Acts 13 Study

This is taken from our study on the book of acts during our Chainbreakers bible study
Barnabas and Saul Sent Off
1In 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. 2While 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." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

We begin this chapter with a shift in characters
From this point forward we will see Saul (PAUL) as the main man

We enter the scene with the church in the midst of a prayer meeting
1. They are seeking Gods direction
2. They are praying and fasting together as a group (seeking unity?)
3. While they were worshipping the Lord and making decisions
a. How do you make decisions for your life?
b. Do you spend enough time worshipping to know when God is speaking?
c. If you have made poor decisions in the past, why not develop a new method of worship and let the Holy spirit speak to you!

Verse 2

“SET APART FOR ME BARNABUS AND SAUL FOR THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM”
1. YOU HAVE A WORK THAT ONLY YOU CAN DO
2. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU, AND YOU NEED TO SEEK AFTER HIS PLAN (JERIMIAH 29:11, 1 Peter 2:9, CALLING OF THE DISCIPLE)
3. EACH WORK IS DIFFERENT


VERSE 3
WHEN THEY HAD DECIDED TO SEND THEM OUT THEY CONTINUED TO FAST AND PRAY, AND THAT INCLUDED STAYING DEVOTED TO THE DISCIPLES TEACHING(ACTS 2:42)

1. WE NEED TO CONTINUE IN AN ATTIDUDE THAT MAINTAINS OUR PRAYER LIFE AND STUDY LIFE
2. THE BIBLE SAYS TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING EPH 6:18
A. IS THAT AN OPTION
B. HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN LIVE IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER
1. WE CAN STAY IN THE WORD
2. WE CAN STAY IN CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AND BE ACCOUNTABLE
3. WE CAN KEEP SPEAKING TO JESUS IF WE STAY FOCUSED ON WHERE WE ARE GOING INSTEAD OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
4. WE CAN CUT DOWN ON SIN, SIN BLOCKS PRAYER, THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF SIN IN OUR LIVES, IS AN EVER DECREASING LEVEL!


Verses 4-12
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.
6 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”
And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

THERE IS A BATTLE IN THIS BOOK OF ACTS THAT CONTINUES TO MANIFEST IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD, BUT IT IS TRULY A SPIRITUAL BATTLE

BUT NOTHING THE DEVIL DOES PREVENTS THE KINGDOM FROM GOING FORTH

MATT16: 18"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

The mission of Paul and Barnabus succeeded in spite of the opposition, so will you!
1. You need to have faith (Eph 6:14-20)
2. You need to pray through the whole battle
3. You need to be determined that you will fulfill the mission filled with the Holy Spirit! ( Have you been filled, are you seeking; 1 Corth 14:1)

REMEMBER YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT JESUS TODAY

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS FOREVER, AND WE LEARN EVERYDAY SOMETHING NEW.

CONTINUE TO READ HIS WORD, AND LET JESUS REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU

HE HAS GREAT PLANS FOR YOU, JUST LET IT HAPPEN, GOD LOVES YOU!
JERIMIAH 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Paul