurt others.

Speaking out boldly for what you know is right can be frightening. Even if it is right, it might not be popular. In fact, the gospel message of Jesus often isn’t popular. It can seem foolish and countercultural. Jesus himself was crucified for it, and many of his followers were persecuted, put in jail, or killed for it as well. Even though speaking boldly can be frightening, the truth can’t be hidden.

Paul was preaching the Word of God, and people were upset with him. But God encouraged him to continue speaking and not to be afraid.

That same encouragement is for us today too. When we have the opportunity to speak the truth of the gospel, we must do so boldly. Even if we are attacked for it, God will be with us.

The Lord comes to Paul in a vision and tells him not to be afraid. Paul had been in the city sharing and leading people to Christ but for some reason he was afraid. So the Lord encourages him with this vision, telling him not to fear and builds this command on three promises – God’s presence, God’s protection, and God’s power.

God’s Presence
The first promise is ‘I am with you.’ This is the great promise to God’s people in both the Old Covenant and New Covenant that God’s presence will be with his people.

The believers in the book of Acts had wonderful encounters with God’s presence during prayer.

Acts 4:31 (NLT)
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
The amplified translation for this verse puts it this way

And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.

I believe that we all can be encouraged by scriptures such as these. You see…

Prayer will open the door to God’s presence.

Prayer will open the door for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Prayer will develop our relationship with the Lord and cause us to speak the word of god with boldness and courage

Prayer is the weapon that we can use to fight against the enemy.

And so I simply want to encourage you to pray

Pray for your family; Pray for unity and a spirit of togetherness within your family

Pray for protection

Pray for forgiveness

Pray for healing

Pray for deliverance

Pray for comfort

Pray for prosperity; your finances

Pray for divine intervention

I encourage you to Pray for your children

Pray for your grandchildren. Speak over their lives and pray for protection and preservation in a world that is filled with danger and evil

I encourage you to

Pray over your own life

Pray for your marriage; your relationships

Pray for God to bless the works of your hands

But as you pray, always remember that your number one prayer request should be for the presence of God to be with you always.

As you pray always remember that above all else the power and strength for a believer comes when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Consider what is says in…

Acts 4:13 (NLT)
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

The last line in this verse says, “And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
We ought to pray for the Lord’s presence to be with us always. When you are a man of prayer, when you are a woman of prayer, God’s presence will be with you always. Moses was someone who realized just how
powerful, just how significant it is to have God’s presence with him. The bible says in Exodus 33:13-16

Exodus 33:13-16 (NLT)
If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” 14 The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” 15 Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. 16 How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

Moses would not go anywhere until he knew God’s presence was with him. Moses would not go anywhere until he knew that he was surrounded by God’s presence. God’s presence was the evidence that he had found grace in the sight of the Lord.

You see…

God’s presence brings peace

God’s presence brings power

God’s presence will set you apart

God’s presence brings fullness of joy

And so we too ought to always pray and desperately seek for God’s presence to be with us. We need to have the evidence of God’s presence in our lives, in our homes and in our families.

God’s Protection

The second promise is that no one will harm you. Paul’s life was frequently threatened but God wanted to ensure him that here in Corinth, no further harm would come to him.

Psalm 31:20 (NLT)

You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.

Give Illustration

The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until then, he had never been away from the protection of the family and the tribe. But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away. When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods and he was terrified! Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce. After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then, to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long.

I serve a God that will never leave nor forsake me

I serve a God that is faithful; He will strengthen and protect me from the evil one

I serve a God that will strengthen and help me; He will uphold me with His righteous hand

Ye tho I walk in the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff comfort me
God’s Power

The third promise is that ‘I have many in this city who are my people.’ The phrase, my people, is the Greek phrase used of God’s people. The Lord of the harvest promises to exert his influence to draw his people, those who are his, to himself. We see this same idea in John 10.

John 10:16 (NLT)

I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is for everyone

Including people that don’t look like you or you don’t

If the church lives in the power of the Spirit, reflects God’s glory and love, and shows unity sustained by a shared knowledge of God, then its testimony will astonish the world.

It’s time for us to keep the main thing…the main thing. It’s all about the price Jesus paid on Calvary, the cash register at the cross and the Church

It’s time for us to be the church in this wayward world.

It’s time for us to speak up and be bold for Christ

And if they don’t want to listen, and want to oppose and insult you, take Paul’s approach in verse 6

Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”

In other words, I’m going to preach to someone that wants and knows they need Jesus. But just been waiting to hear a word from one of God’s messengers

Baby, Keep on going and don’t stop!! Reminds me of an old spiritual song my momma ‘em used to sing…

If you can’t help me, please don’t stop me
Move out of my way, don’t try to block me
I got a race to run, and I run it by the day
At the finishing line, I want to see God’s face

How many of you know that you have to Keep ON for Christ. As long as you are breathing, baby you Keep ON!!