The work of the Holy Spirit was completed
Acts 13:4-12
4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus. 5 There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant.
6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.
9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? 11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.
12 When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
The news of Jesus had reached this Roman centre on Cyprus. The gospel was travelling ahead of its preachers.
As God’s word goes out this is the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work. He opens hearts and minds to God’s rescue plan for all. I should be praying that the Holy Spirit breaks through prejudice, indifference and preconceptions – that he will make the ground ready for the seed of truth, the gospel.
God’s word can’t be stopped or silenced.
This story speaks to me of how nothing can stop the Holy Spirit once he gets to work. Not even a sorcerer (usually someone who does magic and has powers from Satan), or in our modern times an ayatollah or a dictator can stop the work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s power is above all, can do all.
Jesus described the Holy Spirit in John 16. In verse 8 he says “when he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father…, and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned… but when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” That is because the Holy Spirit speaks the truth of God.
How much better is it to live in the truth of God than in some deluded world put up to us by a “sorcerer.” There should be no delusion that the world is busy denying the truth of Jesus because to acknowledge him as God would require a response. The gospel demands a change of life like happened for the Roman leader in this story.
The truth is life.
Dear Lord, your word of life is truth, and cannot be silenced. I pray your word will be on my lips like it was for the apostle Paul who challenged people with the truth of your gospel and brought that life changing word to those who were searching. Use me to see lives transformed. Amen
Written by Claire Moore