This Week's Bible Study Lesson, "The Working Of The Holy Spirit", Acts 13:1-12, 7/15/2017

THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

ACTS 13:1-12

1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,

(They met an agent of the devil)

7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,

10 "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

 

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TEXT

1.The Holy Spirit Calls us To Service.

    a. The call to service is activated by:

          Worship

          Fasting

          Prayer

2. The Holy Spirit Separates Us From The Crowd

3. The Holy Spirit Ordains us for His Work

4. The Holy Spirit Empowers Us For The Mission

5. The Holy Spirit Convicts Us To Do The Mission

6. The Holy Spirit Prepares Us For The Mission

      a. It was 17 years after Paul's conversion before He got the call

          to serve.

      b. He wanted to serve immediately after his conversion but God

          set up a road block in the Jerusalem council.

      c. Paul may have needed those 17 years as training for the mission

         the Holy Spirit called him into.

7. The Holy Spirits Closes Doors

8. The Holy Spirit Selects The Mission For Us.

9. The Holy Spirit Sets Up Events That Exposes Our Faith.

10. Our Faith Under Trials Cause Others to  Believe In Jesus

11. Victory is in the hands of the Lord.

12. You have to have the confidence to proclaim the victory.

13. You have to know the devil when you see him.

13. You need faith to put the devil in his place.

14. By your words, God will move the devil out of your way.

15. When you stand for God, He will draw others to Himself

      through your testimony.